The Grey Stones
Bilal kissed on cheeks of Juan and said her good bye as they reached London. After coming back to home Bilal switched on TV and started to surf around channels as the memories of last night were still prevailing in his mind. These words on BBC news “American forces again attacked across border on soil of Pakistan” broke his chain of beautiful visionary memory in his head. He stared at news broadcaster who continued “American jet fighters bombarded a village named Jaranawala near the border killing forty people in a marriage.” The images of destruction and blood all over made Bilal petrified as his own parents has gone to the same village. Broadcaster continued “According to our sources it is believed that none of them were associated with any terrorist groups and were innocent civilians. The killed included seventeen women and nine children. As usual Pakistani government has condemned this attack without being much concerned about the victims.” These words were hammering in his mind and he took the phone with a fear hidden somewhere inside his heart. He called his uncle at Jaranawala to know about wellbeing of his parents.
“Hello uncle how are u” spoken by Bilal in a very low tone. Uncle recognizing voice of his nephew replied “Bilal where you been. We have been trying to call you for last twenty four hours.” Bilal spoke with a feel that his heart will almost jump outside “How are my parents.” His uncle broke in tears and hardly spoke “ They were killed in an American attack”. These words sounded like an explosion of atomic bomb around Bilal. He went in a state of absolute stillness and without listening further to his uncle the phone fell down from his hand. The continuous hello on phone was not able to grab his attention as the time around him has almost stopped and he was hanging around in a gap between life and death. After few moments he broke in tears.
When the tears in his eyes dried, he looked at clock. It has been three hours since he has been crying. He called Abassi and told him about this tragedy. Abassi and Juan came to Bilal’s house in a while and drove him off to the airport. There was a complete silence on the way. After reaching airport Abassi hugged Bilal and whispered “You have the strength to fight with this storm.” Juan was speechless as she walked with Bilal to travelling lounge. She held his hand and just looked in his eyes. There were tears in eyes of Juan. She said “take good care” and saw Bilal going in lounge to catch flight to Pakistan. The shinning of her eyes turned in dullness as Bilal disappeared from her eyes.
