I waited beside the elevator of her building in the darkness, and when she appeared on her usual time, I came out pretending to be late, and jumped in the elevator on seeing her alone.. We'd been watching her for few days and made that plan.. I knew she was claustrophobic, which meant that being with a strange guy in a closed elevator was bad enough for her, which appeared in her nervous gaze at me..
But the elevator doors already closed and there was no way out.. Anyway there was no need to worry, the worst part didn't come yet, as my partner in the plan damaged certain parts in the elevator system to make it stop between floors, as we agreed he would do when I gave him that missed call.. I watched horror as it took control over her, because it looked like the whole building was out of power.. She looked like she was going to faint..
Still elevator + a strange man who could be anything + no electricity = Typical claustrophobic person's Hell..
The worst part was she couldn't see anything around her, couldn't even see that person with her.. Maybe he was another lunatic that might kill her.. For a second I almost felt sorry for her and was about to tell her the truth, but not knowing what might happen then and what would be her reaction prevented me, I switched on my Mobile lights, talking to her:
- Don't worry.. They will fix that shortly..
She made no response, but her frozen features together with the shadows on her face made her look like she was dead two weeks ago.. She mumbled few words that I didn't hear, while her shaking body moved to the corner of the cabin, looking at my lights nervously.. Her body collapsed on the floor, with her legs bent beneath her, and hugging her bag as if to protect herself by it.. Shit.. Didn't know her case was that bad, and according to the plan, my partner won't set the elevator back to work again except after two bloody minutes that would pass like we were waiting for the day of judgment, and the girl's heart would probably stop beating until then.. So I found myself moving to sit next to her on the floor, and took her in my arms.. Her attractive feminine perfume sneaked to my nose, while her smooth hair was tickling my face.. She was completely helpless and showed no signs of resisting.. I whispered comforting words in her ear as I felt her body shaking against mine, but couldn't feel much difference my words did.. The elevator lights came back to work after the time was over, and I saw tears all over her face.. Starting to hold herself together, as the elevator got back to work too.. I stood up and helped her standing, and returned the elevator to the ground floor while she was picking up her things and dress and dignity..
As we walked out of the elevator, I invited her for a cup of coffee or something to calm her down.. She agreed, as I turned out not to be another jerk taking advantage of her..
(Not yet at least.....)
The nearest place was that café, so we got used to meet their every now and then..
The first time we met she told me about her life.. About "Khalid" whom she hated, but had to stay with because he took her out of her need, and because he was the one paying for the treatment of her sick mother, and that final information almost changed my opinion about "Khalid", and made me start wondering whether he deserved what we were planning for him, while she was completing her story to make me change my mind again about him, as she told me how she was afraid to leave him, for not knowing what would be his reaction.. He'd probably go nuts and try to hurt her.. The subway reached my stop then, so I went out feeling relieved for reaching my destination while still alive.. Taking a deep breath finally without smelling sweat and other unknown smells.. The moment the doors slid open I stormed out of the train leaving the rest fighting behind me about who'll go out first..
I jumped on the stairs outside still thinking about "Sohair".. I guess what I felt for her was a weird mixture that I couldn't - and didn't even try to - understand of pity, confusion, with a little bit of repulsion, and some admiration..
Anyway, the mission was supposed to end within few weeks, if I got to know from her the information I needed to destroy "Khalid", which I tried to know slowly without arousing her suspicions..
After meeting "Sohair" I was supposed to go to a young widow, that the insurance company doubted her husband had committed suicide deliberately to make his widow receive the insurance money, and they wanted me to go meet her and investigate, so I was racing against time to get over with "Sohair" quickly..
Passed through the door, then made my way towards our usual table, but I found someone else sitting there, while my date was sitting on a nearby table.. I sat trying to catch up my breaths, asking her:
-I'm not late.. Am I..?
- No... I've been here for five minutes only..
She answered firmly, while her hand was busy playing with her funny looking keychain.. Something was wrong.. I loosened my tie that I barely stood wearing outside the office, especially in this weather.. I studied her face, asking:
- OK.. Why aren't you sitting on our usual table..?
- Was already occupied..
- Are you OK..?
I asked her directly, while studying the café's menu.. She wasn't her usual self and I could sense that.. She lit a cigarette answering:
- Yeah..
- Sure..? You don't look like your usual..
I let go of the menu and looked at her again confused.. Not used to her that serious and silent..
- Believe me, I'm fine..
Her firm cold answer came so I didn't ask more.. It wasn't like I was going to die if I didn't know what was bothering her after all.. I asked the waiter who stopped by our table for a cup of heavy Nescafe.. I was feeling sleepy, and tiredness was killing me.. If I didn't have Some caffeine right now I'd fall asleep in less than five minutes.. Maybe if I washed my face with cold water I'd wake up a little..?
- I'll go to the bathroom till the order comes..
I rose as I told her that, and without waiting for her answer, I headed across the tables towards the bathroom..
- OK..
Her faint answer came, while I was avoiding two young boys racing, doing my best not to shout at them.. I hate kids at this damn age..
Inside the bathroom, all I could think of was how to convince her to talk to me about "Khalid's work and how to get rid of him, without being too obvious..
I knew that getting rid of him was in her favor as well, to be able to live freely, but I didn't guarantee What'd be her reaction, as he was her almost only source of income, which made me unsure of her point of view.. I'd prefer to know what she'd got without telling her my reasons..
Washing my face made me feel a little better.. Looking at my tired face in the mirror, I realized that I looked like someone who just got out of jail, and that was when I heard screams outside the bathroom..
I went out quickly to find a young man shouting beside one of ladies room, and beside him was a fat old woman, and several people arguing together.. On the floor there was a thread of blood sneaking from the room to outside.. From few scattered words I heard, I knew that the story was about a girl who closed the room and killed herself.. Didn't find that my standing would be of any help since the girl's story was over and she got a final rest from this life and its conflicts, so I decided to pass across this gathering, but a guy stopped me..
- Excuse me..? Can you call an ambulance..? The café's phone is dead..
A silly thought of answering coldly: (Why don't you use your own phone) crossed my mind, but the tense situation was in no need for this, so I got my phone out and called the number, and after a minute a depressed guy who probably hated his life and wife and all humanity answered me..
I told him in quick words that the girl was dying and we needed serious quick help, to make it sound dangerous enough for him to send someone quickly..
We decided to close the door of the room so that no one gets scared from the scene, if someone happened to pass beside it, and because I felt that death had its sanctity.. Her body shouldn't be a show for the people passing by.. Not being able to protect her body from nosy eyes anymore didn't mean we shouldn't
do it..
All I thought about at that point was a simple question: what made a beautiful young woman like her jump from the edge of life with such a violent method..?
Wasn't the first suicide case I passed by, but every time I saw one I felt the same shock.. Shock from that operation that took a human being who was moments ago moving between us, smiling, walking, laughing and frowning just like us, to another world that had nothing to do with the one we were in..
I leaned on the wall beside the bathroom, then lit a cigarette to empty my nervousness in, while wondering about how much courage that girl managed to have to do this.. Was the right description even courage or despair..? Despair from her life ever getting better.. We'd never know, That was when I saw that guy pointing his gun at us to get out..
****
-16-
"Dalia"
Looking at her right, "Dalia" saw the blonde waitress who was smiling all the time, only she wasn't smiling now.. Her face was filled with terror, and her eyes kept wandering everywhere around her.. Her make-up fall all over her cheeks changing her from the confident quite creature she was earlier to another poor shivering one..
"Dalia" felt as if horror was contagious and got to her, and her breaths started fastening, so she looked in front of her trying to take her attention of her neighbor for a while..
She padded on "Leila's hair nervously, while whispering in the most confident tone she could words about how they were going to get out of here safely.. The little girl didn't reply which made "Dalia" get scared thinking that her heart stopped from fear.. But she found her breathing normally and crying while cuddling herself, so she decided to leave her alone to calm down.. Shit.. If anything wrong happened to that girl "Dalia"would be history.. She felt "Mourad's hand patting on her left hand trying to calm her a little just like she was trying unsuccessfully with the child, but his attempt had the same fate as hers.. Not having enough courage to look at him, she shook her head silently, while taking a deep breath, and return her head to the back leaning on the mirror behind her since they were in the last row.. If she looked at him or talked to him, she would burst out crying, and she didn't want that now or "Leila" would get even more scared than she already was.. She couldn't put the whole blame on him because it wasn't that easy.. she led the girl herself willingly to this place, So they shared the guilt equally..
She couldn't say she hated him, because she agreed from the start on the stupid plan, but we could say that she hated herself a lot for letting it happen.. If she hadn't been stupid enough to agree from the first place, none of this would've happened.. But it was too late to regret now.. What was important to think of now was what would happen next..? Would they still be alive till tomorrow comes..? Or the death of all the people here will be just another report in the evening news, announced by that fat reporter..?
She looked at the pulled down curtains that'd cut all the relation they had with the outside world, as if the whole world disappeared and no one was left except for them.. Along came the sounds of cars, horns, or the sounds of people in the street.. Many uncaring sounds passing by from outside and disappear at the corner, as if the world didn't care for them at all, and their presence or absence wouldn't make a tiny difference..
Then she noticed the French songs still playing.. The sound started to grow louder as if it'd noticed the tense moments they were living.. The loud melodies made her even more tens, before the singer's voice started, without "Dalia" understating a single word said..
Padam Padam Padam
It follows, running behind me..
Padam Padam Padam
It’s a tune, which like an accusing finger,
Haunts me like a weird mistake,
This tune that knows all by heart..
Padam Padam .." Edith Piaf"
****
A weird idea passed through her mind, so she decided to try it, since she'd got nothing to lose..
- The little girl wants to go to the bathroom..
She pointed at one of the gang's men who was passing by the next row, but she soon felt embarrassed because all the people started looking at her.. She felt it was too weak excuse and no one could possibly buy it.. She felt more people around starting to look at her, so her embarrassment rose more and more.. Some were looking at her in silence.. Some in sarcasm.. Some she felt looking at her in understanding mixed with pity.. Were her thoughts that obvious..? Or was she stupid because it was a failed too childish attempt from the first place..?
No problem.. It wasn't for her sake, it was to save the innocent girl.. She wished that "Leila" wouldn't say a word that would ruin her on-going-plan..
- She's diabetic and won't be able to hold herself for long..
She begged again.. The guy looked at their boss waiting for his decision.. The man looked at the little girl for a couple of seconds trying to discover whether "Dalia" was telling him the truth or not, and those moments passed like hell, before his final answer came:
- In less than five minutes you'll be back or else you'll see, and you, go stand by the door of the bathroom till they come out..
The second part was directed to a thin guy who was standing by the cashier.. The guy turned to "Dalia" who already stood up with the child and headed towards the bathroom.. She entered the room next to the closed one that had the other girl's dead body inside. She heard the thin guy's threat to her before she closed the door..
- You've got five minutes only..
- OK..
He watched her impatiently as she closed the door, then he leaned on the opposite wall and lit a cigarette to pass time..
****
The moment she closed the door She looked around the room, while "Leila" stood there puzzled..
- Why did you tell him that while I don't want to..?
- So that I could get you out of here sweetie..
"Dalia" whispered in a low voice so that the thin guy wouldn't hear, before opening the small window over the toilet, thinking that maybe she could manage to get the little girl out of it if she insisted a little..?
She closed the cover of the toilet seat, and gave the girl her hand to help her step over the toilet.. "Leila" obeyed her whispering in a crying voice:
- But what will happen to you..?
- I'll depend on you to run quickly and ask the first person you see to call the cops to come get us out..
She whispered back encouraging her while she was opening the window to the max, but all she could think about was how dreamy that sounded.. The police would never come in time, and if they did, "Dalia" probably would be already gone, but convincing the child with this was the only way to make her obey her without resisting, which she saw her doing.. She watched the child as she stood over the toilet and did her best to pass through the tiny window, with"Dalia's help.. Her tiny body half passed through the small window after suffering, but the ambulance's siren that she heard suddenly startled her, and made the man standing outside lose his patience and knock on the door strongly announcing that her time was over..
****
She opened the door preparing herself for the worst.. For the bullet that would penetrate her head, for the punch she'd get.. She knew the punishment would be strong enough to match her deed.. Pulling the door lock aside, She nervously opened the door feeling her whole body shaking.. What would the guy do to her..? She set that thought aside as the door slid open, to find the guy's intruding eyes waiting for her.. Frowning on seeing her coming out alone, he asked:
- Where's the child..?
Taking a deep breath while standing out of the room, her legs were shaking and she almost fall down, she managed to speak finally in a trembling voice:
- She's gone....
He hit her hard on her head, parking at her:
- You bitch.. I knew something like this would happen..
Being smacked real bad, she felt intense pain starting from that point to all over her face, along with the distinctive taste of blood..
But
thinking that "Leila" already escaped and not facing danger (Not like the danger she was facing right now at least.. Let's hope that the one who finds her is a normal person who would help and not some kind of perverted psychopath who kidnaps children and rapes then kills them..) Made her stand the pain, another punch returned her to our world.. She felt him pulling her hair hard.. She could smell his stinky breaths, his yellow teeth passing before her eyes, that scar on his left cheek, and his sweaty smell..
- Bitch.. I could read you from the start..
He gave her another kick continuing:
- ..... I'll show you now what we do to liars slut..
She raised her eyes to find his hand going up, pointing his gun at her.. She felt her breathing almost stopping along with her heart, while his fingers going for the trigger.. Will her soul be heavier than "Leila's soul in God's scale..? Or the world's..? Will the earth's balance readjust itself, making the world a better place after she leaves it..?
Will her attempt to get the child out be enough to erase the disaster she was about to make..? Those were her last thoughts as she saw his fingers touching the trigger.. She closed her eyes as she felt her body letting her down to fall to the floor..
She imagined the fingers pulling the trigger.. Imagined the bullet going off in slow motion.. Imagined it penetrating flesh, bone and soul.... But none of this happened, all she heard was loud weird sounds, then she felt nothing at all..
****
-17-
"Mahmoud"
The roads were too crowded.. It took me about an hour to reach that café we got the call from about a girl who tried to commit suicide.. She must be already dead by now and her soul being taken to the other side..
Even turning on the siren of the ambulance I was driving didn't make much of a difference.. People seemed to be too cold or stupid to give me space, and that was more than enough to delay me.. After a while I knew there'd been an accident.. A hit and run at "Emad Eldin" Street, and they were still trying to move the body, but those meddlesome creatures also delayed that...