CURB YOUR DESIRE

Leena was a prime witness to the murder of three youngsters, which was at first considered an accident. Two models and one of their companions attended a party organized by a hotel. Parties were not permitted, as Coronavirus cases were duplicating day to day and there was a limitation for social events.

Little did the young models know that drug peddlers organized this party. The hotel had a rough two years and drugs were always good business at the time of the pandemic. 

They forced the girls and the friend who accompanied them to take drugs at the party. Be that as it may, they rejected the offer consciously. The owner of the hotel grew apprehensive. What if these girls, who are also social media influencers, rat them out? So he imposed, but the trio refused vehemently. Things were getting heated, so they left the party, got in the car, and speeded away. 

The owner was not one to take no for an answer. He followed them. They sped down the highway and the car collided with a scooter and lost control. The car then hit the pole on the roadside and toppled. Both the girls died on the spot. Their driver and friend Amjad died two days later in a hospital bed.

The case took a deviation when Leena testified against the owner to the police. Though the driver was in the hospital for two days, he was not in a cognizant state. No one would have suspected the hotelier. There was nothing that connected him to the incident. Further investigation also proved that he tried to spike the drink of one of the girls. The hotelier is currently reserved for an endeavor of homicide alongside a few different criminal cases.

After graduating in hotel management, Leena joined this institution some seven months before the incident. It was one of the most iconic places in the city. The hotel has been functioning since the 1930s. It has been serving guests from all over the world. And now, 17 of their staff, including 4 women, have cases registered against them for drug trafficking. Leena has miffed quite a lot of people. Loneliness is not something that affects her much. She grew up in an orphanage. 

She never had any sort of privilege in life. You never befriend someone in the orphanage for long. The moment you find a friend, you lose that person to adoption. The nun who raised her, whom she calls mother, used to tell her always that if you curb desires, then she will go to heaven. 

They mostly used these words when some kids in school had a scrumptious feast and all Leena had for lunch was two pieces of bread and a black tea. But mother had such a way with words that even hunger felt like godliness. So for the first time when she felt like the loneliest person on earth, she went to meet mother. She confided to her and hoped for some soothing words that might give her the strength to get through this.

"Why don't you stay with me for a few days?" asked mother. 

"I can't. I'm under witness protection and I have to stay at the very same apartment even though I hardly can pay the rent without a job." The mother offered her some more black tea. She then started filling her cup. "So, what are you afraid of? Is it that your life is in danger, or something else? Whatever it might be, you do know you are fighting God's war, don't you?"

"Mother, please!" the entire situation overwhelmed Leena. The nun smiled.

"Are you feeling lonely after all the friends in your workplace turned against you?"

Leena snickers madly. "I'm not even going into all that. You know better. Mother, what bothers me is I haven't started my life. I have never had some normalcy. I just want a break in my life. All I want is to take care of myself and mind my business. I just want a little space for myself, that I didn't have as a girl in adolescence, or now as an adult. I just want to work till I'm tired and sleep in a bed, not worrying about being watched by someone." 

The nun took a gander at her for some time. She never gives away her emotions. She never spoke without clarity. The nun thought for a while. "Leena, things will only get tougher from now on. But you should know that not everyone goes through relentless adversities. Whether or not you like it, it's not yet time for you to lie down and stretch your legs. You will have to go through some more trials and tribulations because you can handle that heat. You may not know this, but you can. And for this time, at least you are standing for something that people will appreciate you for tomorrow. I know it doesn't seem that clear now, but trust me, you are doing a favor for many."

Leena left the orphanage with further disappointment. She was dejected. They say to look at the sunrise and the sunset when your heart wanders through that dark place in your mind. She hardly observed anything around her. Somehow, she found her way home. She could see a car beside the street with two men looking out. 

They were for her protection. Leena found her way inside, locked the door, and threw the handbag on the sofa. Her studio apartment had a TV, refrigerator, two small couches, and a table with two chairs in the living room. There was no particular partition for her kitchen.

She had an induction cooker, a few utensils, a packet of bread, and some tea powder. They switched on the TV and put on the local news. Since the case was a sensational one, there would be some sort of update every hour. It could be something related to the investigation or an interview with the kith and kin of the victims. There could be more details on the hotelier or any of the 17 other accused. 

The public hardly knew who was the prime witness, but all the accused knew exactly who she was. The bell rang as she was making some tea. There was no peephole on the door, but she opened the door without much hesitation.

"Hey, Leena." It was Nisa, one of her co-workers from the hotel. She was also one of the women accused. None of the 17 had a job or much of an income now. Along with Nisa was her 7-year-old daughter, Zeba. Nisa had all the earmarks of being inebriated. "I need you to look after my daughter for some time. There is somewhere I have to go. So look after her for some time. You owe us that much." She said. 

Not waiting for her approval, Nisa guided Zeba to the apartment. Then she left without waiting to hear from Leena. Leena watched her leave. She left the building without looking back. She then closed the door and locked it. 

Zeba was changing the TV channel. She kept browsing until she found a music station and then sat on the couch in front of the TV. She used to visit this apartment often just a few months ago. The three of them have often gone to movies and shopping together. Zeba used to be very fond of Leena. However, there is not much of a conversation now. It seems like even the kids hate Leena now.

Leena felt excessively drained. She didn't feel like starting a conversation, either. She just went to her bed in the next room and lay down. It was not sound sleep, but she dozed off a bit. Zeba was heard to be coughing hard now and then. 

There was a knock on the door by 11 pm. The doorbell rang profusely. Leena got up, startled, and ran to the door. She opened it to see the officer who was put to her protection.

"Yes?" she inquired. The officer peered inside the apartment and saw Zeba looking on apprehensively. The officer asked Leena to come out for a moment.

The officer ushered her out of the apartment to the hallway." The mother of the child is dead," said the officer. Leena didn't process the words for a moment. Then, when it sunk in, she had a sullen look on her face.

It was a suicide. She jumped off the bridge just minutes after she left the building. It took the rescue officers more than 3 hours to regain the body. There was no suicide note or any recent phone calls. The officer told Leena it may be because of the case. She might have felt that there was no getting off it. 

The police officer also felt that Nisa might have left the child in her house because she feels Leena is doing something right. The man asked her not to give too much thought to it and just take care of the child. He asked her to be strong and stay committed to the legal process. Leena got back to the apartment. She didn't know what to tell the child. The girl also seemed a bit flushed.

"Your mother got a new job at this restaurant nearby. She will be working the night. We will go see her tomorrow," she told the girl. Zeba went back to her TV. After some time, when Leena checked on her, she fell asleep on the couch. Leena lifted her and placed her on the bed. She tucked her in. Zeba was still coughing now and then. Leena wondered if it was a sign of covid-19.

The next morning, Leena went to the morgue along with Zeba. The girl busted out in tears. She was in utter shock. Leena didn't give her any clue about the grief that was to follow. The officers had a tough time controlling the girl, who was shaking the cold dead body of her mother in the hopes that she will open her eyes.

After several hours, they were able to pacify her. Zeba also confided how her mother was always high on drugs and alcohol. She said Nisa always spoke about death and suicide and that she always feared the worse.

Days have passed. Leena was determined to raise Zeba. She didn't want her to live in an orphanage. Zeba had also made amends with her new caretaker. No one came to claim Nisa's body. None of her colleagues visited the funeral. Zeba's father had married again after the divorce and was settled somewhere abroad. He was notified about the demise and the status of Zeba. But he didn't want to get involved as the public knew the connection of Nisa to the drug case. Zeba hardly ever spoke to her father.

It's been more than a week after the death and Zeba is still coughing all the time. She also had difficulty breathing. She was wheezing at most times. So Leena took her to the hospital for an antigen test. But the results came negative for covid-19. The next day, they went to see a pulmonologist.

The doctor suggested the use of inhalers. Although despite using it for another 10 days, Zeba showed no signs of improvement. It was then Leena thought about going inside Nisa's apartment. She still had the keys to the apartment. The owner had given it to her so that she can show the place to anyone interested to rent the place.

As Zeba fell asleep at night, she locked the door from outside and opened the apartment, which was diagonally opposite to hers. She checked everywhere to find any medical reports or medicines that Zeba might have taken. The girl told her that Nisa did a medical check-up on her a few days before she passed away. 

She finally found the medical report, which was in an envelope on top of the fridge. The analysis and report showed, 'Type III Pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB).' She Googled on her phone what it was. To her shock, Zeba had lung cancer.

PART ONE ENDS