How it all began- Aafreen, in 'A Safe Harbour'

Chapter ONE

DELHI 2007- AAFREEN

Aafreen woke up with a start. Had she really been sleeping?
The dream had seemed so very real. The same dream,
constantly recurring these last few months, one which came
whenever she was disturbed.

She was in the middle of a forest. There was a beautiful waterfall
near her. A small one, but a waterfall, nevertheless. Deepening
shadows of twilight all around. She should have felt lonely, but she
did not. She seemed to be waiting for someone, or something. She
did not have to wait long. There was the sound of running feet, then
another, smaller set. A strikingly handsome young man appeared,
followed by a small girl of about five. They reached her, laughing…

She turned towards them, all aglow, and reaching out her arms
engulfed the two of them in her embrace. The embrace was rudely
interrupted.

The sound of a gun shot … and the man fell down … dead.
Yet another shot rang out. The little girl turned towards the
sound, shuddered as the bullet hit her, then, she too fell … twitched
once … twice … and then … she was still….

Aafreen stood there, all alone, beside the two bodies, so warm
and loving just moments ago, becoming cold and stiff by the
minute….

Wide awake now, the sound of her heartbeats deafening her, she
looked around. Realizing she was safe, in her own warm bed, she
said a small prayer of thanks. Throwing away the bedclothes, Aafreen
noticed that she was trembling slightly. Switching on the lamp, taking
a sip of water from the glass on her bedside table, she moved towards
the windows. Trying to see if there was anything outside, in the balcony,
or the lawns down below, that could have disturbed her, she couldn’t
spot anything in the early morning mist.