16 Carved Cave

He turns off the headlights. Now, the street light shines on his face. I think for a moment or two.

"Scar?" I call out not sure whether it is really him.

"Oh yes! Zyna, Good! You found me and I found you" Scar smirks.

"Why are you tryna harm us?" I shout at him.

" I didn't know it was you. And I'm outta of here. This is none of my business. I was paid and I think I have done my job. Adios!" Scar says and gets in his car and leaves.

Four to five men charge at us after Scar leaves. Rum gets out of the car and pulls a street fight with all the men. He dashes at them and smashes their faces. Kicking them multiple times on their abdomen.

I didn't know he knew how to fight. His punches are strong and the men bleed from their nose and mouth. They run away from him. He stands there with bloodied hands.

"You know close combat?" I ask him unbelievably. I laugh out.

"Then why do you need me?" I snap at him.

"I only know close combat. I don't know how to handle a revolver like you do" He says sadly.

Pity! Both are indispensable. I'm not fortunate when it comes to close combat. Shame! I used to be favorable at it once upon a time. But all 'Once upon a time' never always has 'Happy endings'.

"We need to talk remember." He says. But I'm spacing out.

"Earth to Zy" He says clapping his hands. He says it like Zai.

"Ah What?" I ask him.

"I've something to tell you." He says.

"No, not that. You called me differently!" I point it out to him.

"Yeah! That's supposed to be your pet name." He says as a matter of fact. When he does make some sense.

I get into the car just to warm up a bit. The car is even damper. The windshield is covered with fog. Rum gets in shotgun and stares at me. I feel uncomfortable reclining in my seat next to a man who could harm without a second thought. I turn slightly towards the windowpane and lean on the window. It makes an illusion that there is an expanse between us.

"One week is over. I'm leaving this town. I have a favor to ask-" He turns to me with pleading eyes. "Will you don't for me?" He finishes and breathes as though the air in the car is sucked out using a vacuum. On the other hand, I'm supposed to be ameliorated that he would be departing. But I don't feel any kind of satisfaction. Disappointing!

"What do you want me to do for you?" I asked him folding my arms. He doesn't reply and I lose my forbearance. Patience for me is a thin line which people cross way too often than necessary. I lean a little closer cause he is mumbling something.

"I want you to take care of Nahla. Safeguard her, Please!" He says on the verge of tears. I cringe at him. Eeeh! What is happening here? I thought he was a menace to her. What more do I not know? What am I oblivious about?

"Why?" I ask him perplexed.

"Why don't you make her tell you why I'm beseeching you to protect her?" He asks me without remorse. All I know is he is guilty of something. If that's how he is going to play. I would gladly play along.

"Sure. I'll befriend her. She in return will tell me your dirty secret." He laughs at my confidence. You just watch, Jerk!

"She is closed off. Her walls are strong built. She opens up to no one." He looks at me.

"Who are you, Mystery girl?" He asks and chuckles. It's kinda nice to see people laugh I guess. I still don't get the joke but.

I rev the engine.

"Where to, Mister?" I ask him with mock respect.

"The usual" He tells me. I grab a tissue packet and smack on his head.

"Hey! What was that for?" He asks

" I'm not your driver" I hiss at him.

"Okay! Please racer escort me the place 'The usual' Thank you for your co-operation" I should have known that it's the place's name. I wonder why he goes to weird places with weird names.

He directs me and we reach there in less than half an hour. He gets down and leans to look at me through the window. He smiles.

"I know you'll get to know her and will make a good friend. Thank you!" He leaves. All his words hang in the air for a while.

I pull out of the driveway and get home.

"What happened to your cheek?" Cairo seriously had to greet me like that.

"Hush! Stop making it obvious!" I yell at him.

"Seriously?! What on earth happened? Who did this to you?" He cups his hand on my cheeks and looks closely. I slowly take my fingers and brush past it. It's bleeding now.

"Let me get some antiseptic." He says and rushes to the room to fetch the first aid kit. Meanwhile, I walk to the closest mirror to take a look.

I gawk at my reflection. I smeared the blood slightly but that doesn't bother me. There is a healed scar beneath the fresh injury. The scar looks faded. The scary memory it holds is something I can never heal from or it never fades away. I feel like I'm going back in time. I could visualize myself screaming for help. I could feel the mental pain much stronger than physical pain. They ganged up on me. It was okay until I saw her-

Cairo snaps his finger right to my face to get my attention.

"I asked you something." He says concerned.

"Yeah?" I didn't even notice him.

"Does it hurt? At least a little bit? No?" He bombs me with questions one after the other. He has been rubbing alcohol swabs on the wound for the past few seconds and I couldn't feel anything. I push his hands off my face and walk to my room and shut the door. I sit on the floor and press my palm to my ears. All my screaming from the past is ringing in my ears. I wish I could mute it at least for a while. I wish I could heal somehow.

I take my hands off my ear. I don't know how long I was sitting there. My hands hurt. I hug my knees and sit there for as long as possible. I've woken up from that nightmare a long time ago. I should forget all about it. But I can still recall what happened on that day as if it happened yesterday. Good memories are not something we remember so well. Bad ones are carved in our hearts forever. A little light shines on my face. I feel like I'm once again standing in the spotlight. I look at the window. It's bright out there. There is still room for hope. The room may look like a cave carved with bad memories. But I can still get out of here.