Thaha
Distance 2

"Shit!!!!"

my heart skipped a beat as the man got back into the car and slammed the door hard, with a hasty movement he stepped on the gas pedal in one strong pressure that made the car run fast without checking back on the empty passenger seat

I'm sure he didn't realize he had left me lying with his hands and feet tied on the cold asphalt and I'm grateful for that

the night wind invaded my body wrapped in wet clothes, bringing with it a cold chill that made my body shiver

the light of the street lights helped me to clearly see the place where I was lying in a terrible way at this moment

I glanced at the place I thought was a ravine, not a ravine, but a thick forest with large stones that made my hair creep

I tried to untie my hand with great difficulty, but the results were not as easy as those shown by action films that often cross the screen, I tried to find a stone or any sharp object near me, but the result was nil

'must I sleep here tonight....?., wait for the citizens to find me...?'

my mind wandered to think of every bad possibility that would befall me, making every nerve cell that flowed through my body work with anticipation

I lay on a cold expanse of land under the roof of the night sky, my heart wailed in the empty night sky and let the wailing out and rumble from my mouth in the dark of the silent night

added to the barking of the stray dogs that further aggravated my mood that was already on the verge of sanity, they seemed to mock and laugh at me from a distance, it was a little annoying!

even a dog has a warm place to stay!

not wanting to get more and more immersed in the slump that hit, I once again tried to find the end of the rope with my fingers, hoping to find a little spirit to stay sane from the madness that pounded the mind so hard

'me found!!!!'

my mind cheered with excitement as my index finger found the end of the rope tucked inside a fairly thick loop of rope, I tautly pulled it and tried hard to keep my body wiggling on the dirty asphalt

the quiet road that stretches makes me able to breathe a sigh of relief even if only a little, at least it reduces the possibility of my body being crushed by passing vehicles, it's not funny if I end up horribly on this street after a lot of effort I did.....?

I quickly untied the rope that wrapped my hand, and threw it as far out of my reach as I could when it had completely detached

quickly my freed hand opened the thick duct tape that covered my mouth and took out a pile of cloth that filled its sockets that should be empty

right after my mouth was freed from the cloth covering it, my stomach churned so strongly that I had to give up some of my remaining energy stored well to be removed with the forced urge of vomiting reflex that came suddenly

I went back to being silent for a long while before my hands had to go back to work to open the twists of the rope on my numb legs

it seems like they have never participated in a Scout event, how can they tie someone's legs very tight...?.?, do they not know if the legs also require good blood circulation.....?

my eyes looked concerned at the state of my clothes that were not worth using

it's wrenching!

only that word flashed through my mind as I saw how terrifying I looked tonight

by gnawing my feet, I stepped towards the nearest housing, the first thing that came to my mind at this moment was, I had to find a public toilet, maybe in the nearest pom.....?

"bismillah may exist" I chanted the do'a in every step taken by my trembling feet

I walk like a staggering person with migraines, and hunger at the same time is not a good combination, I have to stagger almost to the edge of the cold asphalt every few short steps

I breathed a sigh of relief as my feet climbed over the gas station, a probing gaze continued to accompany my steps until I disappeared behind the toilet door

I quickly cleaned my hijab and my dirty body, although not completely the stain on my hijab I could clean it well, but I'm still thankful at least this is better than the previous one

I stepped out towards the nearest sink and gulped greedily at the water flowing from there, I no longer cared whether the water was full of chlorine or not, what matters now is how I survive

my feet again stepped away from the pom and the probing gazes of some of the staff who were still working at night

I want to find a place that is a little crowded because a quiet place is not a good choice, sometimes crime occurs because of the opportunities they use very well, he said, and I don't want to be generous with providing opportunities for that evil to come my way

far foot stepped until I got near the roadside dining that was near the town square....? or the city park....? I don't know what's a good name for this place

this place is quite spacious and crowded with visitors who are eating food, or just to entertain themselves to enjoy the performances of the artists who are looking for sustenance

I sat on the steps of the stairs that were a little far away from the dense crowd in front there

near me were a small group of young girls talking

I intend to pray here, Alhamdulillah I have abudhu while at the gas station earlier, just need to make sure if the place I occupy is a sacred place

there is no way a dog will sit in this place, right....?

this place is a little too high for a dog to walk through

I tried to concentrate in every prayer movement I did in sitting, I could not stand up, my legs were numb, I could no longer even feel my heels when I was treading above ground level, I was afraid that if I prayed in a standing position I would fall down and would cause one part of my limb to bruise or even break

"assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarokatuh"

alhamdulillaah finally I can finish my delayed prayer, I ask Allah for the best way out of every said do'a so that this will be the last time I pray in this state

I sat in silence looking away at the crowd that was now bustling with police patrolling

I heard the babbling of the young men who were sitting there who could be said to be quite close to me

"why there's so many cops around here.?”

"You don't know....? They're looking for someone, if I'm not mistaken, they are looking for the son/daughter of someone who is enough influential in southern Italy"

I was surprised when they spoke in English which is quite fluent, maybe they are one of the many tourists who want to enjoy a vacation in this city....?

"Ferrero family..?, they are totally carzy"

"may be, I'm not sure about that, their family is quite private, isn't it?

"yeah"

I was about to ignore their conversation before I heard Louis's surname come into their conversation

impolitely I tried to steal every conversation related to the Louis family they were talking about

I began to think how rich the Ferrero family was until they were able to move all the police into the streets to find someone

who are they looking for...? i'm kah....? or is there one of them who is being kidnapped just like me....?

Leo....?

Elisha....?

or Elio.....?

as Elio's name flashed through my mind, that worry came flooding into every cell of my body

bad thoughts are now starting to attack my mind with a lot of stress

how's he doing right now.....?

did they treat Elio as badly as they treated me....?

is that adorable man currently crying or not......?

did they make milk for her.....?

I unconsciously bit my nails until the smell of blood spread in my mouth

I looked at him in horror as his blood still flowed as I sucked and spat it out repeatedly

my foot was even about to step up to one of the policemen who was busy looking in the crowd, but I stopped my steps when a realization came to my mind

'who am I to make them believe that they are also part of the Ferrero family....?'

although I remember Louis has not divorced me, right....?

I glanced back at my appearance and my fingernails were starting to re-emit a red liquid that smelled fishy

'they won't believe' I whisper it with sorrow, lamentation only lament and long only to miss

I take a deep breath and pray in my heart that God will always give health and salvation to that little toddler

now all I have to do is try to escape the misery that covers the thread of my destiny tonight

patience becomes a faithful companion in every step of finding a way to survive and God becomes the place where I depend, and only to him do I hope to hang

I ventured to get close to one of the food stores that were a little slow, trying to ask them to help me call Abyan's sister

"Excuse me, may I bear your phone to call my brother.....?" I tried to talk to the only female customer in the place

"are you Mrs. Ferrero..?" heck...?" he asked me confidently, as if he had seen me before

the fear gripped my heart again, afraid that he was one of the group that kidnapped me

"no, I'm not"

I retreated slowly and tried to get away from where the woman was standing and tried to spur my legs when I heard her say "I found her" to whom...?

my foot stepped through the crowd and tried to run as hard as my foot could

the policemen who were originally searching quietly in the middle of the crowd, suddenly turned around and clustered around trying to chase after me

my legs, which were initially shaken while walking, are now speeding up because of the fear impulse that controls the mind, I tried tucking in some narrow alleyway between the residents' housing that was illuminated by slightly dim street lights

I tried to hide among the pile of trash as they were a little far behind me

my breath hunted with a fast sanga to make me difficult to breathe the oxygen available

I hid there long enough, the smell of garbage no longer felt in my nose that seemed to have gone numb

I cried in silence, lamenting every incident that made me almost crazy

in a silent cry I repeated the flashes of events of the past few days, how fate brought me together with the beautiful green-eyed handsome man

how we got to know each other through a piece of electronic paper neatly stored inside my phone

until I remember the answer that made me sure to step in with him

"with what will guide Zu in our household in the future, and what will be given to Zu and Zu's son later..?" I clearly remember the question I asked at the time

"Zu, I know I am not perfect.?., and if I guide Zu with my imperfect intellect, there is nothing we will gain but failure and destruction, I can only rely on perfect rules if I want happiness with Zu, when we sail our household ark later, and there are no perfect rules I meet other than Islam, and with Islam in Allah I will guide and frame our lives"

Louis paused for a moment before continuing

"and Zu knows..?, if I don't have anything of value that I can offer Zu and our children in the future, then, I have only a great love for God and his apostle, in the Lord if Zu Ridho, it is with this love that I am adorning every gift that I will make for Zu and our future son, because I am trying to love Zu because of God, and whatever will be damning to come this love in Zu's heart, in Allah's sake, I will try to make it easy for me to leave, as long as it does not defy the commandments and the Shari'ah of Allah, in the Shay'ah"

the answer came back to my mind, sending a longing that began to envelop my troubled mind

'yes Allah'

in him I moaned in my silent hiding

until a group of people came closer with long steps that stomped the ground violently

they came without a cue surprising me who jumped from my long daydream

a policeman came over and tried to reach out to ask me to come closer to him

I was still flinching in silence until a man I knew broke up the crowd with his messy appearance

"Louis" I whispered softly with tears streaming down my cheeks

"o Allah, Thank God at last" Louis walked over with a chant of thanksgiving from his trembling lips

his hands stretched out from a distance, his feet stepping in rapid long strides

seeing it that was getting closer made me dare to stand up from where I was hiding

until our distance drew near a deafening loud noise came breaking the enveloping silence

dor's!

"Zu"

louis's shout was the last thing my earlobes could catch