CHAPTER 9. LAST STEP OUT OF SILENCE
Rahim Daad and I sat silently on that cold sand of the evening. Things were ruptured beyond repair it seemed; I felt guilty for putting all those people in such high degree of hope and then not being able to sustain it.
“It’s not your fault” Rahim Daad said as if he could read my mind.
“There has to be a way out” I said without thinking about what I was saying. Rahim Daad looked at me with a big question mark on his face. “If there is one thing I have learned in my life, it is that you can do anything that you set your mind to, there is no stopping you once you have put your heart and soul into something” I stood up, “where does Khuda Bakhsh live?”
Rahim Daad was absolutely bemused; he couldn’t understand what I was trying to do. “You cannot fight evil with evil” he tried to stop me from taking any rash step.
“I just want to see him again, let’s go to his place” I looked at him with truth in my eyes and he didn’t say anything but walked beside me.
I stopped the jeep in front of Khuda Bakhsh’s house and I could clearly see that the news of my arrival had already reached him since I saw him standing in the door with half a dozen armed men guarding him on his right and left.
“So you are here to fight?” he tried to mock me.
“No, I am here to talk and tell you the truth; let’s see if you have the courage to listen to it” I said with a firm face and a resounding voice that was arrogant enough that Khuda Bakhsh didn’t resist my walking through his men and into his quarters. It was time for me to bring back the Rafeel I was a few years back when I would speak and people would listen and not dare interrupt.
“How many daughters do you have Khuda Bakhsh?” silence fell across the room as I asked that question staring into the eyes of Khuda Bakhsh who was more bewildered than angered.
“And why do you ask such outrageously personal question” he unsuccessfully tried to bring some roar into his voice.
“I asked because you shamelessly swore upon the head of your daughter to stop those men from brining clean water to these people; that’s why I ask, so that I know where does this arrogance come from” I never took my eyes off his face.
“If it is of any consolation to you, I had one daughter” he said with an aching voice.
“I already know that; she died two years back of a stomach ulcer, didn’t she?”
“Yes she did. And this is enough, I don’t want to talk about this and I will not allow you to take leverage of my hospitality; I am tolerating you because you are my guest.”
“Her ulcer was because of the poisonous water she drank, isn’t that what the hakeem told you? You ignored it, you told yourself you couldn’t help her because you had tried enough and nothing worked; you gave up. Your arrogance and pride got in your way. You are not afraid, you are not scared of failing; you have grown too numb for that. You listen to people wail but you tell yourself you are deaf; you see people in pain but turn a blind eye to it all. You came in anger and swore on your daughter’s head because you still know you let her go, you failed her and now you can’t take the success that comes after she is gone. But I tell you this, it wasn’t just about your daughter; it’s about life, no matter to whom it belongs. And you are one of us; one day you will be dieing in your bed, of same ulcer; don’t wait till then to regret your actions” I kept my voice low but there was enough anger in it that no one interrupted my speech.
There was silence in the room, no one even moved.
“If you think you can emotionally instigate me and weaken me, you are wrong” he said in a plain tone.
“I know. Your daughter’s soul couldn’t do it, how could I?” I said with disgust in my expression.
“Don’t mention my daughter like this” he said angrily but I could see drops of tears appearing in his eyes.
“Then don’t do this to these people; let them live. Don’t make them to have to strive to be happy” I said in a softer tone this time.
I could clearly see him breaking down; he loved his dear departed daughter, it was written all over his face. He remained there in silence for a while with his head bent as he seemed lost in deep thoughts.
After sometime he raised his head and looked at Rahim Daad, “You are an old man, a wise man; we have always looked up to you for advice and justice. You seem to stand beside this man; do you really think it’s worth it?”
“I know one thing for sure, it’s worth a try” Rahim Daad whispered in a convincing tone.
“What I have done” Khuda Bakhsh looked at me with softer expression this time, “can it be undone?”
“Nothing is impossible” I said with utmost belief; I knew I had to make only a few more calls.
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