“ jis pe 'mahtab' tum rahe marte

ab woh hote sarab dekhe hai ”

...

Her feets were aching and her head was heavy, she would faint down any moment. She stopped walking and looked around, nobody was there. She's all alone, her heartbeat got faster and she felt calm. The night was going darker and darker, its a full moon night, the moon....her eyes freezed on the beautiful scenery infront of her, mesmerizing. The only word which would be the suitable term to describe the Beauty infront of her.

She walked a little more and sat down in the shed of the huge Banyan tree. She looked at her feets and then at her broken slipper. And a helpless laugh left her mouth.

Her melodious laugh,

Echoing in the abandoned place

On the full moon night.

She felt a smack on her head and then her eyes closed in a blink. She felt as if her body is moving up in the air, but she couldn't see anything only felt the sensation.

The coldness of air and the warmth that could burned down her, she was feeling the same warmth again.....but how could she felt it after years?

"Huh."

Afeerah woke up with a jolt, the dream was a reality....she had lived years ago and still living its aftermath.

Little drops of sweat formed on her forehead, taking deep breaths. She calmed herself down.

"It was just a dream nothing else."

She kept on repeating the same Mantra, and lay down on the bed. Soon she fell asleep again.

Sometimes we like to deny the reality, just to feel at ease.

...

"

Afeerah."

"Haan Afeerah."

Salma Khanam looked at her son, who was not believing her that Afeerah Farid is possessed by a jinn.

"No Ammi. I don't think she's possessed by some jinn. Come on its all just a myth." He said while taking another bite of achar. He really liked the sweet and spicy taste on his tongue, melting like a motlen lava cake.

"Haaye Haaye. Chaar kitabein kya padh li Jinn ke wajood ko nakar raha hai. Badbakht. Tauba tauba."

Salma Khanam punched him hard on his broad shoulders and he groaned in pain. Don't ever disagree with ammi ever again, he learnt the lesson.

"Ammi but—"

"No but shut kut.... I've seen Afeerah getting possessed by Gaud jinn." Her eyes got bigger remembering the incident that happened three years ago in her kitchen and shivered terrifiedly.

"I don't think she's possessed ammi." He said and then later regretted, Salma khanam was giving him death glare and punched him again on his broad shoulders.

"AMMI."

"Hunh..ab tou aagya haina vilayati pagalo ka doctor. Tu thik kardena usse. Hunnh."

"Ammi...."

"Rayyan...."

Salma Khanam mimicked him and they both laughed. Their laughter echoing in the whole Khan Mansion. Afeerah who was coming in Salma khanam's room stopped in her tracks. How could she forgot that laugh.

Rayyan Khan, the man with Afeerah Farid in love with at a tender age of seventeen. The kind of love where you love selflessly without wanting anything in return, where the wellbeing and happiness of the beloved is above everything, where the separation of beloved left aching whole in the heart yet the sweetness of crying lonely for beloved, where beloved is the sun and devotee is the moon.

Afeerah didn't bothered to go in Salma Khanam's room.

"Ammi. Okay I'm going feeling super tired." Rayyan kissed Salma Khanam's cheeks and left from her room. He was on the way to his bedroom, when he saw a girl on the entrance of Khan Mansion, he didn't understood who came in Mansion at this time went out without meeting Salma khanam, but why do i care, he shooked his head. And went back in his room.

He was stunned to see his bedroom's door half opened. He walked deeper in the room and looked around, when he saw everything at his place he thought maybe its just a misconception.

He took out his sweats and tshirt from the wardrobe and after taking a relaxing cold shower, he came out looking super hot (as in very hot...writer has lost her mind after watching....lets skip that part).

He throw the towel on the couch and with dhup he's also down on the bed. He closed his eyes and then, her face came in his mind.

Her beautiful smiling face.

Her eyes sparkling under the moonlight.

Her luscious and soft hair.

Her melodious laugh.

Her amusing antics.

Ah! Afeerah Farid.

The girl he is in love with since years, his moon. The moon who always guides him, whenever he is going down the track.

Rayyan Khan has seen his fair share of women from different origins, different personalities, from beautiful to elegant, from good to bad. But nobody compares to her, the things he felt for her. The smile that always dances on his face, whenever he listen to her stupid talks, whenever she smile, whenever she shows fake anger.

Ah! Afeerah Farid beloved of Rayyan Khan.

Rayyan smiled brightly, he was feeling truly happy, finally the period of separation is going to be over. The Moon will meet The Sun at Dawn, but for the union Sun must has to meet its end.

He was still smiling sheepishly, shooking his head lay down and took a nearby pillow to cover his face, but he sees letter Their. He opened it and started reading it—

Khawab safar tha mera maazi

Khawab safar tha mera humraaz

He didn't understood who has put this letter under his pillow.

Who?

Why?

When?

The answers only the owner of letter knows.

...

Ishq woh aatish 'ghalib' hai

jou lagaye na lage bhujaaye na bane.

The night has entered in its first half, the moon is shinning more tonight. She opened her House's backdoor and looked around to see if anybody is their or not. When she saw no-one around her, she sighed in relief and covering her face with the shawl, she started walking towards their hideaway.

Her breathe was heavy and she was feeling scared. She hadn't gone their after that incident. But now she was going their because she knows, he will be their waiting for her.

She stopped in her tracks when the sight of Bridge of Nawabgarh came in her view and her eyes also went on the Banyan tree, but it was she didn't dared to look at more than a second.

She shivered and then resumed walking again, but only after taking two steps she stopped. She heard the sounds of boots hitting the muddy ground...her heartbeat faster and then she turned around—

"Afeerah."

"Rayyan."

The both were freezed on Their place. Afeerah was on the verge of crying and Rayyan was smiling but his eyes were filled with tears.

He took two long strides and hugged her tightly. Feeling his arms around her, she felt at home and hugged him even more tight. Tears were flowing like river from her eyes.

"I missed you so much." He whispered in her ear and kissed her shoulder.

She was trying to say something but, seeing him and being this close to him no words come out of her mouth. She just looked at him lovingly.

"Meri jaan please stop crying."

Rayyan wiped her tears, kissing her temple, he started rubbing her back, soothing her. Afeerah was melting like a candle in his closeness.

Two lovers uniting,

After separation of years.

They were lost in the moment of weakness, that they didn't realised somebody is watching them with anger.

Afeerah felt her head getting heavy and now her Eyes turned bloodied, she hugged him tightly.

Her grip felt like a death trap.

Rayyan winced in pain and tried to broke the hug, but it was of no use. Afeerah hugged him more tightly and then groaned in a manly voice.

"AFEERAH IS MINE. HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER."

Rayyan got stunned and then his mother word's hits head like a hammer Afeerah is possessed by a jinn....he felt uneasy but not scared. He looked in Afeerah's eyes but before he could do anything. Afeerah lost her senses and weighed in his arm like fragile doll.

Rayyan still didn't understood what had happened.

But the biggest problem was now is, Afeerah's unconscious figure.

••••••••••

Note: Gaud jinn is such a mood breaker.🤌