~°°~What is pain?~°°~

Maitama, Abuja, Nigeria. 26th February, 2022. 5:15 am. ~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~

Tensed, sat Sophy and her friends in her room. They were all ready to leave for Gombe state that morning and as agreed everyone showed up before 5:30 except Tauhida. They decided to wait for a moment and kept trying her phone but couldn't get through her.

"I think I'll have to call off this one, we can't all leave when we don't know what happened to her. I'm worried" Humaira said reaching to a decision to stay back. "That's what I was thinking about, Tauhida of all people won't miss my departure for the world except something's definitely wrong" Sophy commented.

Everyone in the room who knew Tauhida were feeling restless, they knew that even if she didn't come then she'll definitely pick the call or at least call back once. Humaira also tried calling Imran but he informed her he was on his way back to Abuja.

"I know right" Xeexee also commented. "You all should not worry, when I get through her we'll definitely make it up to you. After all we're going to Gombe in two weeks for Naiya's wedding so we'll visit okay?" Humaira said to them before picking up her bag and luggage.

"Okay sure, take care please and give us a call immediately you meet her" Sophy said. "Sure thing" Humaira replied before leaving. She met Shafiq outside trying to leave for his home and he offered to drive her to Tauhida's place.

After a while, Sophy was summoned by the elders and they had the series of advises and warnings before they finally left for Gombe state.

Meanwhile, imran called to ask for Sayf's help after trying everyone's number back at his home. He pleaded with him to check on them before he makes it back to Abuja.

Reaching the gate to Tauhida's home, Sayf got out of his car and started knocking on the door. He knocked for a while with no response before he gave up and gave Imran a call.

"Captain I don't think anyone is home, no one is opening the gate for me to enter" Sayf said immediately imran picked the call. "That is something that never happens, there is always a gateman at the gate to open up for everyone and he never leaves. Try knocking again" Imran replied.

"On a second thought, break into the house. Anything could have happened to them" Imran replied and Sayf nodded.

"Okay" Sayf said when he realised Imran wasn't anywhere near him.

Sayf did the needful of knocking again for some moment and that was when Shafiq's car pulled over beside Sayf's car. Humaira immediately rushed out of the car to check what was going on.

"Excuse me, have you been here for a while?" Humaira asked in worry forgetting to pass her pleasantries. "Yes, but I've knocked for a while now and no one is opening the door" Sayf replied because he didn't care whether she greets him or not, at least she acknowledged his presence.

"Imran said I could break in, should we do it?" Sayf added and asked the latter to Shafiq. "Let's do it" Shafiq said because he already had that in mind.

They started banging and hitting the door of the gate hard enough for it to break. It took them a while before they successfully broke into the house. Humaira entered the house in an increased speed ahead of the two as they followed suit, Sayf being the last person.

Humaira halted immediately she saw the bodies. Loosing balance and sanity, she fell back feeling weak on her legs almost falling to the ground but Shafiq held her up. He noticed she wouldn't stand on her own so he helped her sit on the floor before turning to also see the bodies.

Humaira immediately started crying, loosing her complete happiness. She took slow breaths trying to catch the next one after each one she took but lost the count and started panting, she was asthmatic.

"Humaira?" Shafiq called when he noticed her situation, he tried to understand it but was too late as she fell flat to the floor and lost consciousness.

"Quick help her" Sayf said to Shafiq because he looked like a lost puppy. Sayf was able to bare the sight because they see bodies almost all the time but it was different for Shafiq.

"You should embrace yourself or we'll lose her too, take her to the hospital. I'll call the cops" Sayf added making Shafiq to realise he shouldn't feel weak at the time. They were the only people who would handle the situation in the right way.

Shafiq picked Humaira from the ground and hurried outside to his car before driving off to the hospital with her.

Sayf on the other hand started to check the bodies, Tauhida's being the last because knowing she could be dead was not on the list of things he'll ever want to do. He confirmed the kill of all the three bodies before he heard the sound of cars coming into the house, he knew it was the police.

Sayf stretched his trembling hand to Tauhida's neck to check her pulse. Slowly removing his hand from her neck, he heaved a sigh of relief. He had never been as scared as he was in his entire life, he didn't want to loose her just like that.

"Hello sir" The corp greeted Sayf immediately he entered the parlour. "Hello, I'm major Sayf Hakeem Elnafaty, Nigerian army, bomb disposal squad. I'm a friend of this family though" Sayf said professionally.

"Okay, we'll take it from here" The corp replied. "Do it fast, this patient here is still alive and she needs urgent attention" Sayf said.

"Okay but we didn't call any ambulance service, we'll do it now" The cop replied and Sayf couldn't help but feel annoyed. It was so unprofessional of them not to come with an ambulance.

"In that case I can't wait, I'll take her to the hospital myself. Here's my contact, make sure to call me" Sayf said handing over his card. The cop accepted and Sayf took Tauhida on his hands outside to his car. He dropped her on the back seat and switched the ignition on.

Sayf had never been as fast as he was that day while driving, not even when he received the news of his father's death, he was very restless and anxious hoping nothing bad should happen to Tauhida. Yes, they didn't get to have their moments but she still had an importance in his life, he knew she does.

Halting at the front of the hospital door, Sayf got out and picked Tauhida. Forgetting to lock his car, he hurried into the hospital with her.

"Can I get a stretcher please?" Sayf asked making the nurses to turn their attention on them. One of them quickly wheeled the stretcher to their position and he laid her flat on the stretcher before the nurses wheeled her to their observation room.

Sayf sat on a chair right outside to room and waited for the doctor's comments. Coincidentally, Shafiq saw Sayf there and moved closer to ask what he was doing there.

"Tauhida is alive, she's in there" Sayf replied Shafiq's question. Shafiq nodded and sat down beside Sayf. "How about the one you brought with you?" Sayf asked. "She is asthmatic, luckily she got attended to before it got worse. But she will be with an oxygen mask for the while" Shafiq replied.

Shafiq was finding it hard to cope with the things that kept happening that day, he had never experienced something tragic as close to the one he experienced that day.

"Sorry to ask but what's your relationship with their family?" Shafiq asked Sayf back. "Just a well wisher" Sayf replied.

He wanted to keep his answer short but there were things he wanted saying other than what he said. Talking about being a well wisher, he intended to be more than just that to them especially that things were taking turns in their lives.

As for Imran, Sayf didn't take his calls because he knew he would be worried. And for someone who was driving at high speed to receive that kind of news, then it would definitely be a risk to his life.

Being in that situation made Sayf to realise how hard it was for Imran to tell him about the news of his father's death. He was also looking for ways to say it so he wouldn't feel bad about it but who was he kidding, no sane person will be fine after knowing he lost the important people in his life. Thinking about all those made Sayf to shed a tear, he was quick to wipe the two drops that fell from his eyes before anyone could notice. He was after all finding it very hard to keep it all in.

Just then, the doctor and two nurses stepped out of the room and the two stood up from their positions to acknowledge their presence.

"Who's her guardian among you?" The doctor asked. "Both of us " Sayf quickly replied. He didn't know why he replied with that but nothing mattered at the moment.

"Follow me then" The doctor said and they did as they were told.

Sitting down on the two seats by the doctor's table, the doctor started explaining to them.

"We discovered that she has a meningioma by her sphenoid bone, the hit she had when she fell to the ground made it worse. We'll have to do an emergency surgery as soon as possible, possibly now. And just so you know, it is a dangerous operation so we can't do it until we get your permission" The doctor mentioned and both of them couldn't help but feel more restless.

The two had never been put in a tight spot like that time, especially Sayf. There was no way he could call imran to ask for permission and if he agrees to it without his consent then anything that goes wrong would be his fault.

But nevertheless, the last thing he wanted was Tauhida dying because he didn't give his permission. It was hard to decide but Sayf decided he would face the consequences.

"Do it"

Those two words from Sayf was all it took to let Tauhida move closer to death. Everything might be different after she gets operated.

~°°~What is pain?~°°~

~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~°~ I'll keep my comments to myself koh, if not I might say something unreasonable.

Thanks for being patient with me Lots of love,

Deedi--❤️