The Labyrinth of lies

She entered the house with an empty mind, teary eyes, and a lot of questions. For the first time in her life, she decided to hold her father accountable for everything he had done to her since her childhood. She just wanted to ask him why he didn't kill her on the same day her mother died. Why did he raise her only to throw her in front of the hungry wolves of society? Why always her?

She headed towards the study room because she knew it was the only place where she could talk to her father in the absence of his wife. She opened the door and entered the room, standing in front of her father, Mr. Durani, with red swollen eyes and disturbed breath. Mr. Durani looked at her surprisingly, "What is this behavior, Aina? Where are your manners?" he asked angrily.

Aina felt his angry tone. She never saw any love for her in his eyes, and she began to laugh with tears in her eyes. "You know what? They died with my mother. My feelings, my emotions, my childhood—everything died with my mother. And most interestingly, you know, my father also died with my mother," her tone was full of torment and agony. Mr. Durani looked at her astonishingly. This was the first time Aina was expressing her feelings in front of her father, or rather, the first time Mr. Durani was truly listening to her.

"What happened? Why are you acting like this?" Mr. Durani's tone was lighter now.

"What happened, Dad? Do you even know where I was the whole day? How can you offer your daughter in front of any cheapster? How?" Aina was almost shouting. "What rubbish are you talking about? Tell me your problem," Mr. Durani asked her.

"Your wife sent me with Shahmeer, and he..." she couldn't speak more; her breath was getting short. "Aina, stop overreacting. I know you were with Shahmeer. You guys are getting married, so what's wrong with spending time together? You'll understand each other," Mr. Durani understood what she was talking about.

"Dad, you didn't even ask me if I want to get married to him or not. How can you make such a decision?" Aina asked in a softer tone because she realized she had been too harsh. "Aina, you are my daughter. I have the right to make decisions for you, and trust me, he is so good for you," he said.

"Dad, I'm only 18. I have my aims; I want to do something in my life. And above all, he is just doing everything for his revenge," she was looking at her father with eyes full of hope that he would understand her. "Stop creating fake scenarios in your mind. His family talked to me about his proposal a month ago," he tried to explain to her.

"Dad, I want to study law, I want to go abroad for higher studies..." she hadn't even completed her sentence when Mrs. Durani walked in. "Sweetie, what are you talking about? You love him, so why are you ruining your relationship because of a few misunderstandings? Okay, I will talk to him. You guys should sort out your conflicts before marriage. We are your parents; we want the best for you." She was talking in a very loving tone; Aina was deeply surprised because she couldn't remember the last time her mother talked to her with love.

"Go to your room, sweetie. I will talk to him, and he will surely apologize to you." Aina silently left the room because she knew she could not lift the curtains of manipulation from her father's eyes; she couldn't.Grabbing the car keys she ran from her house .

Drenched in darkness, the road was quite forlone and silent in the late hours of the night. She was straying her car on these still ways, tears rolling down her face, driving with a lost mind and empty eyes. She had nowhere to go, no destination, just like her life – aimless, with collapsing dreams. Exhausted from her void life, surrounded by double-faced people, she direly desired someone's shoulder to lean on, to take away all her pain.

Lost in her thoughts, the speed of her car gradually increased until the rhythm of her thoughts broke with a sudden jerk. "What the heck, not now, please not today," she exclaimed as her car broke down in the middle of the road. Irritated, she banged her hand forcefully on the steering wheel. Looking out, a shiver of fear engulfed her – a deserted place with no trace of human beings.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to start the car, but to no use. "Ughhh, why me? Hell with my luck," she sighed after multiple attempts. Left with no choice, she reluctantly left the car, her heart heavy, and legs shivering.

On a desolate road, dimly lit by the feeble glow of distant streetlights. Desperation etched across her face, she hesitantly approached a group of three boys who seemed to be her only hope for assistance. However, what started as a plea for help quickly turned into a nightmarish encounter. The boys, fueled by malicious intentions, began to come forward . Fear flickered in her eyes as their sinister laughter echoed in the empty surroundings. The isolated road, once a potential refuge, now became a haunting backdrop for an unsettling and unwarranted confrontation.

Boy 1: "Well, well, what do we have here? A lost little thing on our lonely road. Need some company?"

"No, I'm fine, just trying to fix my car. I don't need any help, thanks."

Boy 2: *smirking* "Oh, we insist. No girl should be alone on a night like this. We're here to keep you company."

*nervously* "I really don't need company. I just want to fix my car and leave."

Boy1 :*blocking her path* "You're not going anywhere. We can be a lot of fun, you know."

*panicking* "Please, just let me go. I won't tell anyone about this. I promise."

Boy 1: "Promises won't get you far, sweetheart. How about you stay a while and enjoy our company?"

*frantically looking for an escape* "No, I can't. Please, I just want to leave."

Boy 2: "Leaving so soon? We were just getting started. You shouldn't have come down this road alone."

*voice trembling* "I didn't expect... I just need to go. Please, let me go!"

Boy 3: *chuckles menacingly* "You're not going anywhere, princess. We're in charge here."

*desperately running* "Someone, please help! Anybody!"

He grabbed Aina form her hair and slammed her on the road . A loud scream echoed through the dead end road .Tears rolled down her eyes . Suddenly the boy was shoved away from her.