Mending the Broken

AMAL AGE: 6 I don’t really have a story to tell. My memories of that day haunted me for the rest of my life yet I couldn’t even remember most of what happened. I remember the cold fear that had gripped me, though. The way the storm outside seemed to rattle me. The windows of my bedroom shook with the aftereffects of the blustery wind. My heart seemed to cry out as someone snatched it from my chest. No, not someone─ Aahil. At first, I couldn’t see anything, couldn’t hear anything save for the heavy breathing of someone in my room. On my bed. I remember not understanding anything. I remember how I hadn’t gone downstairs on that particular Friday because I was sick. I knew my cousins would be there. I just didn’t know what they were capable of. What he was capable of. Aahil had always seemed nice. Mostly because he never really bothered me or made fun of how skinny I’d was. That night, I learned that there are worse things that can be done than just making stupid comments. My memory is fogged up at what happened in-between. I know how it started and I know exactly how it ended. I remember screaming. A big hand was placed on my mouth but still. Still someone had heard me. There was loud banging on the door from the other end. A spring of curses in my room. I hate how my little mind couldn’t even register the voice. A few more bangs and the locked door burst open. I shielded my face against the blinding light. Stupid, stupid me. I should’ve looked. But I guess there was no need. There he stood. Aahil. He had the grace to look angrily at my brother. Had so much confidence to look me over in front of Aasim Bhai. I think I was crying so hard, I barely looked. I heard the grunts that were most probably caused by my brother hitting him. Before that day, I hadn’t really liked my brother but what he did for me, showed how much he cared. When I looked back up, Aahil’s face wasn’t the one that was bruised. No, it was Aasim Bhai’s. I looked at Aahil and I don’t know what he saw in my expression, because his eyes widened. “No.” That’s all he said. I hated my memory because that’s where it drew the line. For all I know, nothing happened after that. To this day, I have no idea what he had meant or what could’ve happened next.