Soul of lights

Beyond the Light : Chapter 10

The calm of the night had spread across the room. The ceiling light had dimmed, and the gentle breeze slipping in through the window stirred the curtains. Rooh lay on her bed, lost in silence—thinking of Laiba’s stubbornness and little sulks, Rimsha’s never-ending complaints, the constant worries of her family… and then, for a moment, the thought of Zayan, whose memory always filled her heart with a quiet warmth.

Yet even amidst these tangled thoughts, Rooh’s true peace was found in her prayers. Her heart kept whispering the same wish again and again:

“If only every prayer could be answered… if only every desire could be fulfilled.”

Her eyelids began to grow heavy. Her lips were still softly murmuring the words of her prayer, and in the stillness, sleep gently drew her into its embrace.

And then—

As Rooh drifted deeper into slumber, her soul was still humming with prayer.

When her eyes opened again, she found herself in a garden overflowing with life—flowers of every color blooming around her, golden sunlight filtering through the leaves and scattering across the ground, and in the air a delicate fragrance that seemed to sink deep into her very soul.

A faint, wistful smile touched her lips as her heart whispered:

“This place… could it be Jannah?”

Just then, she saw a woman—draped in pure white, her face carrying a serene smile, and in her eyes a depth so profound, it felt as though all the secrets of the world were hidden there.

Rooh stood still for a moment, then slowly walked toward her.

The woman spoke in a voice as soft as the breeze:

“You’ve come, Rooh… I have been waiting for you.”

Wonder filled Rooh’s eyes.

“But… who are you? Do I know you from before?”

The woman smiled more deeply as she looked at Rooh.

“I know the secret of your heart. That wish of yours… the one where you want every prayer to be answered, every desire to be fulfilled.”

Rooh’s breath caught for a moment.

“But… how do you know that?”

The woman’s smile spread gently across her face.

“Rooh, your prayer is so pure… its echo reached even here. And if I wish, I can make it come true.”

Rooh’s eyes lit up with sudden hope.

“Truly? Can you really do that?”

The woman lowered her head slightly and nodded.

“Yes. But remember… not every wish is born of light. Some carry shadows with them.”

With innocent sincerity, Rooh replied:

“But… if every desire is fulfilled, then everyone will be happy. How could that be wrong?”

The woman gently took Rooh’s hand in hers and said:

“Desires often arrive wearing the mask of happiness, but inside they carry burdens and trials. What you wish to see… lies beyond this radiant door. But remember, once you step through, there will be no way back.”

A storm of hesitation and hope stirred in Rooh’s heart. Her eyes glimmered as she whispered:

“I want to see… no matter what.”

She stepped toward the shining door. And the moment her foot crossed its threshold—

Rooh’s eyes flew open.