In the last chapter, Saria was interviewed by the police, who asked her if she knew anything about Zainab's murder. Using her quick wit, she was able to provide them with the description of a man who she said might have had something to do with the crime. Now, we continue with the same day as Saria puts into motion her plan to hide evidence on this unsuspecting scapegoat.

As always, I do not own The Kite Runner. All I claim are my own OCs and plot points that do not appear in the original source material. I also do not condone the actions, thoughts, feelings and opinions of the characters here present. This is merely a fictional story and should be taken as such.

With that said, I do hope you enjoy this newest chapter! Please as always feel free to review - your opinions and thoughts are always welcome.


The rest of the school-day, thankfully, went off without a hitch. Girls came and went for their respective interviews, all of which seemed to take nothing more than twenty to thirty minutes at a time. Eventually, the last girl - a quiet and demure little thing called Delbar Gulzar - returned from her interview. She kept her head down as she silently made her way back to her desk, which was about two rows ahead of mine.

Behind her followed Officers Baset and Delkash, both of whom appeared deep in pensive thought. Was that because of me, I wondered? Were they thinking of the information that I had provided to them - of the 'creep' who I had so richly described, in such fine detail that there could be no doubt as to whom I was speaking of? Or did they maybe have something else in mind? Oh, how I wished that I might be a mind-reader so that I could discern exactly what these cops were thinking.

But that was of no matter now. The interviews had come to an end, and with them, so too had the time that I would need to spend in the vicinity of these people - they of such high place upon my never-ending list of enemies. Officer Baset once more took the stage, standing at the top of the classroom and addressing us all, thanking us for being so brave and helpful. In all honesty, I don't recall much of what he said. I think I drowned out most of the words that he was saying, and can you blame me? I'd heard more than enough out of that man's mouth, and from the mouth of his co-worker, too. There was nothing more I wanted now than to see the fucking back of them - for them to walk out of those school doors and disappear into the streets, back to the police station where I never had to set eyes upon them. Never again.

Once the cops had left, and not a damn moment too soon in my opinion, Mermon Yashfa once more took her place at the top of the classroom. She stared out at all of us, her thin lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile. Odd, for it was an expression that we hardly ever saw on her - and most certainly not directed at the entire class; it was typically only something that she reserved for her favourite students. I leaned my head on my palm, staring up at her, knowing that she had a speech to make, but just praying that it would be over and done with quickly so that I could get out of here. My other half was waiting for me outside, I knew, and aside from wanting the joy of being in his arms again, I also wanted to inform him of all that had transpired that day. To tell him everything that had happened and apprise him of my plan to set the evidence on the homeless man.

Mermon Yashfa cleared her throat and motioned for us all to sit up. Those girls who had been slouched down in their seats straightened up, looking to our teacher with expectant eyes. They were as eager to get out of here as I was, though probably for different reasons, no doubt. Something that Mermon Yashfa was acutely aware of and which she took pains to mention as she addressed us.

"I know that all of you no doubt wish to be getting home," she said, "and so I shan't keep you for much longer. But before you leave, I just thought I should say how proud I am of each and every one of you. It can't have been easy to re-open old wounds and to discuss the tragedies that have befallen our community. However, you all took to this challenge with the decorum and courage that I and all the staff at this school have come to expect of you. And I don't think I'm overstepping here when I say that the officers have informed me that speaking to all of you has been greatly beneficial when it comes to their investigation."

She kept looking ahead as she said this, but I knew, oh, how I knew, that she was referring directly to me. After all, I'm not aware of what the other girls discussed with the police, but I can state with categorical certainty that the information I had provided the cops with would be setting them on an entirely new track when it came to getting (undeserved) justice for Zainab and Mojdeh. And once I planted the knife on their new suspect, then there would be no more cause for me to fret about being caught or even looked at in a judgemental manner.

I almost wanted to crack a smile, to let my pride be shown upon my face, though I managed to keep my lips in a neutral position, not wanting to be judged or questioned as to why I might have been grinning in such a situation. Mermon Yashfa continued to speak. "Because of how brave you girls have been, and to showcase my gratitude to you all for your excellent conduct, I have decided to give you all the evening off of homework and study for tonight. I think you all deserve to take this afternoon to be relax and be with your families."

The instant that she said this, the mood in the room was instantly uplifted. Girls who had earlier been made somber by their discussions with the police now had grins that threatened to split their faces in two. Several of Ahtrai's friends began to eagerly chat amongst themselves, making plans for what they would do considering they had this entire afternoon free to do so. It was a bit of a weird thing to see, if I'm being completely honest. After all, hadn't these girls just been forced to relive the memories of their dead and hospitalized friends? Had they not had to speak at length about two people that, if I'm not mistaken, they were supposed to have cared about? And now their grief was waylaid by nothing more than the promise of a day off of homework?

Would I be reacting in this callous and uncaring a manner if something were to happen to Adia? I wondered, turning my head to look at the girl sat beside me. The only friend that I had in this world aside from my soulmate. It seemed inconceivable to me that something as basic as an afternoon free of study would take away from the torrent of emotions that I knew I would be feeling if something were to happen to her. If her stabbed body were to have been rotting in a grave somewhere. I know that it would take much more than an afternoon off of schoolwork to take away from the pain I'd feel if someone were to have harmed the sweet child seated beside me. And they say that I am the one with no empathy.

The final bell rang out through the halls, signalling that the day had come to a fortunate close. "Alright, girls, it seems that our time together has come to an end," Mermon Yashfa said as everyone around me began hastily packing away their things, eager to get out of there. To leave this dismal place for the brighter and more spacious streets of our hometown. "I'll see you all again tomorrow, and remember, I'm very, very proud of each of you. You've done a great service for not only your friends and your school, but also yourselves."

I had to hand it to Mermon Yashfa - strict as she may have been, she knew when to offer compliments when they were due. Would Tanya have said she was proud of me for speaking to the cops? Would she have opted to give me a treat as a reward - even if it were nothing more than the idea of a free afternoon? Or would she merely have found something else with which to berate me? There was no doubt in my mind that from her I would have received no praise from the lips of my toxic mother. Thus even if it came from a teacher to whom I held no true respect, I had to give Mermon Yashfa the credit that she was owed in this moment.

Once more did chairs and tables scrape noisily along the tiled floor as all around me, my fellow classmates began packing away their things. They were speaking amongst themselves as they did so. The sounds all melded together to the point where I couldn't have made an iota of sense out of what they were nattering on about even if I had wanted to. Besides, it wasn't as if I really cared about what was going on in the minds of those little fools, now was it? I had far more important matters to attend to.

Leaning down in my seat, I placed one hand upon the desk to steady myself before reaching down and grabbing hold of the straps on my book bag. Careful not to let any of my pencils or other stationery fall out (I could have done without having to crawl around the floor trying to pick them up again), I placed the satchel onto my lap, flipped it open, and began sweeping my books into it. Normally, I'd have taken my time and put them away properly - my mother had drilled it into me from an early age all about how one must adhere to certain standards of neatness, even when it came to a task as basic as putting schoolbooks away, but right now, in that moment, I could give two shits. There was simply too much on my mind to be concerned with these kinds of trivial matters.

Beside me, Adia was clearing away her own things. She was humming under her breath as she bent down to retrieve her pencil case from off of the ground. There was a sense of melancholy to the child's behaviour, as if today had struck a chord with her. But Adia has always been a sensitive and gentle little thing, always taking so much to heart. Even though she too had been the victim of Zainab, and indeed, more so of Mojdeh, I knew that it would have upset her to think of another person being hurt in any way, shape or form. Who could forget the manner in which she had berated me for my wry humor over Farsef's attack? But then again, I knew that her innocence was part of what made her so malleable to me, and that was a huge part of the reason why I liked her so much.

Although I had finished packing away my own things, I decided to take my time getting my coat on in the hopes that I'd be able to wait for Adia. The other girls had already begun filing out of the door, one by one, still chatting amongst themselves. Ahtrai and her Posse of Dipshits were in deep (and I use that word loosely) conversation about what they were planning to do for the afternoon. How I wanted nothing more than for a car to run them all down or for some other equally terrible fate to befall them as they left the building. That would have been the icing on the cake of what I hoped would be a very productive and prosperous afternoon for me.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves of my navy coat, taking my time to do up the large buttons. Beside me, Adia was finishing up with packing away her things. She had taken out more books and stationery than I did today, so it took her a bit longer to do so. Yet as I said, I had no qualms about waiting for her, and there wasn't entirely an altruistic reason behind that choice. I wanted to have a discussion with my best friend about what she had spoken to the cops about. She took her interview after me, and thus I wanted to pry into what she and the officers had talked about. Had they managed to discuss with her the tip-off that I had offered to them? Or were they merely keeping quiet about such matters until they could further discuss them with their other colleagues? I needed answers to these questions and I knew that little Adia was the only one who could, and indeed would, provide me with them.

It was hard to remain patient, however, as I waited for her to do up the buttons on her own coat. She appeared to be struggling with what ought to have been an effortless task, and I had to remain myself not to become frustrated and chastise the girl. So I was a minute or two late leaving, so what? It wasn't as if my darling would have abandoned me to walk home on his own; he would never in a million years disrespect me in such a manner. And I knew that he would be understanding of having to wait an extra minute or two if I explained the reason to him.

"Stupid coat," Adia groaned, her tiny fingers struggling with the buttons. She turned to me with a rather sheepish expression. "I'm sorry, Saria. I don't mean to keep you waiting, honest. It's just these buttons keep... getting... stuck..." I could sense that the poor dear was becoming frustrated, much as she was making me. She motioned towards the door with her free hand while the other continued to fumble. "You can just go ahead if you want, I won't mind." But of course, there was no way I was about to do that.

"Here," I said gently, taking a step towards her. "Here, Adia jan, let me help you. I know how tricky those buttons can be." Of course, I had never taken so long to get my own fucking coat on, but we weren't talking about me. She opened her mouth to protest but I shook my head, taking her little hands in mine and benevolently moving them down and out of my way. I then reached up and began to fix up the buttons on Adia's coat. She had done several of them up in the wrong order, a fact that made me snicker internally at her foolishness, though I was polite enough not to laugh in my friend's face over her misdeeds.

Seconds later, indeed, seconds sooner than would have been the case had I left Adia to her own devices, her coat was all tied up and she was ready to go. She offered me a genial little smile. "Thank you, Saria jan," she said. I waved off the expression of gratitude, inclining my head in the direction of her rucksack which was propped up against her chair. Always obedient, not even needing words now to understand my orders, she picked it up and slung it over her shoulders, adjusting it just a tiny bit so that it fit perfectly. I did much the same with the strap on my satchel, which I had placed across my right shoulder and down over my waist, to make it easier to carry.

I looped my arm through the crook of Adia's elbow, tugging her close to me as I whispered into her ear. "Now, how's about we get out of here, hmm?" I asked, in a manner that was both teasing and serious. "I mean, I dunno about you, Adia jan, but I quite frankly don't want to be here for a second longer." I pulled a face as I said this, to which Adia responded by covering her mouth and giggling. What a darling child she was, and indeed so easy to please.

Together, arm in arm, we began making our way out the door. The school halls were a far more welcome sight now that I wasn't being lead to the metaphorical gallows. Only a couple of feet to walk before I could leave this place and see my other half again. And oh, how much I yearned to feel his arms around me, to hear his perfect voice, to feel his lips on my skin as he kissed me hello after not seeing me for the afternoon. I always missed him, no matter how much time we had spent away from one another, every second felt like an eternity.

Adia and I made idle chat as we walked down the corridors. The main topic, of course, was the interviews that we both had just gone through. Adia was just as eager to know what the police had asked me as I was for her. I kept my answers to her questions short and sweet, before pivoting the conversation back around to her interview. After all, it was I who needed to know what words, be they truthful or otherwise, had passed forth from the mouth of my innocent little friend. I who needed to decipher what the police might have asked her, and what she might have told them in response.

As we turned a corner and I could see the large double doors that lead into the school, Adia finally voiced the concerns that had been plaguing me ever since I returned from my interview and she left for hers. "Uhm, Saria?" she asked, chewing on the inside of her lip. I turned to look at her, giving her every inch of my attention. "Uhm... I dunno if I should be askin' this or not, or if the officers might prefer that we keep this private but-"

"Well, they're not here to chastise you for speaking to me, now are they?" I asked, wanting to shove these pesky little thoughts out of her brain before they could fester and she elected not to tell me what I knew she was itching to get off her chest. I tucked a lock of dark hair behind Adia's ear and smiled at her. "You know, if something happened that's making you feel a certain way, then it'll only serve to ease your burden if you get it off your chest. A problem shared is a problem solved, as the old adage states."

She scratched her head with the hand not looped through my own. I could tell that she was weighing up the pros and cons of whether or not she wanted to tell me anything. And oh, what an agonizing wait it was as I struggled to hold back my temper. Believe me, there was nothing I wanted more than to take her by the shoulders, shake her violently, and demand that she tell me everything that was on her mind. Wanted to remind her of the scar that I had burned into her flesh, to ensue she never forgot who she belonged to.

And then what, Saria? I asked myself. You threaten her and, what? You think she's going to trust you? To tell you anything that you want to hear? Or is it more likely that she's going to become even more terrified of you than you've already made the hapless wench over the short time that you've known her? And then you'll have no way of knowing what she's about to say, nor will you be able to keep her on your side. Come on now, you know better than to let your more violent impulses do you in. Patience, Saria, patience, it shall serve you a far greater reward in the long-run.

I knew that my conscience was right, but holy hell if it wasn't a damn chore to be patient with the girl. She shifted from one foot to the other, opening her mouth, then closing it again, as she wrestled with herself on whether or not she should spill forth the issue that was clearly weighing on her mind. Finally after a ceaseless eternity of time, she decided to just go for it.

"Uhm... okay... I guess you're right." Always am, I thought, rubbing my thumb gently across the back of her palm to reassure her. "Well... it's just that... when the officers were talking to me, uh... they mentioned... they mentioned that man, you know the one, the guy who's always hanging around on the streets, the one that's by those old bunkers and military tanks. Do you know the one that I'm talking about, Saria?" I nodded and she continued. "They said that they'd gotten a tip from someone that he might have had something to do with... with what happened to Zainab and Mojdeh. And they asked me if I had seen him around and if so, what was my impression of him."

By now, we had made our way outside and into the slightly overcast but otherwise dry afternoon weather. Just beyond those wrought-iron gates was my soulmate, but before I could get to see him again, I needed to discern every avenue of possibilities that might arise from what Adia had told me. I placed a gentle hand upon her shoulder. "They spoke to me about him too," I told her. Leaving out the fact that I had been the one to give them that anonymous tip. Who knows what Adia might have thought if I told her that. "Asked me if I'd seen him around, and what I thought of him if I had. So I told them that I did, and that he'd always, uh, how do I put this? That he'd always creeped me out. Like he was always lurking and staring at me whenever I passed him."

Adia's eyes grew to the size of saucers. She turned to me and caught my arm with both of her hands. "That's exactly what I said!" She was almost fumbling with the words in her haste to get them out. "He... I see him sometimes too and he always gives off this weird vibe. Like, like there's something nothing quite right about him." Her demeanour became fearful as she spoke now in quivering tones. "You don't... Saria... you don't think that he had anything to do with what happened to Zainab and Mojdeh, do you?"

I shrugged. "I don't know, Adia, I really don't. Maybe." No, in truth. Yes to rest of the world once I've planted the evidence on him. "I'm not going to worry too much about it, though, and you shouldn't either. You heard what the officers said, about how hard they're working to make sure that they end up catching the person responsible. It's not something that the two of us need to concern ourselves about, right? And I for one am not going to be wasting my afternoon off with trivial matters."

The girl seemed to take my words to heart, the worry appearing to melt off of her little face as a smile formed in its place. Good. That was good. She didn't need to worry her pretty, gullible mind with details of the crimes that I had committed. If I had my way, then soon the police would have a suspect in custody and there would be no more reason for us to speak about what had happened. We could move on, and put this whole disastrous event behind us. And what more could we have asked for, really?

The school gates were becoming clearer in their view. And through their wrought-iron form, I could just make out the figure of my brother standing there, waiting for me to come to him. My heart skipped a beat as it always did when I saw my beloved. I almost wanted to swoon. It took all of my strength to not pull away from Adia and just go tearing across the schoolyard. I had to remind myself that it was only a few more steps, only a few more. But oh, how difficult it was for me to do so, as each step felt as though it were taking forever.

Finally, Adia and I had made it outside of the gates. There, I saw Javid sitting in his family car, waiting for his daughter. "Well, I suppose I'll see you around, Adia jan," I told the girl. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in for an embrace which she happily returned. I brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, into which I whispered, "now remember, you take it easy and don't worry yourself about anything today, alright?" Couldn't have her fretting over her interview or becoming concerned about an issue that I was going to fix.

She nodded. "Of course, Saria jan. I hope you have a good day, too. I'll see you tomorrow?" I affirmed to her that yes, indeed, she would, and the two of us took our leave from one another - Adia moving off to go to her father's car. She unlocked the back door and slid inside. Javid had a look of pure joy on his face at the sight of his little girl, a look that I was perfectly aware that Mahmood would never show to me had he been there to pick me up. But that was of no matter. The one person that I wanted to see was here, and I could hardly hold back the grin that split my face ear to ear as I turned to face him.

"Assef!" I called, and then I was sprinting across the schoolyard, my feet carrying me as if I were nothing lighter than air. As if I were floating on a cloud set to take me to the paradise that was my darling brother's embrace. For any other child, to say that the school day felt like it lasted forever might have been nothing more than hyperbole, but for me, a single minute behind those dreary walls, without my most precious Assef, truly did feel like an eternity. Seeing him again was like finding water after months of famine in a desert.

The instant that I reached him, I threw myself into his embrace, almost bowling the two of us over as I flung my arms about his waist, utterly giddy with the excitement of seeing him again. Nothing mattered anymore. Not my interrogation with the cops. Not the snide jabs of Ahtrai and her friends. Nothing. Only this perfect moment, stood here with the one person in entire world that I would ever truly love. The universe might well have faded into obscurity and I would not have even noticed.

Assef chuckled, placing a hand against the back of my head, running his fingers gently through my curls, brushing lightly against my headband. "Well, isn't this a nice welcome?" he asked in a teasing tone, pulling out of our embrace and tilting my chin up so that we were both looking each other in the eyes - sparkling sky blue and glimmering with the love that we held for one another. "You miss me that much, Liebchen?"

Did he even need to ask that question? Every second I spent without him was one spent missing him. "Always," I responded, taking his hand in mine and leaning my cheek against the back of it. "I just couldn't wait for this day to be over and done with it so that I could see you again." There was a slight pause, then, as I weighed up my next words carefully before stating: "Especially after the day that I've had." Off the concerned look that he gave me, I hastily added, "I'm fine. Nothing bad happened to me. Well, it was stressful in the beginning but I managed to persuade them I had nothing to do with it, even gave them a new lead to go off of."

"Liebchen," Assef said, bending so we were more level to one another. He took my hand in his and brought it to his lips, sending an electric current of bliss flowing through every pore of my skin. He cupped the side of my face, to which I leaned into his warmth and he smiled at me. "I don't understand what you're saying, sweet sister, I apologise. You've said so many things and while I am interested in what it is that you have to say, I'm gonna need a whole lot more information to go off of. So how's about you and I make our way home and on our way back, you can tell me all about your day and about what happened to you. Okay?"

I nodded. "Yes, brother," I responded, though I could hardly keep the grin from off of my face. How much I yearned to spill forth every little detail of what had happened today. How much I wanted to tell him all about the plan that was circulating within my mind, so that we would be on the same page when it came to disposing of the evidence that lay hidden beneath the loose floorboard in my room. "You're not going to believe what transpired for me today, honestly, I could scarcely believe it myself." Assef straightened up, holding out his hand for me which I took and smiled up at him.

Together, hand in hand, my other half and I began to walk down the streets of Wazir-Akbhar-Khan, taking our time as we strolled. Neither of us were in any hurry to get back home to Mahmood and Tanya. Assef wrapped his arm around my shoulder, rubbing his thumb gently against it, up and down. "Well now, Liebchen," he said, in German as always - he must have been fully aware that this conversation needed to be private. "Tell me, because I've got to know, what exactly happened today? You said you were able to persuade... someone... that you had nothing to do with... something? What do you mean by that? Did that Ahtrai bitch do something to you again? Because I swear, I swear, if she hurt you in any way, shape or form, I will-"

Oh, how I loved his protective streak. There was nothing in this world that my darling wouldn't do to protect me from harm. Even to hear his words, to see the fire in his eyes as he spoke, the passion in his voice. I knew for a fact that he would have stormed back through those wrought-iron gates and beaten Ahtrai into a pulp, ground her into dust under his feet if he expected for even a moment that the girl might have done something to harm me. But I was quick to dissuade him of that notion, not wanting to concern him unnecessarily for a single iota of time more than was necessary.

"It's nothing like that, Assef," I responded, "Ahtrai did nothing to me, not today at least. I mean, yeah, she's still being an annoying little cunt and picking on me whenever she gets the chance, but she actually left me alone today. Probably because she too was distracted by the fact that the police came to talk to us. And-"

Assef stopped right in the middle of the street. I, not expecting this, almost tripped over myself. It was only through a sheer miracle that I managed to stay on my feet. My brother turned to face me, his eyes narrowed into two slits. He tilted his head to one side, blinking. "I'm sorry," he said, "did... did I just hear you correctly, little sister? Did you just say that the police were speaking to you today? What in the fuck? What happened? Are you okay?"

Well, that's just great, Saria! I chastised myself, Couldn't you have just lead with the fact that the cops came? Now look, you've caused your brother to worry, you stupid shit! My conscience berated me. I turned to my other half with a look of contrition upon my face. "I'm fine, Assef, really. Please don't worry about me, please. I'm sorry for making you do so. I shouldn't have done that." He nodded his understanding, motioning for me to continue. "But yes, the police did come to speak with us today. Mermon Yashfa sprung that little tidbit of information on us right when classes started. Told us that the cops were gonna be coming to talk to us about Zainab and Mojdeh."

We continued our walk down the street, Assef listening intently to every word that I had to say. I was speaking at a mile a minute, wanting to get every piece of wisdom and facts that I had to my brother, so that he too would be in the know. "So then these two officers came in, Baset and Delkash, and they went off on this bullshit about how they're trying so hard to find the person responsible for what happened to them. And then they said they were gonna interview all of us, one by one, see if we wouldn't be able to provide them with anything that might be able to help with their investigation."

"I'm still failing to see the good in this situation, Liebchen," Assef said, as we turned a corner. His grip upon my hand had tightened ever-so-slightly now, as if he worried that the police might come out of nowhere and take me away. Considering the fears that I myself had experienced when the police first came in, I couldn't blame him for feeling this way. I mean, he might have helped me to dispose of Zainab's body, but I was the one who actually stabbed her. The one who took her life. And I was the one to be put in more danger if the truth of our misdeed ever became publicly know. But of course, this would never happen. "Am I to take it that they interviewed you, too, sister? And what did they ask? What did they say? Come on, don't leave me hanging in the lurch, I need to know."

"Yeah, they spoke to me," I said, rolling my eyes as I remembered how condescending the officers - especially Delkash - had been to me. "Started off with the usual bullshit, really. Asking whether or not I knew Zainab and Mojdeh, whether I was friends with them. I just fed them the same bullshit both times, telling them that I didn't really speak to them or that we weren't friends. That we didn't spend all that much time together. But never mind any of that, Assef jan! Here is the good news, the one good thing to come out of this afternoon! They asked me if I had seen anyone suspicious around, and... and I managed to give them a lead to go off of!"

The unease that had been painted across my brother's face started to dissipate, being replaced now by a budding grin. "Oh, is that so?" he asked, his lips twitching. "And just who did you pin the blame on, sweet sister? Which of the pathetic fools in this neighbourhood did you point the finger towards?"

I stepped ever closer to him. "That homeless man. The one that we see sometimes on the streets, you know the guy, yeah?" Assef nodded, then gesticulated for me to continue speaking, now intrigued more than ever by the words that I had to say. "I told them that he always makes me feel weird whenever you and I are out together and I see him lurking there, just staring at me. Told them that ever since I heard about the murder and what happened to Mojdeh, that I couldn't help but to wonder if he might be responsible. And the officers took down the description that I gave them. And... and this is the kicker, Assef! Get this - I just learned it a few minutes ago - Adia told me that when she was being interviewed, after me, they asked her about the man too! Which means that they must believe me!"

The two of us had reached the stretch of road onto which we needed to walk to get home. Assef wrapped his arm over my shoulder, drawing me in close, and pressing his lips to the side of my head, once, twice, and then three times. He clutched me to his body, soft words of praise falling from his lips, sounding evermore beautiful in that godly accent of his. "Oh, Liebchen, I am so proud of you. So very proud. I can't imagine how uncomfortable it must have been for you to have been in such close contact with those fucking cops, and I swear if I could have been by your side, I would have. But you truly did make the best out of a bad situation, now didn't you? Gave them a whole new lead to go off of. This'll stop them looking in our direction, won't it?"

"I want to plant the knife on him too," I said, as we made our way to the gates of our compound. Assef reached into the front pocket of his blue coat, fumbling around for a second or two before he materialised the house keys that he always held on his person. He slotted the one for the gate into the keyhole, twisting it clockwise so that the gates split open, allowing us access to the home that was both paradise and hell rolled into one. "You know, I've still got it under my bed, and I hate to admit it, but just knowing that it's down there makes me so nervous, worried that some day, someone is going to find it and then we'll both be up the damn creek with no fucking paddle."

"Can I be honest with you, my darling?" Assef asked. Off of my immediate nod, he continued. "It's worried me too, knowing that you have a literal murder weapon, a used murder weapon in your possession and that all that's stopping you from being dragged off to prison or worse is the fact that nobody has found it. I'll admit that I too have worried about it. So if we can dispose of that damn blade, and on top of that, if by doing so we can pin the blame onto some other foolish scapegoat, then all the better for us!"

Through the gates we slipped, our hands remaining intertwined within one another's grip. I glanced down our driveway, to our spacious home that lay just a few feet away. There stood Mahmood's car - his despite how much he might have liked to pretend that it was a 'family' vehicle. I curled my lip in disdain, not at the car, but at what it represented. Mahmood was here - and if that was the case, then it stood to reason that Tanya, too, would be there with him. Just my fucking luck. Of all the days that my parents had to be home, did it need to be this one? It was only the knowledge that I needed to get inside and retrieve that knife that prevented me from turning to Assef and pleading that we just spend the afternoon at Belourine's Cafe and get our dinner there rather than walking through those front doors.

But what choice did we have? I kept a firm grip upon my darling's hand, knowing that he would be with me through thick and thin, no matter what. We made our way across the gravel driveway and up to the front door. Assef once more fumbled with the keys, pulling out the one that matched the door. It swung open with such force that it would have cracked against the wall had my brother not thrown his hand out and caught it. He quietly shut the door behind him, pulling the latch up and across. "Welcome home, Liebchen," he said, with a budding sarcasm. "I'm so happy to be here, aren't you?"

I stuck my tongue out, wrinkling my nose. "Oh, is this not the happiest abode in the planet, Assef jan?" I teased. Assef laughed, playfully ruffling my hair. I ducked away from him, making my way over to the stairs and starting to remove my coat. Assef followed, doing much of the same. I glanced up the stairs, thinking of my room and the blade that lay secreted within. How excited was I to finally get rid of it - to finally put to rest this side of my life. But before I could take even a single step, I heard the voice of my mother calling from the kitchen.

"Assef? Saria?" She yelled in that shrill, irritating voice of hers. I gritted my teeth, grinding them from side to side as Assef took the initiative to respond to the harpy whore, informing her that yes, in fact, the people who had entered her home were indeed her children and not burglars who happened to have a key to the Ahmed family residence. Tanya called out again. "Your father and I need to speak with you. Come into the kitchen, right this minute!"

How charming, I thought, scowling in the direction of the kitchen door. Though it was slightly ajar, I could not see either of our parents, and I figured due to the layout of our house that they were probably sitting at the table. Assef glanced down at me, the look on his face a clear indication of the fact that he was of the same opinion that I was. He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "Best that we don't keep the bitch waiting, Liebchen," he said, "you know how much of an attitude problem that she can get if we don't respond to her demands in a punctual manner. Let's just hope that whatever she and Mahmood have to say won't take up too much of our precious time. Then we can get on with..." He inclined his head towards the stairs, and I shared a look of understanding with him, the two of us united in this war against our parents.

Every step that I took towards that kitchen felt like it took a million years off of my life. As if my feet were stuck to the ground, and it was a chore to get myself to pick them up. My mind was, of course, working overtime. Questions upon questions, frets piling one onto the other. What did our parents want? Had something happened? Were we going to get into trouble? Was this... oh no... was this to do with the fact that the police had spoken to me? Had the officers been in contact, informing Mahmood and Tanya about the lead that I had provided for them?

As we stepped through the kitchen doors, I tried desperately to rationalise with myself that these thoughts were nothing more than the product of an overactive imagination. My parents were crafty and manipulative bastards - they would not have asked for my other half's presence if they wanted to catch me off guard. And as I stood before them, both seated at the kitchen table, looking into their faces, I was relieved to see that there was not one sign of anger or displeasure. I could almost breathe a sigh of relief.

But before I did so, however, I needed to go through the motions. Bending at the knees, I offered a submissive curtsy to my parents - more so for Tanya's benefit than Mahmoods - and greeted them with a polite, "Good afternoon, Mama. Papa. I hope your afternoon has been pleasant?" Assef shot me a sympathetic glance, knowing that I wanted to do this as much as I wanted a hole in the fucking head. There I stood, with no choice in the matter however, awaiting for the queen to raise her servant from her show of deference.

She waved a dismissive hand. "Stand, Saria. Stand, and come here. Assef, you come here as well. We need to discuss something with you." As she said this, Mahmood pulled out a chair. He was about to pull out another one, when my brother held out a hand to stop him. Assef sat down first, then beckoned me to him. Knowing what this meant, and eager as always for the chance for more physical closeness with my precious soulmate, I made my way to him, almost cooing in delight as he pulled me into his lap, pressing his lips against my head as I leaned into him. Tanya blinked, her eyes narrowing, arching a brow.

"Right..." she trailed off. How I hated that look on her face, that judgement. I wanted nothing more than to slap it off of her. Capricious bitch, what was the issue with the closeness that I shared with my darling? Heaven knows I received it from nobody else in this household. Tanya continued to speak, unaware of the loathing that I felt towards her very person. She cleared her throat. "Your father and I wish to inform you that we shall be hosting a garden party for our friends and colleagues in the next two weeks."

I blinked. Of all the things that I had been expecting Tanya to say, that was not it. A garden party? Had we ever hosted such a thing before? I presumed that we must have done - given how much my parents enjoyed showing off for - but that I had been too young to remember them. Turning my head to look at my brother, I saw the same puzzled expression on his face. He opened his mouth, presumably to ask what the purpose of this upcoming shindig was, but Mahmood cut in before he could speak even a word.

"We're going to be inviting all of our friends and neighbours," he said, which I knew was Mahmood-speak for 'all of my business colleagues'. "Your mother and I think that it will be nice for the community at large to have something to celebrate. God knows that positive news has been sorely lacking in these parts as of late." He was, of course, referring to the crimes that had rocked our town; not that he would ever say such a thing aloud, wouldn't want to admit that he was, for want of a better phrase, cashing in on tragedies.

Tanya got to her feet, carrying her plate of half-eaten scone to the bin. "You two will be helping out when it comes to decorating, and preparing for the day. I will give you a more detailed list of what I expect done closer to the time." Oh, trying to put Hamilra out of a job, now are you? I thought snidely. "And Saria, you and I will be taking a trip into town so that you may purchase a new outfit. Doesn't that sound nice, dear?"

To any other little girl, that would have sounded delightful. A day out shopping with mommy. But I could read between the lines and I saw the thinly veiled threat that hid beneath the gentle veneer. All the same, there was nothing that I could do but to acquiesce to her demands, and to do so with a grateful smile upon my face. "Thank you, Mama," I said demurely, "I look forward to that." It was a credit to my acting skills that I was able to say such words with a straight face and not turn up my nose in utter and total disgust.

Being the blessing that he is to me, my other half cut the conversation short. He motioned for me to get to my feet, then stood up himself, taking my hand in his. "Well, this all sounds lovely," he said, "I'm sure we'll be able to discuss it further when the time comes. But right now, I'd like to take Saria out for a walk before we get settled in for the evening. Neither of us have any homework to complete so we'd like an hour or two of fresh air." Without awaiting a single word from our parents, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and began to lead me out of the room, not giving Mahmood or Tanya a chance to say another word.

I grabbed up my coat and bag, which I had left hanging over the banister when Tanya called, and started my way up the stairs. Assef followed after me and we entered my room, to which I immediately shut the door behind me. Flinging my bag and coat down upon the bed, I instantly spurted over to my dresser. "Make sure that nobody's gonna come in here, would you?" I asked my brother, who nodded and leaned against the wall near the door, keeping a firm eye to ensure that we had the privacy that we needed. Didn't need busybody mothers storming in and asking questions that I didn't wish to answer. Knowing that I was safe, I returned to the task at hand. I opened one of the dresser drawers and retrieved one of the small plastic bags that were used for my wastebasket.

"Just give me a second to collect the knife, and then we can get going," I whispered in German, my back still turned to my darling. I moved over to my bed and got down on my knees, lifting up the sheets and then proceeded to lay flat upon my stomach as I reached out the hand upon which the plastic bag rested. Slowly but surely, I managed to lift up the piece of loose floorboard under the bed, and after placing the bag onto my hand, I used it to then grab up the knife that was hiding beneath my bloodstained dress. For a second, the thought occurred to me that I would have to get rid of that dress as well as the knife, but I figured that I'd have to come up with some other clever way to do so. It wasn't as if I could plant a child's dress on the homeless guy, now was it?

That thought made me giggle, and as I dragged myself out from under the bed, I turned to face my beloved with a huge smile on my face. I could scarcely keep the laughter in as I rose to my feet, tossing the bag, which now contained the knife, down for a moment before hurrying to grab up a pair of gloves. I slipped them on - needing to use them to hide any potential fingerprints that may have been on the knife, before picking up my coat which I then slung on once more, snatching up the knife and depositing it into my pocket, keeping it hidden from view. To think, soon I would be getting rid of this blade and would never see it again.

Assef held his hand out to me, which I immediately took, smiling up at him as I did so. "Ready to go?" he asked. I nodded, and the two of us made our way out in the upstairs landing. Every single step I took appeared to creak even more than I'd noticed our house did before. I was acutely aware of even the tiniest noises in this moment, so petrified was I that one of our parents would materialise from the downstairs living room and accost us with a barrage of questions, demanding to know exactly where we were going, what our plans were, and, more importantly, why I had chosen to wear thick woollen gloves on what was, in fact, a rather pleasant day.

The first two questions we might have been able to fabricate a lie to cover our tracks, but I highly doubted that we'd be able to explain away my choice of attire that easily. But fortunately for us, we were able to slip our way out the front door and back into the gravel driveway. Assef locked the door behind us, wrapped his arm over my shoulder, and drew me in close, pressing a tender kiss to the side of my head. As we made our way back out onto the streets, Assef began speaking to me, going through the motions of what the plan was.

"This man that we're planning to plant the evidence on," he said in German, "I'm pretty sure he hangs out in the barracks from time to time. Lurking and being a general fucking creep to whoever happens to have the misfortune to be in his vicinity." He rolled his eyes, then continued, "Which is good for us, I suppose. All we need to do is make our way to the barracks, find where he is, and plant the knife on him. Simple, really."

I sidled ever closer to him, looking up at my other half with an expression that I hoped conveyed every inch of the gratitude that I felt for him in this moment. Anyone else would have no doubt left me to my own devices, wished me luck in my upcoming endeavour and sent me on my way. Not my Assef, though. No, he knew that everything we faced, we did so together, and I knew that he wouldn't have it any other way. He truly was the greatest, most wonderful and loving big brother that a girl could ask for.

We made our way down the streets, neither of us saying a word - both too deep in thought. Assef kept a firm grip on my hand, as soon we came to a turn-off near where the market lay situated. But rather than make our way down that stretch of road, my brother gestured to the left. "You remember the way that we went when we were chasing Mojdeh, Liebchen?" he asked, his blue eyes glinting with the memory of all that we had done to the girl. "When the stupid girl figured that she could run from us by sneaking her way back around to the market?"

A soft laugh escaped from my lips at the memory, of how that frightened child had tripped and stumbled over herself, of the fear in her eyes as she looked me in the eyes and saw the cold, dark predators moved forward, stalking her, ready to pounce at any moment. Ready to tear her apart limb from limb. "How could I forget?" I asked wistfully. "One of the best days of my life. Not less because it was the first time that you'd ever let me use your brass knuckles." And lo, even now that memory filled me with a love for my most darling Assef that I had never experienced before. The look in his eyes, how tenderly he had kissed those brass knuckles as they lay rested upon my fingers, the devotion shining through him in every deed. Even thinking of it now made me want to cry, but I managed quickly to blink them away before my other half could see and become concerned.

"One of the best moments of my life too, darling sister," Assef replied, his arm still wrapped firmly over my shoulder. "Just to see the raw power that you exhibited, the way that you laid into that pathetic wretch, hearing her scream. All of it. And, of course, the pride that I felt when I saw you using my brass knuckles. My most favourite person in the universe, using my most favourite weapon in the universe. Who could ask for more? And you never know, one day you might get the chance to use them again. But not today, no... today we've got to deal with the blade in your coat pocket. I figure if we can sneak around this way, we'll be able to get to the barracks without the added issues of going through the market."

He thought of everything, didn't he, my wonderful brother? Every little detail meticulously planned, like the genius that he was. Everything would fall into place, crafted as it was by his expert hands. I allowed him to lead me back where we had attacked Mojdeh. As we stopped at the section of brush under where she had hidden, I paused, moving towards it as if compelled by some unseen force. I bent down, picking up a leaf between my tiny fingertips, tugging away the leaves and sticks and branches. What must it have been like to be Mojdeh? To be hidden in this place, curled up into a ball, tears streaming down her face, trying desperately not to make a sound in the hopes that my brother and I might ignore her. But of course, that's not what happened, now was it?

I straightened up, turning away from the brush and slowly making my way back to my brother, who stood there with a solemn expression written on his face. Did he have the same thoughts that I did? Was he too reminiscing about what had transpired the last time that we were here? I held my hand out to him once more, my lips twitching into a little smile, though on some level I found myself wondering, in the back of my mind, whether that could be shown in my eyes. Then again, Assef could always read every single emotion that I felt, no matter how much I might have tried to hide or replace them with something else.

Assef took my hand again, rubbing his thumb along the back of it. "You're thinking about something, Sar," he said, as we continued our way down the street, getting ever closer to the barracks with each step we took. "You want to share with me what that is?"

"It..." I paused, not knowing how exactly I could get the words out. How to explain to my other half what it was that I felt in this moment. "This might sound strange, Assef jan, but... being back here, seeing this place again. Feeling the knife in my pocket, and knowing that I'll be getting rid of it soon. I mean... I know that we have to get rid of it, that we really have no other choice in the matter, but all the same... I can't help but to think of how... the last time I had this blade in my pocket, it was clean of any and all blood, and I was preparing to stab someone with it. All the thoughts that ran through my head, of what it would feel like to force the serrated knife into Zainab's flesh. And then.. then to actually accomplish my goal; to see the light fade from out of Zainab's beady dark eyes. To give up that weapon now, when it has been such an integral part of who I am, of the person that I am growing to become..."

And now this chapter of my life is coming to a permanent close. Now when we come back home this evening, it'll be to never again speak of Zainab or Mojdeh. To put them and all that I have gained from their suffering behind me. How could I not feel a little bit put out because of this? How could I not feel unsure, unsteady, as if I do not know my purpose? As if it has been taken from me? Or maybe I'm just overthinking things, considering possibilities that may not ever even come to pass. Heaven know that I think far too damn much for my own fucking good, don't I?

"I understand how you feel, my darling," Assef mused. I looked up at him as he said this, but he just continued staring straight ahead, a glazed over look in his eyes as if perhaps he too was off having some in-depth thoughts of his own. "It's not a silly way to feel, not at all. That knife is a symbol of a big part of your realisation of who you could become. I know much of a huge deal it was for you. Really, in a way, this might be as if someone had asked me to give up my brass knuckles. I'd probably feel much the same. But you know what? We will always have the memories of those moments."

He turned to smile down at me. "So don't ever think that your thoughts will not find a kindred spirit in me, my beloved Saria, my sweet, darling other half." We turned onto another open stretch of road. Up ahead, just in the distance, I could see a few figures of teens loitering around, though I was unable to determine exactly who they were. But what did they matter? The only thing that mattered right now was that my brother and I managed to achieve our goals. And that we were able to do so without any interruptions. Ah, but of course, that wasn't to be the case - nothing in life is ever fucking easy for me, now is it?

As we neared ever closer to the group of boys, I noticed that my brother's grip upon my hand had gotten ever tighter. He moved us so that he was now the one standing in the closest vicinity to them. I looked up at him, mouthing, 'what's wrong?' but he merely placed a hand upon the back of my head in a gesture of comfort. "It's fine, don't worry about it, let's just keep on walking, alright?" A small part of me wanted not to take that basic explanation, but I knew that it was in my best interests that I listened to my dearest, knowing that he would forever protect me, no matter what.

But before we could take even a single step, one of the boys called out to us. "Assef? Fancy seeing you here! Going somewhere?" He was making his way towards us, and as he stopped in front of my brother and I, my stomach churned. It was Aarash - brother of Farsef. The last time that I'd seen him, he'd made me feel rather uncomfortable, and now that he was right up close to us, that feeling was amplified tenfold. I took a step back, moving closer to my brother, not wanting to be in the same vicinity as Aarash. For what reason did I have to fear him? It wasn't as if he had actually harmed me in any way. But I couldn't help the terror that I felt even by just looking into his face.

"Obviously, but it's none of your business where that place is," my brother practically growled. Judging by the look on his face, the unbridled hatred, I could tell that there was an enmity held between himself and Aarash that went far beyond a classroom rivalry. Did Aarash make my soulmate's school hours a misery the same way that Ahtrai made mine? Or was perhaps something else at play here? Whatever the case, I didn't want to stick around for a discussion with Aarash to find out.

He laughed. It was a sound that caused shivers to make their way up my spine, and I instinctively moved closer to Assef, who's hand was quivering with rage as he wrapped it over my shoulder. Aarash took notice of this, and grinned down at me, all concerns about what we were doing thrown out the window in favour of him behaving like a goddamn creep. His eyes appeared almost to glisten with an almost twisted delight as he leered down at me. "Oh, now this must be your little sister?" he asked. While usually hearing those words made my heart sing with delight now only caused my entire body to freeze up. He said the words 'little sister' as though it was a bad thing. As if my very existence was a mistake.

Assef took yet another step back, motioning for me to do the same. "Yes, Aarash, she's my sister." There was a hint of possessiveness in his voice as he spoke, and oh, how I loved him all the more for it. "And she's not interested in talking to you, so if you don't fucking mind, we'd like to be on our way."

Another laugh from Aarash. God, did he not hear himself? Did he not know how fucking irritating his voice was? Well, I guess not, because the asshole was still talking. "Come on now, Assef, don't be like that. Those surely aren't the types of manners that you want to teach this pretty little lady here, hmm? Why don't we let her decide if she wants to stay and chat?" He took a step closer to me, and Assef moved me behind him, his other hand resting on the pocket of his jeans, in which he no doubt had his precious brass knuckles. I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my brother would use them to defend my honour should the need for it arise.

But in truth, I wanted to just get away from these people and continue with the task at hand. I glared up at Aarash from my hiding place, moving a fraction of an inch away from my protector so that I might voice my opinion on this matter. Pulling myself up to all four foot in height, I narrowed my eyes at Aarash, my lips curling into an expression of haughty disdain. "I don't want to talk to you," I said, hoping against hope that he couldn't hear the tremor in my voice. "Now if you'll excuse me, my brother have more important places to be."

Then, before Aarash could say a word in his defence, Assef took my hand and practically dragged me down the street, away from the creep and his weirdo friends. He kept a firm grip on my wrist, continuing to look behind him as he walked as if worried that Aarash might be stalking us, that the weirdo might have decided to follow us. "Fucking prick," he muttered, his eyes narrowing into two slits, "absolute fucking piece of SHIT! The way that he was looking at you, staring at MY Saria like a fucking piece of meat, I swear, I swear I have half a mind to go back there and tear the fucking eyes from out of his head, he doesn't fucking deserve them if THAT's the way that he's going to be looking at you!"

Grateful as I was for my brother's protective streak, and knowing for a fact that he meant every single word, that he would do anything to defend my honour, even from something as simple as an asshole glaring at me, I knew that if Assef went back there and kicked the shit out of Aarash, then we'd be here all day, and quite frankly we did not have the time for that. I leaned my head onto his cheek, allowing my presence to be a calming beacon to him. So that he might think of other, better things, than Aarash. Trying to assaude his rage. "It doesn't matter, Assef jan, it doesn't matter at all. He's just an asshole, no more, no less. Just let it go, big brother. Let it go. We have more important things to be worried about, do we not?"

My words seemed to have hit an understanding within my other half. He looked down at me with a grateful expression on his face. "What would I do without you, sweet sister?" he asked, in a worshipful tone, "without you to keep me from giving into my own baser impulses? What would I do?" Though he might have meant the words to be a compliment, they only served to remind me of that time... all that time ago... in that alleyway, the day of the Kite Fighting Tournament. Of how I had not been able to prevent Assef from... from... God, I could scarcely even think of what he had done to Hassan, not out of any empathy for the Hazara boy; heaven knows that I cared nothing for him, but because... it just felt wrong, so very wrong. As if my other half had debased himself by doing what he did.

I brushed those thoughts out of the forefront in my head, shoving them into a tiny box in the back of my mind and locked them up. Just as I always did whenever a topic was too hard for me to deal with. I mean, it wasn't as if I could have this discussion with my brother, was it? Especially since I was lying to him about having watched what transpired in that alleyway. I didn't want to deal with the fallout that would come from that; we all know for a damn fact that our tempers would get the fucking better of us and neither of us wanted that, now did we?

Finally, we made our way to the barracks. There were several large armoured tanks in the vicinity, affording us the opportunity to hide if needed. I narrowed my eyes into two slits, glancing from left to right in the hopes that I might spot my future scapegoat. Not a word was spoken between Assef and I as we snuck along behind the tanks, glancing out from behind them every so often. But so far there was absolutely nothing of note!

Where is he? I growled internally, balling my tiny hands up into fists and pounding them once, twice, three, four times onto my knees. Damn you, you fucking piece of excrement, you are SUPPOSED to be HERE! Come on, DON'T tell me that you've decided to set up your creepy shop somewhere else! You are needed HERE! Needed so that I can plant the goddamn evidence on you! I swear if you don't show up, I'm going to fucking rip you up into fucking SHREDS! DAMN YOU! DAMN YOU! FUCKING GODDAMN YOU!

Sensing that my temper was about to get the better of me, Assef took my hands and drew me close to him, wrapping his arms around my lithe frame as he pulled me in for a gentle and comforting embrace. "Easy, Sar, easy. You're getting frustrated, I know. I know how this must look to you. But it's going to be fine, trust me. We will find this man, and we will plant that damn knife on him if it is the very last thing in the world that we do. Please just trust me on this."

And I would, of that there was no doubt. For if I could not trust the one person in which lay the other half of my very soul, then who in this universe could I trust? Who else but my beloved Assef would be able to guide me on the path to righteousness and freedom? I reassured myself that if I just remained patient, if I did not permit my rage to boil over and get the better of me, then I would have all that my, as Assef calls it, most precious heart, could desire from this afternoon.

The sound of footsteps broke me out of my reverie. I froze on the spot, looking up at Assef with wide eyes. He placed a finger to his lips, urging me to remain silent. "Wait here," he said, gesturing for me to hide behind another of the armoured trucks. I did so immediately, squatting down so that I was entirely hidden from view. The footsteps continued, echoing throughout the otherwise silent barracks. And with those footsteps, came the unmistakable rattle of a trolley cart. Assef glanced out from behind the truck, stared in the direction of where the noises were coming from, then turned back to me. A budding smile was forming on his face; he walked back to me, bent down, and whispered into my ear.

"He's here, Saria, he's here!" he whispered in German, tugging on my arm and manoeuvring me over so that I had the same vantage point as he did. He pointed with one hand, while the other remained tenderly pressed against my lower back. He gently rubbed the tension from out of my tired little frame as he gesticulated for me to look in the direction which he was pointing. "You see him, my precious Saria? Just up there? That man with his back to us. He's the one you're wanting to plant the knife on, isn't he?" There was a mischievous glint in his eyes as he said the words, as if he too was made giddy with the anticipation of what was about to happen next. Of what we were about to do, and of what it would mean for this man. My soulmate and I were forever united in the misery that we could cause to other people, even if that misery was not always brought about by physical pain.

I squinted, tilting my head to the side, curls of gold falling over my shoulder as I did so. Sure enough, just a few feet away, with his back turned to us, was the homeless man that I had fabricated my story to the officers about. Just as I had described him to Baset and Delkash, there he stood, dressed in his typical attire of that faded white shirt - which I could now see had disgusting food stains upon it, as well as a pair of mud-stained jeans that were torn at the knees and had the cuffs rolled up around the ankles, as if he had been wading in the river in hopes of catching some fish with which to feed himself or something. To be perfectly candid, I did not give two fucks about what this pathetic cretin did with his time. He'd find a much more reliable food source soon enough, though I doubt that the food provided to those in prison for murder would be anything to write home about.

But oh well - it wasn't as if those were thought that either I or Assef would need to concern ourselves with. Nope, that gift was to be our unsuspecting victims, his and his alone. I could hardly wait to plant the knife on him, to dump into that trolley where he no doubt housed (pardon the pun) all of the items that he would need to get by. His entire livelihood must have been secreted away inside that trolley - and now, soon enough, so too would my knife. Part of me wanted to lecture him on what an honour this was. I, Saria Ahmed, child murderer (in both senses of the term) and violent assault perpetrator of the streets of Wazir-Akbhar-Khan, had chosen him, this worthless, useless piece of dung, as my ticket to freedom.

He should be on his knees thanking me for this opportunity, I thought, my chest swelling with pride. Should be praising every blessed letter in my name. When I killed Zainab, I had unleashed a power within myself known only by the Gods, and now... now I am permitting this man the chance to become the holder of the very weapon that I used to take her life. He should be singing psalms of honour and praise, sobbing and flagellating himself that he cannot ever truly express his gratitude for the blessing that I am bestowing upon him.

I turned to face my other half, looking back and forth between him and the man who was entirely unaware of our presence. The excitement that I felt now was coursing its way through my body, starting at my toes and slowly making its way all the way up to my head. I could hardly wait to get this plan under way. I bounced on my heels, tugging on my brother's hand, trying to pull him along behind me as I started to make my way out from our hiding spot and over to the homeless man. Yeah, I know, that was a dangerous and quite frankly rather stupid decision on my part. It was only through the quick thinking of my brother that I was stopped from placing both myself and him at risk.

Hurriedly, he reached out and caught me about the waist, pulling me back and keeping a firm grip on me as he chastised my lack of foresight. "What are you thinking, Saria?" he whispered. "You want the fucking creature to see us here? To put both of us in danger?" Frustrated tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt my lower lip begin to quiver like that of a petulant child. I brought the heel of my hand up to my face and started to hastily wipe those tears away. Stupid, stupid Saria. Why must I always be the one to make problems? Have I no fucking brain within that head of mine? Must it always be overrun by ego and arrogance? Seeing my inner turmoil, Assef's countenance became more gentle and compassionate. He wiped my eyes with the cuff of his sleeve, his thumb lingering against my cheek.

"Don't," he whispered, "please. Please don't. You know I hate... I'm not mad at you, okay? I'm not. And you are absolutely not stupid, or an idiot, or any of the cruel words that I know you're berating yourself with. Okay?" My mind-reader big brother struck again, always so in-tune with everything that I was thinking. He continued. "You're excited, I get that. You want everything to be done with, and you can barely think straight. Right?" I nodded sheepishly, and he grinned. "That doesn't make you a fool, Liebchen, it makes you human. Believe me, I've felt the same way on several occasions. But patience, please. Patience. We need to figure out a way to get him away from that trolley so that you can go over and plant the knife without being seen."

He was right, of course, as he so always is. There was no point in charging over there without thinking - who knows what might happen if the man spotted us, or if I was caught with the knife on me. Fool though he might have been, even he would have become suspicious upon bearing witness to such a sight. And what if the man became violent? If he lived up to the reputation that I had provided for him and lashed out? What then? No, it was best for all involved that I heeded my brother's warnings and allowed him to take control - to find a way to distract the man before I went out there and disposed of the blade within my pocket.

I nodded, taking a step back so as to ensure that I once more remained hidden from view. "You're right," I muttered. "You're right, Assef jan. I wasn't thinking. I apologise. We do need to distract him. But... but how?" The man seemed not to want to move from his trolley, and for good reason. It was blatantly obvious that his entire life, pathetic though it must have been, was sequestered inside of that little cart. How would we then get him away from it? How would we create enough a distraction that I might gain access? I chewed on the inside of my lip, biting my cheek as I scoured the ground for something that might be of benefit to us.

However, it was my brother who found what we were looking for. "There," he whispered, inclining his head slightly to the right. I turned my head to see where he was looking. Just a few feet away, rolling upon its side, was an empty glass bottle. It must have held beer or whiskey or some other alcoholic beverage at one point or another, but it had long since been drained down to the final drop, and tossed aside. Assef took a step towards it, beckoning for me to follow him. Once we reached the bottle, he leaned down, picking it up and moving it between his palms.

He turned to me. "I think I can buy you some time with this," he said, "though I'm not sure how much. So you're going to need to be quick, okay?" I nodded, shoving my hand into my pocket, gripping the bag in which the knife remained secreted. Assef gestured for me to stand just beyond the front of the truck, where I would be able to rush over to the trolley, but still just out of view of the homeless man. I bounced on my heels, leaning forward, a sprinter prepared to rush into the melee. I waited impatiently for my brother to create the distraction that would provide me with the opportunity that I so yearned for.

When it did come, I nearly jolted out of my skin. The deafening sound of a bottle being thrown and smashed against the ground, several feet away. I whirled around, staring up at my brother with wide eyes. He glanced down at me, holding up a finger to tell me to wait. I did so, hopping from one foot to the other, as my darling took a step forward, picked up another bottle that lay upon the ground, and hurled it in the same direction, causing it to shatter against one of the other trucks.

This seemed to distract the homeless man enough to make him want to investigate. "What in the hell—?" he grumbled. He began making his way towards where the bottles had smashed, no doubt wondering just what had made that noise. He was slow of gait, lumbering from one side to the other like the pathetic drunkard that he no doubt was. But who cares? Now was my time to shine, and I would waist not a single moment in achieving my goals. The instant that the man's back was turned and he moved far enough away, I surged forward, darting over to the trolley. Once I got there, I skidded to a halt, gloved hands reaching out to catch the handles, as they shot forward just a tad.

With quivering fingers, I reached into the pocket of my coat and materialized the knife. For a minute that felt like an eternity, I stared down at it, seeing the bloodstains that coated its once silver blade. To think that this was the last vestige of Zainab's life force. The very blood that had flowed through her veins was now crusted and dried upon this weapon. Again, it felt strange to be letting go of it. But I knew that there was not a moment that could be spared by waxing poetic. Who knew when the man would grow tired of his investigations and return here?

Shoving away a couple of plastic bags, I took a deep breath, readied myself for what I would need to do, loosened the ties around the bag with the knife in it, then let it fall into the trolley. But my relief was shortlived as it was at this moment that the homeless man turned back around. My heart almost stopped right there, terror filling up every part of me. Damn it! Damn it! No! I quickly dropped to the ground, pressing my back against the trolley as I quivered in place, waiting for the man either to notice me or to turn around again. I could hear my own breathing, and that terrified me, worrying that my scapegoat, too, might know that I was here.

Turning my head to the left, I saw my brother staring back at me with an equally perturbed expression. He motioned for me to come back to him, but I shook my head, knowing that to do so now would be far too risky. The man continued to fumble around, lurching from right to left, swearing to himself. "Goddamn it, fuckin' kids. Always makin' fuckin' trouble, ain't ye? Can't just leave a man in peace." He kicked the side of another truck in a fit of temper, and I shuddered at what he might do to me if, as I said, he found me here. It would be the greatest and most bittersweet of ironies if he did indeed live up to the violent reputation that I had provided for him. Fortunately, however, his anger soon dissipated and he turned his back to me once more.

It was now or never. Not a single moment left for hesitation. I knew that I would have to act fast or I would have no more chances. Adopting a half-run, half-crawl, I darted across the ground, not even slowing to catch a single breath. Had to get out of there. Had to return to the safety of my other half. Assef caught me by the arms, pulling me towards him and dragging us both back behind the safety and coverage of the truck once more. I was dizzy and lightheaded as I bent forward, head on my knees. My darling rubbed my back. "You okay?" he asked. "Saria, are you—?"

It took me a moment or two to get together the words with which to answer him. "I'm fine," I whispered. "Just... Wow. That was a fucking close one."

"Frighteningly close, Liebchen," Assef replied. There was a hint of something in his eyes, an emotion that I wasn't sure I quite liked the look of. Was it fear? Apprehension? Had he too be concerned for my safety in those tense moments? Whatever the case, I knew that he was grateful to have me returned to him, by his side where I belonged. Together we stood, watching in silence as the man gave up on attempting to find the source of the noise that had earlier distracted him and instead meandered his way back to the trolley. He placed his hand inside, rummaging around for something, of which I had no clue. And as he was doing so, the gullible moron's fingertips brushed against the knife!

It had come loose from within its plastic covering, and as the man moved it aside, his bare fingertip touched the handle. He paused, and I wondered if he had noticed this new item in amongst everything else. And if so, how would he react? But my questions received no answer as the man proceeded instead to toss more bags on top of one another, thus covering the knife from view. It would be a damn shock to him when - not if, I was one hundred percent this would happen - but when the cops finally got around to speaking to him and discovered a blood-coated knife in amongst his possessions. Of what saving grace could he find to defend himself then? I knew that there could be no way for him to get out of this - and that soon he would be trading his nights on the streets for a lifetime behind bars. That is... If the Death Penalty wasn't handed down.

I faced my Assef, the biggest of smiles forming upon my face, wrapping my arms around him and holding on tight. He pressed me against him, and I could feel every inch of the love and pride that he felt for me, even before he said the words. "You did it, Sar. You really... Really did it. I'm so proud of you. I know it mustn't have been easy to get rid of a weapon that had been such an integral part of who you are, but you fought through those feelings and did what needed to be done. It'll all work out for the betterment in the end, that I can promise you." He pressed a kiss to the top of my head as I swooned both from his touch and the knowledge that he was proud of me - the words were my ticket to heaven, to the paradise that was my brother's love.

We would have to leave soon, this I knew. We couldn't stay here forever - too great a risk. And I knew that once we walked away from this place, it would be the last time I ever saw or thought of that knife again. A chapter in my life had come to its final conclusion, and now, as the mid-afternoon soon beat down upon me, and with my soulmate at my side, I knew in the depths of my bones, in the fabric of my very being, that I was ready to face whatever challenges came my way next.


Thank you all for reading! In the next chapter, tensions are at all-time high in the Ahmed household as their garden party gets under way. But what starts off as just an uncomfortable morning soon spirals out of control for Saria and Assef, leading to a confrontation that will change the community's perception of not only them, but their entire family. Look for that, coming very soon, hopefully!

As always, please comment, rate, and subscribe if you liked what you've read. It would mean the absolute world. I wish you all luck, love, health and happiness.