Shadows in the Dark
512 Words
The air in Chaandbagh had an eerie stillness that night. The streetlights outside flickered weakly, casting long shadows against the cracked pavement.
Zarnab sat on her bed, her laptop open, the screen displaying old news reports about Saisha Qadir’s murder. Every article repeated the same story—Ahil Mirza Ibrahim, the prime suspect, was never convicted due to lack of evidence.
But the town had already decided his fate.
And now, Zarnab was the only one willing to question it.
She clicked on a forum post from a year ago, written under an anonymous username.
"Saisha wasn’t who people think she was. She had secrets. Dangerous ones."
Zarnab’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. Who wrote this? And why had no one ever followed up on it?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sudden ring of her phone.
Mina.
Zarnab answered immediately. “Mina?”
“Zarnab, listen to me carefully.” Mina’s voice was urgent. “Tariq just told me something, and I don’t think you should ignore it.”
Zarnab straightened. “What did he say?”
“He saw someone following you today. Near the café. A man.”
A shiver ran down Zarnab’s spine. “Did he see his face?”
“No, but Tariq said the guy was just… standing there. Watching you.” Mina exhaled sharply. “Zarnab, what if this isn’t just paranoia? What if someone doesn’t want you digging into Saisha’s case?”
Zarnab swallowed hard, gripping her phone. “Then that means I’m finally close to something.”
Mina sighed in frustration. “Or it means you’re in danger.”
---
A Warning from the Past
The next morning, Zarnab met Faris outside an old bookstore—one of the few places in Chaandbagh where she felt safe.
Faris leaned against the brick wall, arms crossed. “You called me early. What’s wrong?”
Zarnab hesitated before speaking. “Someone was following me.”
Faris’s expression darkened. “Who?”
“I don’t know. But Mina heard it from Tariq.”
Faris scoffed. “Tariq? The town’s biggest gossip?”
Zarnab shook her head. “That doesn’t mean he’s lying.”
Faris studied her for a moment before sighing. “Zarnab, you’re poking at old wounds. People in this town… they’ve moved on.”
She clenched her fists. “No. They buried the truth. That’s different.”
Faris exhaled, rubbing his temple. “Alright, let’s assume someone is watching you. That means you’re making someone nervous.”
Zarnab nodded. “Which means I’m on the right path.”
Faris smirked. “Or a dangerous one.”
Just then, a black SUV passed by the bookstore, moving slowly. Zarnab turned her head, catching a glimpse of a man in the passenger seat staring at her.
Before she could react, the car sped up and disappeared down the road.
Faris’s face hardened. “That wasn’t just a coincidence.”
Zarnab felt her pulse quicken. “No,” she whispered. “It wasn’t.”
Someone wanted her to stop.
But Zarnab wasn’t stopping.
Not now. Not ever.
- Writer
