No Matter What: Chapter Fifteen (1)

Flashes of light, screeching sounds and blurry vision, Shihab was racing against time when he heard the news. A sudden crushing feeling that overtook him when he sensed a vibration on his inner thigh. Ever since he listened to the voicemail message Fajr left, his phone fell to reside where it was. He was refreshed and felt light headed when it felt like all his problems were going to be solved. His relationship with God was the one that assured him of a safer, better and happier tomorrow. But now his tomorrow wasn’t secured, he didn’t know if it was going to be as blissful as he had hoped in his heart and dreams. His beloved, the one he would die for was on her way to the end of the tunnel. He was smothered with that thought as his body sat at the driver’s seat with both his hands placed at the steering wheel. 

Radars blinking at him more than three times, he accelerated even faster to see her face. Droplets of tears; bitter from the pain and salty from the worry fell onto his lap over the sandy beige dishdasha he had on. Ignoring the erratic amber which immediately turned to red, Shihab absently passed through the traffic light. Honks and flashes of full light were targeting Shihab’s vintage customized chevy but for him not to pay attention. His fellow drivers were alerting him on the trailer truck that was cutting its way through the cross junction. Grieving for what Noor was going through; his bloodshot eyes creeping with veins didn’t focus on the road. The entire junction became static but for the amber hazard lights flashing from every single vehicle within the vicinity of the busy road. Screams of panic, and the honking noises were drawn to a halt. In shock was the state everyone was in. ‘La 7awla wala quwata illa bellah’ some of the witnesses started repeating out loud as they got out of their cars heading over to help.

Shivering and shaking, he opened his eyes to see if his leg was amputated. The pain was excruciating. His leg felt crushed and broken. He tried to lift his body only he couldn’t. The dashboard was almost glued to his abdomen. He could hardly breathe as he saw tires through the shattered window of the passenger seat. Hyperventilating from fear he closed his eyes trying to recollect his sight and focus. He opened them and started panicking. The tires that he saw were still there. He wanted to scream but the shock silenced him. He was under the trailer truck he collided with. Red and blue flickers he then saw, loud police sirens he heard. The sounds rang in his ears like a jingle to a television advert; he struggled to get out but was trapped. The sirens became louder reminding him of that bitter memory he wished never happened.