What is it?”

Rizwan asked.

“The guy who has read your father’s diary is here with me.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes, but he is not here for a long time. You can either come to meet him or you can talk to him through the phone.”

“What to do now?” Rizwan was confused as to what he could do, so he answered, “Alright, bring him on the phone, I’ll talk to him.”

“Well, you can talk to him through the phone, but his senses are a bit week and he might not hear you clearly.”

“So, are you suggesting that I should come over?”

“Yes, that would be better,” Uncle Taha said.

“Okay, I’ll see when I can come, it might take a while.”

“No, Rizwan, he has to leave for the hospital, he can’t stay here for long.”

“Okay, tell me, does he have the diary with him?”

Hannan got alert as he heard this and he came out from behind the wall.

“No, he doesn’t,” Uncle Taha answered.

“Oh, well is there any other way I can meet him? Which hospital is he headed towards?”

“Uh, I don’t know but I think I can ask the guy who will come and pick him.”

“Why don’t you simply ask him whatever he has read in the diary, I can come to your place afterwards and then you can tell me whatever he told you.”

“Okay, I can do that, but wouldn’t you be satisfied, if you listen to him with your own presence.”

Rizwan was confused as to what he must reply so he didn’t speak a single word.

Hannan got triggered and he rushed towards him. He snatched the phone from Rizwan’s hand. Rizwan got quite surprised and uttered,

“What the hell?”

Hannan said on the phone,

“Yes, what’s the matter? Who is here with you?”

“Your father’s old friend, he knows about the diary.”

“Alright, don’t let him go, I’m on my way to your home.”

Hannan kept the phone back and after picking the keys from the table, he said,

“I’m leaving.”

“Hannan, it’s of no use,” Rizwan said to him, “The old guy has to leave for the hospital.”

“I don’t care, my father’s words matter to me more than anything else.”

“Oh, lord,” Rizwan said holding his forehead.

Hannan rushed outside. Rizwan said to himself,

What is wrong with him? Why is he so over reacting about everything related to our father?

He looked at his brother rushing outside leaving the house door open.

He was even suspecting me Rizwan wondered. What does he want? What is his motive? Is this a negative effect of our father’s death? Has the tragedy influenced his mind negatively?

Rizwan was a bit concerned and wondered,

I hope not. I hope the tragedy has not affected him psychology. Although, his actions prove that it has.

One of the servants came closer to Rizwan and asked,

“May I ask something, sir?”

Rizwan didn’t respond as he was thinking too deeply about his brother.

“May I ask something, sir?” the servant said again with a raising voice.

Rizwan got distracted by his voice and said,

“What? I’m sorry, what were you asking?”

“I’m asking, what it is with you two. I think, the things have changed since your father has passed away. The two of you aren’t the same anymore.”

“No, don’t worry about it. Everything will be fine. We just need a little time.”

“I think you’re right, he needs some time to get over this tragedy.”

“You’re right. I agree with you.” Rizwan agreed.

“Where is he by the way?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, where is he off to?”

“He has left to see someone who knows about our father’s prophecies.”

“Really? Who is that person?”

“I don’t know much, Mr Taha just called and told me that he was at his home, but Hannan came from behind, snatched the phone and just did what he had to.”

“I see.”

“Don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.”

After a while, Hannan reached outside Taha’s house. He knocked at the door. After a few seconds, Mr Taha opened the house and asked,

“So, you’re here?”

“Yes, it’s me. Where is he?”

“Who?”

“The old guy you were talking about.”

“He has left, he had to go to the hospital,” Mr Taha replied.

Mr Taha left some way for him and said,

“Come inside, please.”

Hannan answered,

“No, I don’t want to. Just tell me, what you know about our father’s prophecies.”

“I don’t know much, I was told about a few things but I couldn’t understand.”

“What?” Hannan said with disrespect. “What do you mean you didn’t understand?”

“Hannan, mind your attitude.”

“I’m asking you very politely…” Hannan said trying to calm himself down, “Tell me what you know about my father’s prophecies?”

“I know one thing for sure, he would have never liked this attitude of yours.”

“I will not change my attitude because I know Tariq Yasar, who was a great being than anybody else.”

“Oh, God,” Taha felt disgraceful.

“I’m asking very nicely, okay? Just tell me what do you know.”

“Ask your brother to come here, I will discuss this in front of both of you.”

“He’s not coming, tell me I’ll convey it to him.”

“Sorry!”

Mr Taha coldly shut the door after saying this.

Hannan got infuriated but he tried to calm himself down, inhaled and exhaled deeply. He then said,

Now, how can I bring Rizwan here?”

He looked around until he saw a phone booth. He walked towards the phone booth and asked the guy standing next to it,

“How much do you charge for it?”

“Is it a local call?” the guy asked.

“Yes.”

“20 bucks per minute.”

Hannan got a bit irritated but he handed over the cash to him and went inside the phone booth.

Half an hour later, Rizwan and Hannan were both seated inside Mr Taha’s house. Mr Taha was standing and he said very firmly,

“Now, before I tell you guys anything, I want you to assure me that you will not misbehave as you always do.”

Both of them understood who he was talking about so Hannan looked down and said,

“Alright, fine.”

“He won’t,” Rizwan said,

Mr Taha finally sat in front of them on a chair and said on a serious note,

“Now, listen to me carefully, I talked to your father’s friend and he hasn’t told me a lot. But, what you need to know is that the prophecies are not something that will please you.”

“Okay,” Rizwan said to him.

Both of them paid complete attention to what they were about to hear. Mr Taha began,

“There are 10 or 11 prophecies, okay? And you guys know about one.”

“Yes.”

“Another seriously disastrous prophecy of your father is that his grave will be destroyed. Somebody from this family will disrespectfully demolish

his grave.”

“Oh, my God,” Rizwan got shocked.

“And, by the way, not just your father but your grandfather was also good in interpreting dreams.”

“Wait, hang on,” Rizwan said trying to clarify his confusion,

“Our father said that someone would destroy his grave? Did he mention specifically that it would be just the tombstone or the entire grave?”

“No, I don’t think so, this old guy Mr Asad didn’t have any detail about that, he just said that your father’s grave would be crushed by someone who would be a part of this family.”

“Oh, my God! What else did he tell you?”

“He also said that…”

Mr Taha stopped and looked at Hannan. Rizwan also looked at his brother. Hannan was silently weeping. Tears were all over his face. Rizwan asked him,

“What happened, Hannan? Are you upset about this?”

Hannan didn’t respond and kept on crying. Mr Taha asked him,

“What happened, Hannan? Tell us.”

“…I am responsible for this.” Hannan said after taking a deep breath.

“What do you mean?” Rizwan asked.

“When I was young, I saw this dream. I saw a dream where an entire graveyard was being crushed by bull dozers.”

“Yeah, so?”

“I think this prophecy came out of my dream.”

Mr Taha sort of agreed, and he looked at Rizwan. Rizwan said,

“It’s not necessary, Hannan, it could be something else.”

“What if he’s right?” Mr Taha said.

“I don’t know,” Rizwan replied. “We can only figure that out once we acquire the diary.”

Hannan kept on crying. Mr Taha said,

“Look guys, even if it was true, it doesn’t mean that Hannan is responsible for this.”

“Yes, exactly, no one is responsible for this.”

Getting upset, Hannan stood up and started walking. He left the place. Mr Taha said,

“Rizwan, this is very painful, for him.”

“I understand that, but that’s not a healthy way to respond to it.”

“I know.”

The two of them remained silent and looked at the gate through which Hannan left.

After few seconds, Rizwan broke the silence by asking,

“So, did he tell you about any other prophecy?”

“Sorry?”

“I’m asking that do you know about any other prophecy? Did he mention anything else?”

“Uh, no he didn’t. I mean, he did but I couldn’t get it, what I can say he’s an old man and I couldn’t grasp every word that he said.”

“Oh, I see its okay.”

There was an awkward silence for a few moments until Mr Taha said,

“Why don’t you come over to my place? Next Sunday.”

“Next Sunday? Why?”

“Mr Asad will be here, he’s coming for another visit.”

“That’s great.”

“Yes, I’ll ask him to stay for long, and then you can ask him whatever you want to.”

“Yes, definitely.”

“Great, we’ll meet next week?” Mr Taha said and offered his hand for a hand shake.

They shook hands and Rizwan stood up saying,

“Thanks for everything uncle.”

“No problem.”

“And I’d like to apologise for my brother’s behavior.”

“Oh, don’t be. You are not responsible for that.”

“Thank you sir, take care.”

Few hours later, during the evening, Hannan was sitting on a chair in the garden. He was deeply upset and he wanted answers. He shut his eyes and remembered his dream. He also remembered the moment of his childhood, when he was telling his father about his dream and how his father was telling him that everything would be fine.

I can’t stop thinking about that dream. Hannan uttered.

He saw the graveyard before that made him realise that his father’s grave was going to get crushed just the way the graves were demolished in his dream.

Don’t worry, my son, everything will be fine. His father’s words echoed in his mind.

He was feeling deeply depressed and uttered,

What is wrong with me? Why am I feeling so guilty about my dream?

He stood up getting triggered and exclaimed,

It doesn’t matter who saw the dream. What matters is who is going to do this? Who will dare to crush my father’s grave?

His brother Rizwan’s face appeared before him. He yelled,

Enough!

He walked towards the house saying,

I cannot take it anymore. I’ve been avoiding this conversation for quite long, now I want to make sure who is responsible for this, I want to know.

As he was standing, he called out loudly,

Rizwan! Where are you?

One of the servants came towards him. Hannan called out his brother again. The servant asked him,

“What is it, sir?”

“Rizwan, where are you? Come over here.”

“What happened, sir?” the servant asked getting agitated.

Rizwan came walking towards them and stopped. Hannan said,

“You!”

“What do want?” Rizwan asked sternly.

Hannan rushed towards him and as they got closer, Rizwan moved backwards but his brother held him through his collar as if he was about to hit him.

to be continued...