27. SCENE OF THE MIDNIGHT

The elevator doors slid open, and Murad forcefully pulled Taliya inside, gripping her hand tightly. She winced at the pain and tried to pull away, but his hold was like iron. As the doors began to close, she caught a glimpse of Haroon racing towards them, his face a mask of fury and concern.

"Let her go, Murad!" Haroon's voice echoed through the hallway.

The doors closed with a decisive clang, cutting off Haroon's desperate shout. Taliya’s heart pounded in her chest as the elevator started its descent. Murad’s grip on her hand was relentless, and she could see the anger in his eyes.

"Murad, what are you doing?" she demanded, her voice trembling. "This is insane!"

Ignoring her words he went closer to her, ducking his head in her neck making her take shallow breath and blinked her eyes unevenly at him. Wetting her lips, she turned to him making him raise his hands to stop her.

His nose grazed her neck as he breathed on her neck making her shudder under his closeness. She was trapped against the metal wall and him, as he was caging with his both arms.

"What do you want?" She questioned controlling her nerves by clenching her fists by his sides.

Murad raised his head from her neck and gazed at her, his eyes speaking words she denied to comprehend. Turning her head away she waited for his explanation, but he made little to no signs. His eyes dazed into the flashbacks.

FLASHBACK


Murad lay sprawled on his bed, the darkened room quiet except for the rhythmic hum of the air conditioner. The tension of the day had worn him out, and he drifted into a deep sleep.

In his dream, he found himself in a serene meadow, the air filled with the scent of wildflowers. He was a boy again, running through the grass with laughter echoing around him. Beside him was a faceless girl, her laughter blending with his. They played and chased each other, the world around them a blissful blur.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, they sat by a stream, their feet dangling in the cool water. The faceless girl turned towards him, and though he couldn’t see her features, he felt an inexplicable bond with her. A sense of peace washed over him, and for a moment, he was truly happy.

"I will tattoo your name." He softly muttered against her hand as he took her in his arms making her giggle against his chest.

Suddenly, the dream shifted abruptly. The meadow darkened, the flowers wilting and the sky turning a menacing shade of gray. The girl stood up, her form becoming more defined yet still faceless. She reached out, and as Murad took her hand, a sharp pain shot through him.

He looked down to see a knife in her hand, blood dripping from the blade. The faceless girl stabbed him again, her movements slow and deliberate. Murad tried to scream, to pull away, but his body wouldn’t respond. The pain was excruciating, and his vision blurred as darkness closed in.

With a gasp, Murad jerked awake, his body drenched in sweat. The sheets were tangled around him, his breath coming in ragged gulps. He sat up, clutching his chest, his heart pounding as if it were trying to break free from his ribcage. Loud breaths ringing in his room making him aware of his surrounding.

His mind raced, trying to comprehend the nightmare. Was this a flashback or just a twisted figment of his imagination? He rubbed his face, his hands trembling. The faceless girl seemed so real, yet he couldn’t place her. The peace of the meadow felt like a distant memory, but the violent end was a stark, vivid reality.

Murad swung his legs over the edge of the bed and buried his face in his hands. The dream had left him shaken, the images replaying in his mind like a cruel movie. He tried to steady his breathing, to calm the anxiety that gnawed at him.

"Who are you?" he whispered to the darkness, the question lingering in the air.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream was more than just his subconscious playing tricks on him. It felt like a warning, a glimpse into a past he couldn’t remember or a future he feared to face.

Murad stood up and walked to the window, opening it to let the cool night air wash over him. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths, trying to find the peace that had been so violently taken from him in the dream.

As he stood there, the city lights twinkling below, he knew he had to figure out what the dream meant. The faceless girl haunted him, her presence lingering like a ghost. He needed answers, and he needed to find them before the nightmare became his reality. Because running from the darkness would only lead him deeper into its grasp.

FLASHBACKS ENDS

Murad gazed at her. Slowly, Taliya's form turned into that faceless girl making Murad aware of the truth. His eyes creased with unbelief as he jerked away from him making Taliya heave a breath of relax.

His shaking hand raised towards her as she raked her hand in her hair thinking how in the middle of the night she faced this. Wad Murad's memory back. She bit her lip hard then winced, feeling the metallic taste of blood covering her tongue.

Murad's sudden appearance and behaviour was out of behaviour, it confused Taliya and more of it she feared, if he got his memory back. Where Taliya was lost in her thoughts Murad stood rigid with answers heavy on his shoulders.

Taliya. Taliya was the answer to his every question.

The sudden ding of the elevator startled them making them turn towards the sliding door of the elevator.