Author's note: Whew, I've really been slacking on my fanfics. Don't worry. I'm gonna get this done, even if it kills me.
Maybe not.
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. Nor do I own the song, "I'm Waiting For You" which was written by Mahmoud Biram Altounisi and was made popular by Oum Kalthoum.
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Dhandi sputtered as stream of soapy warm water splashed down on her head. She wiped away the drenched bangs from her eyes, looking straight up at the smiling green showerhead with a black ponytail.
"At least you don't smell like a funeral home anymore," Eden the green bathtub gurgled, bubbles rising around her master. Dhandi giggled as she leaned against the lip of the tub who blushed. "Wasn't me."
The girl sighed, letting her arm dangle over the side. "I'm sorry I scared you today."
"Well, I had to be," Eden replied, concerned. "And it's not just because of the wish. You're my baby and I don't know what I would do if I lost you."
"You would be able to be with Genie."
The green-skinned Genie of the Bottle frowned slightly. "But not at that price." Eden paused for a moment.
"Boy, that got real heavy real fast," she chuckled softly. Dhandi nodded, smiling slightly. "Let's go check on your dress."
The tub began to move towards a clothesline strung in the corner of the hovel. Suddenly the tub sprouted arms that stretched towards the lone articles of clothing, the orange dress and the brown coat. Grabbing them, the rubbery arms drew the clothes towards the showerhead. No sooner did the djinn took a whiff, the showerhead began coughing and gagging violently.
"It still smells gross, doesn't it," Dhandi said. "It's probably gonna take ages to get the smell out."
"Don't worry," the djinn coughed, tossing the clothes back on the line. "I loan you own of mine. Now, are you ready to get out?"
"Yep," the girl nodded. With a pop, Eden morphed back into her "normal" form, a dripping-wet Dhandi standing there with a pink terrycloth towel around her waist and another one balancing haphazardly on her head, and the djinn suddenly morphed into a giant green hairdryer.
"Hold on to something." Suddenly a rush of heated air blew in Dhandi's direction, the towel on her head flying off and her lips flickering rapidly against the jet of air. A good minute later, the hum of the dryer died and not a single drop of water that was on the child's body escaped evaporation, though her hair was standing on end, very stiffly. Eden, morphing back once again, eyed her master's new hairdo. Dhandi looked up, a very sheepish look on her face.
"Hmm," the djinn poked the rigid tresses, "we may have to operate." A puff of smoke appearing inside the hovel, the sounds of drilling and jackhammers pounding resonated in the smoke. When the smoke dissipated, Dhandi's hair no longer stood on end, but lay against the sides of her head just above her shoulders as they've often done.
"Thanks," Dhandi said.
"Welcomed," Eden grinned and suddenly pulled off the girl's towel, an outfit of pink and green similar to the djinn's own. "Wow, it works for you."
Dhandi smiled, crawling onto one of the large cushions and sat Indian-style. She let out a huge yawn.
"Tired? I bet after the day you had, you would be."
Dhandi nodded, laying down and tucking her legs in.
"Do you remember what happened?" Eden, soon after asking this, bit her lower lip, rather anxiously. "I understand if you don't want to, but maybe if you were still..."
"I remember," Dhandi whispered, groggily, "he made me (yawn) drink this weird stuff...he cut his hand, ugh...it was all salty and it made me feel sick...(yawn) he said something about O-s-eye-ris and someone else..."
The girl snored lightly, Eden watching her stir in slumber.
"Mozenrath was probably up to something," she thought. "But he's dead. He can't really do anything. However..."
The green djinn reached over her master and pulled a blanket over her body. "I'm just gonna do some detective work for a while, sweetheart, but I'm gonna need some help."
With that, Eden vanished in a puff of green smoke.
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I'm waiting for you.
I kept my fire inside my ribs.
And I put my hand on my cheek
And counted by seconds your absence and you never came.
A familiar rhyme and rhythm tickled in Dhandi's ears as the whirlwind of scarves of reds, pinks, oranges, and violets swirled together as she watched in awe as the luscious feminine figures twirled and shook, as rapidly as the music bid them. The onlookers clapped as the dancers executed tight and controlled moves with grace that would make the most poised gazelle seem like a clumsy cow. A roaring fire lit up the night, the stars twinkling brightly in the dark violet sky.
She loved this dream, pure and simple. Something about this one comforted her. Perhaps it was the colors or even the energy and pace of the dance that stirred thoughts almost forbidden inside her. Or perhaps it was the woman in orange garb that stared back at Dhandi, smiling. The woman with raven hair done in braids, three that Dhandi had counted, and skin the color of the sand approached her, hand reached out.
I wish - I wish I never fell in love.
I need to know if you are upset
Or if somebody else occupies your heart
From my hopelessness, you make me say.
The music began once more as the woman drew back her hand and slowly merged back into formation, circling an invisible point in the middle of the large intricately embroidered carpet. The women raised their hands slowly, their fingers lightly touching the ones across from their owners, all of them swaying to the soft beat of a drum. They twirled in the circle, their skirts swirling against their legs.
Dhandi sighed as the women kneeled, backs towards the audience. How she longed to touched that woman's hand, even for a second, it tempting her constantly. The wind seemed to blow much cooler now, the fire crackling as their flames whip and writhe about.
The absence will continue forever
And I ask myself what did I gain
From my mistake.
Only you are my problem.
The tempo increased, the women springing up and trilling. Men joined in, dressed in darker, richer shades of the familiar hues. They contorted as they leapt, the music guiding their every erratic movement. The women twirled around their bodies suggestively, their partners suddenly lifting them up into the air. The airy fabric of their skirts fluttered.
A sole figure in dark blue danced around the woman in orange, placing his hand on her chest. He held her close, panicking his partner as she thrashed against him like a frightened bird against a cage. He pressed his sallow lips against hers, tears running down her tanned cheek. Muffled shrieks exit the woman's lips to the audience that doesn't bother to look up.
"Stop it," Dhandi whispered, horrified at this man violating her. "Leave her alone."
Her plead went unfulfilled, as he kept her bound to his body, her struggling subsiding. All this time, Dhandi sat there helpless, staring at this violation.
Then he stared back.
Something sank inside Dhandi when she saw that piercing black eye. Black as kohl, it shown no warmth behind those irises. The sickly pale face turned from the limp body of his partner, towards the child, a malevolent smirk appearing. Dropping the dead weight of the woman in orange, he began to walk towards Dhandi.
I wish - I wish I never fell in love.
I anguish on the hot part of the fire.
My brain is absent from concentration
With each breath I count your steps
With each little letter I count your conversations with me
I am in this mood morning and night.
And they saw me and they said I have become insane.
Dhandi lost count of his paces towards her, only it seemed he vanished and reappeared squarely in front of her in mere seconds. Her body froze, scared to make a move but her mind screaming "just don't sit there! RUN!" into her ear in deafening tones. The pale young man leaned down to her, smiling, cruel intentions hidden behind that grin. He placed his hand upon her left cheek, his fingers softly drumming against her temple.
Dhandi could feel something raking against her right cheek. Praying it was just his hand, she looked at the corner of her eye. To her horror, it was a skeleton's hand, worse of all it was his. She let out scream, the man undeterred however. He merely chuckled softly as he placed a kiss upon her cheek.
I wish - I wish I never fell in love.
You promised me by years and days
And you come to me with excuses and garbage words
Those words!!
(Say something different only nicer)
You come and shake my hand and leave quickly
Or you don't come and just say "I forgot."
Suddenly, the child swiftly kicked the man's gut, a force that threw him back a foot or so. That was enough for Dhandi to scramble onto her feet and race up the sand dunes that cradled the scene. The grains of sand splashed against her legs, her feet sinking as she scrambled over the dune's peak. She couldn't stop, not if she wanted that man to catch up.
Suddenly, she tripped upon the sand, falling headfirst into a summersault rolling down the dune. Her head spun as she skidded to a complete stop at the bottom, lying on her back. Her senses dizzied as she slowly rose to her feet, encrusted with sand. Still trying to regain her balance, she turned to look up the dune.
No sign of the pale man atop the sand.
"Who was that guy?" Dhandi wondered, taking wobbly steps. It suddenly dawned on her. "His hand! It's the same on that old guy!"
A worried look appeared upon her face. She looked around. Still no one but herself in the vast desert land.
"But he drowned," the girl paced, carrying on a conversation with an invisible audience. "He's not going to hurt me anymore. So why is he here and why does he look like this young man?"
The rustling of feet moving through sand prompted her to turn and look. No one still and not a sign of anyone else ever being there, save for her own set of footprints.
"But if it is him, why does he kinda look like...ahhh!" Her conversation was cut short as she found herself knee-deep in sand. No, sand didn't feel so smooth and oily. Yes, oil was the better term and it was rising as she sunk further down.
"Help me!" Dhandi panicked, clawing the more benign sands for a better grip, but all in vain. She kept sinking.
"It's just a dream, it's just a dream. It's not real." Sand was up to her waist.
She closed her eyes. Eden said closing your eyes and counting to ten always worked, especially in bad dreams. Dhandi hoped she was right.
"1...2...3..." she counted, still very frightened.
"4...5...6..." The sand was up to her chest.
"7...8...9..." Up to her neck now.
"10!" she shrieked as her head was submerged, her arms flailing above.
Was she dead? Dhandi wondered. It was black as pitch and she couldn't breath. So why was she still here?
She panicked suddenly. Something grabbed her wrists and she began to rise.