Posted:
Hello Forum friends. This is my second FF and its just the beginning. As the title suggests, FIRE, will play a role in the story but I haven't gotten to it yet.
Just read the beginning. Let me know if it is worth continuing.
Thanks.
FIRE
CHAPTER 1
"Phuppi...sure you won't come with us? Najma...why won't you come with us? Its such a good movie!"
Zoya was in the kitchen trying to convince Dishad and Najma to accompany her and Asad to the movies. The impromptu plan was made during lunch that as soon as Asad comes back from work they will all go to the movies. But in reality Dishad had already planned ahead to come up with a last minute excuse so that she and Najma could stay back while her newly married son and his wife got to spend some romantic 'alone' time together.Just read the beginning. Let me know if it is worth continuing.
Thanks.
FIRE
CHAPTER 1
"Phuppi...sure you won't come with us? Najma...why won't you come with us? Its such a good movie!"
Ever since the wedding, Asad has been busy at office. He couldn't help it - a new construction project was starting and the client was insisting that Asad handle it personally. Zoya has been sitting home and getting bored everyday. She would go shopping with Najma, watch serials with Dilshad, browse the internet but Dilshad could tell all she wanted to do was spend time with Asad. Since they couldn't go to honeymoon yet, Dilshad thought even a night outing for the couple would cheer Zoya up.
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CHAPTER 2
The bought their tickets, a huge tub of popcorn and the largest cup of Coke available. Zoya rushed to the theater to grab good seats while Asad trudged along.
"Come quick. The previews are about to start. You know Asad sometimes I come to the movies just to see the previews. I can plan what movies..." Zoya went on and on and Asad smiled and nodded.
Soon the theater went dark and the movie started.
It was an intense movie and everyone in the theater was engrossed completely. Suddenly someone at the back started coughing. Soon someone else started. People sitting in the middle felt bothered by them but slowly more and more people started coughing. Theatergoers who were seated at the back were asking the lights to be turned on. Amidst this request, someone said something about smoke and not being able to breathe. This was enough to bring the entire theater crowd to a brink of panic.
People in the front started to leave in a rush and things were quickly getting out of control. As soon as the main entrance was opened, an overwhelming smell of burning plastic, smoke and screams took over the theater. The multiplex was on fire and the people in this theater were trapped inside.
A few brave souls tried to run past the fire but pulled back when they realized it would be a futile effort.
"Asad...Asad...I am scared. What will we do now? Asad...please don't leave me." Zoya was getting jittery and nervous with every passing minute.
"Calm down. I am here. I will not let you go. Lets calm down and look for another exit." Asad tried to calm Zoya while looking frantically for an EXIT sign. With people milling around the bottom of the theater in piles it was hard to notice anything. To top it all it was still dark with only occasional flashes of light from the movie which was still playing on the screen. It was obvious that the theater crew had abandoned the people in this theater and ran for their life.
Suddenly he noticed a red E almost hidden behind the large move screen and the curtain.
"There...I see an exit right there. Let's go." Asad pulled Zoya who seemed glued to her chair. When Zoya refused to budge, Asad kneeled down in front of her and calmly said, "Nothing will happen to you. I will hold your hand the whole time. We will survive this. I won't let anything happen to you."
Zoya looked at him through teary, scared eyes and slowly nodded her head.
As they moved forward through the crowd someone else also noticed the exit and announced it loudly. What happened next was pure pandemonium. Everybody rushed towards the exit at the same time. No amount of urging to slow down and exit calmly were heard or followed. It was soon becoming a stampede. The theater was filling up with thick smoke and people were blindly bumping into each other.
In this madness Zoya suddenly felt her hand slipping from Asad.
"Asaaad"...Zoya screamed in between bouts of cough, " Asaaad...don't let go of me..."
"I'm right here Zoya... cough cough...just move...I'm right here...keep on going babe..cough cough. I can see you." Asad lied but did so to keep Zoya calm. He knew very well how scared Zoya was of fire.
Fire has already spread inside the theater. The soundproof foam insulation on the wall was melting and the entire theater felt like an inferno.
Zoya tried to push back and reach for Asad but the force of the crowd moving towards the door was beyond belief. Zoya sort of flowed to the door and finally out. She took in a lung full of fresh air before trying to move back in.
She was still being pushed by the crowd. The more she tried to move back towards the theater the harder the push was against her. Someone grabbed her hand and tried to pull her to safety. It was a stranger. Zoya statred hitting him and said something. The good Samaritan finally let her go but then a fireman grabbed her and brought her back to a safe place.
She was still being pushed by the crowd. The more she tried to move back towards the theater the harder the push was against her. Someone grabbed her hand and tried to pull her to safety. It was a stranger. Zoya statred hitting him and said something. The good Samaritan finally let her go but then a fireman grabbed her and brought her back to a safe place.
"You have to let me go. My husband is in there. I have to find him." Zoya urged the fireman to let her go.
"Ma'am please check outside. He could be outside already. Check the crowd. We cannot let anyone get back inside. Its very dangerous. The fire is beyond control and the roof can collapse anytime!"
Zoya frantically started looking for Asad in the crowd gathered outside the now burning building. The more she looked, the more scared she got. People were covered in soot and grime and wet from the water coming out of the fire trucks. Ambulances were spread around the perimeter of the building treating numerous victims. While many of the spectators left, others waited to see what happens till the end. It seemed every one was there, everything was there, except Asad._____________________________________________________
CHAPTER 3
Zoya's head was spinning. She couldn't find Asad anywhere. Everywhere she looked she saw a sea of people staring at the blazing building. Zoya refused to believe Asad was still in there but she feared he just might. She turned back to see the building which was now completely engulfed in flames. Any poor soul stuck in there had no chance of surviving. Zoya's heart could take it any longer. With a blood curdling scream, declaring her anguish, Zoya collapsed on the ground. Her head hit the curb very hard and a pool of blood started to collect near her head.
When she opened her eyes she saw lights. Bright lights shining over her head. She licked her chapped lips and tasted blood. She tried to move her head but as soon as she tried she saw stars and the whole world swirled in front of her eyes.
"Lay down Ma'am. You have a major concussion. Please don't try to move. We have given yo strong medication. Try to sleep. We found you phone on your bag and called your family. Somebody will be coming soon."
Before Zoya could reply her world went dark and she slipped into a deep dark slumber.
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"Zoya. Zoya beta. How are you feeling sweetheart?" Dilshad asked when she saw Zoya trying to open her eyes.
"Amm..Ammi. Is that you?" Zoya struggled to open her eyes and utter these few words. "Asad...Asad...uhuhuh..." Zoya broke down in tears.
Zoya blacked out again. Even in this state of deep unconsciousness, Zoya's brain activity peeked to dangerous levels several times, making the doctors nervous. Her blood pressure rose as did her pulse rate. They concluded that Zoya was experiencing some sort of acute stress. When the doctors learned of Zoya's fear of fire it all made sense.
This blacking out went on for another day and half until finally Zoya opened her eyes completely. The fogginess in her brain seemed to lift and she finally realized she was in a hospital.
She saw Najma, Dilshaad, a nurse in a blue dress and a lady doctor in a starchy white lab coat. Standing right next to the doctor was a very handsome (drop dead gorgeous) young man staring right back at her through teary eyes.
"Asad...Asad...Asad!" Zoya's mind screamed but her mouth was silent. She felt a flood of relief wash over her and her only reaction was tears of joy flowing from her eyes.
The doctor did a quick check and declared that Zoya's vitals seemed much better and if it continued to be so then she can be released from hospital the next morning.
Dilshad and Najma bid farewell to Zoya and Asad and went home.
Asad and Zoya were now alone in the sterile hospital room.
"Where were you?" Zoya asked in an accusatory tone. "You know I was dying out there looking for you. You promised you won't leave me. Why did you leave me?" An emotional floodgate suddenly opened and Zoya could control her emotions. She was speaking through steadily flowing stream of tears and hitting Asad on the chest. "How dare you? How dare you leave me? I died Asad...I died thinking you were lost. I cannot live without you. Please don't ever do that to me,"
"I am so sorry Zoya. I am so so so sorry. I saw you going out and I was following you but then a lady bumped into me carry 2 children. She was struggling to keep a hold of both kids in the craziness so I decided to help her. Once I got out I had to take her and her kids to one of the ambulances waiting since one of the kid was bleeding from a deep cut. By the time I returned I couldn't find you in the crowd anymore. I searched for you too my darling. I was going crazy in worry until I got a text from Ammi telling me you are in the hospital. I am very sorry Zoya. I will never ever let go of your hand again. I promise."
"I love you Asad."
"I love you Zoya."
They hugged. Tightly. Assuring each other that they were meant to be together. Forever in love...forever in life.
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