Episode 4
As soon as Rubab entered the house, she noticed a large black vehicle parked outside. Looks like we have guests, she thought and walked in. She could hear voices coming from the room adjoining the courtyard. She placed her bag on the table and entered the room.
Inside, a woman was talking to her mother, and a boy was sitting a little farther away. Rubab greeted everyone, and all eyes turned to her. As soon as the woman saw her, she stood up with joy, and the boy beside her suddenly stood up as if he'd seen a ghost.
The woman came forward and hugged Rubab.
"Oh my God, this is Rubab, right?" she exclaimed with joy.
"Yes, this is our Rubab. Look, she's taller than you now," her mother responded with a smile.
Then the woman turned to Rubab, "Do you remember us?"
Rubab shook her head.
The woman laughed, "Oh come on, I'm your Aunt Mehrin!"
Suddenly Rubab remembered and said, "Oh, Aunt Mehrin, it's you! Finally, you remembered us."
Then she turned to the boy and said, "And you… you're Jawad, right? Wow, you've grown up!"
Jawad nervously replied, "Yes... I had nothing better to do, so I thought... why not grow up?"
Everyone burst into laughter at his comment.
"When did you arrive, Aunt Mehrin? And where have you been all these years?" Rubab asked in a tone of complaint.
Mehrin replied, "You know your uncle moved abroad for work, and two years later he called us there too. We just came back last month—after seven long years."
"Come, sit down, we'll keep chatting," she said.
Rubab sat beside Jawad, who couldn't take his eyes off her. How could someone be this beautiful? he thought. She was wearing a blue shalwar kameez, and her silky hair kept falling on her face. She kept pushing it back gently. To Jawad, it felt as though in the scorching heat, she was like a cool cloud floating across the blue sky.
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Meanwhile...
Haider was walking down a rough path. He had entered the village, but the populated area was still a bit far. Fields of wheat stretched as far as the eye could see, half golden and half green. The weather was pleasant, and the scattered clouds danced across the blue sky.
Suddenly, he noticed a small settlement to his left. It consisted of only a few houses. Curious, he turned off the main road and headed toward it. The path worsened, and his old motorcycle made strange noises as he moved forward.
As he entered the settlement, a deep silence surrounded him. There were only two narrow alleys. The houses were old and rustic. Some people sat outside on the ground, completely indifferent to their surroundings. There was only one shop, and it was unclear what it sold.
As he approached the shop, a child appeared and stared at him. Haider had never seen such a beautiful child before—jet black hair, snow-white skin, and large round eyes. Haider kept staring at him when suddenly the child shouted,
"Shani Bhai is back! Shani Bhai is back!"
Haider looked around confused—who was he talking to? There was no one else around. But suddenly, people of all ages—men, women, children, elders—began gathering around him.
A boy stepped forward and asked, "Shani Bhai, where have you been all these years?"
Haider was already bewildered. Just as he was about to scream "I'm not Shani! I'm Haider!" a woman's voice shouted,
"Tell Amma Rani that her son has returned!"
Haider's mind exploded. Rani? That's the same name the old man Kali Das wrote on the envelope! What is happening to me?
Another boy came forward and said, "Come, I'll take you home."
Haider, dragging his motorcycle, followed him.
As they turned into another lane, Haider saw that the houses were all broken and old. Three large trees loomed overhead, giving off an eerie vibe. People still stood watching him from a distance—and strangely, they were all unusually beautiful, like Europeans.
They stopped in front of what looked like a mansion—mud walls, a neem tree peeking from inside, and a very old wooden door sealed with a stamp that read "Eight."
Just then, the door creaked open. An old woman appeared, supporting herself as she reached the threshold. She looked about seventy, with partially white hair. But Haider was shocked when he looked into her eyes—they were cloudy. She was blind or nearly so.
She raised her hands and said with a trembling voice,
"My son Shani... where are you?"
Haider, caught in emotion, extended his hands. As soon as she touched him, she jerked back.
Before he could explain who he really was, a man entered carrying a covered tray.
"Amma Rani, today is your lucky day! Look, we brought this for you." He placed the tray in front of Haider and uncovered it—roasted goat leg, yogurt chutney, and fresh bread.
Despite having eaten, Haider couldn't resist. The aroma overwhelmed him, and he devoured the food like a starving man. The taste was unlike anything he'd had before.
Night fell, and there was no electricity. Haider asked, "Is there no power here?"
The old woman shook her head. "We never needed it."
Haider was confused. Then he said, "I'm telling you—I'm Haider, not Shani."
She responded, "I know. Do you think a mother wouldn't recognize whether these hands belong to her son or not?"
Suddenly, the call to prayer echoed through the wind. The old woman flinched and ran into a room.
Haider, unsettled, lit an old oil lamp he found. He peeked outside—nothing but darkness. The dim moonlight made the place even creepier.
I need to get out of here, he thought.
As he stepped outside, the old woman called out,
"Boy!"
He turned around, scared.
She was holding a briefcase. "Take your belonging before you go."
Haider stared at her, confused, but took the briefcase and rode off.
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Far ahead, where the fields began, he saw a man walking with a pickaxe. The man waved at him. Haider stopped and gave him a lift.
"Where are you coming from, son, at this hour?" the man asked.
Haider replied, "From a small settlement just up the road."
The man froze and shouted,
"What? There were people there?!"
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Let me know if you'd like the next episode translated too!