A True Muslim.

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He sat on the boulder over looking the sea. Tiny waves crashed underneath it. The chilly air sent tides of horrendous memories in him. And a wisp of smoke rose in the air as he puffed heavily from the cigarette. In a few minutes , they would come for him . And he would be chased down like a lion's prey.

Akbar had joined the gang a year ago. His mother knew nothing of it. She was a simple lady, who trusted her son to the foremost and believed that he would lead a happy life. He had an elder sister - Saira.

He took in a deep breath, as if it was his last. And observed upward as the sun cast a pale pink in the sky. A bird swiftly flew back to it's nest. It fed it's little ones with some worms and for a second it seemed to have a motherly look on it's face. Akbar's eyes welled up.

His mother, the way she had cried when she got to know that he was a part of the gang. She had protected him all along telling right from wrong. He had been always her little boy who would confess everything that happened at school. But she got it all wrong.

Akbar felt into it's clutches along with his friend Amir. They had joined for the fun of fighting with weapons and being a heroic Muslim.

All new members had to swear loyalty to the God and the leader, by offering a droplet of blood from their body. The gang consisted of teenagers, many of whom were about the age of Akbar. They served as a youth society that helps in executing 'the holy mission'.

Each of them, had to be strong build and a believer of Jihad. Akbar was not a blood sworn Muslim. But he became one. He learnt that his religion, kick started humanity and that it was his right , to kill the non-believers of Islam. There was no questioning, it was a fact.

The fear in his mother’s eyes when Akbar revealed his whereabouts still shimmer in his mind. As he drowned in guilt and misery, memories started to rise. Memories about the camp. Those moon lit days were they all gathered and practiced with their respective weapons. Akbar had always loved the rifles. He worked well with that. And he could easily shoot dead a couple of police officers if he wanted to.

It was during one of those gatherings, when a messenger arrived from Abu Baker.

"Aslamu-Alaikum . I'm messenger of Shaheed Al-Siddiqui and you are asked by him to arrange a suitable means of transport so that he can come to this country. No one shall know of this. You are ordered to arrange food and shelter for his men, as they come to execute a part of the holy mission "

Fear slithered throughout Akbar's body as he stared at the huge man speak. He was well built and his deep-set eyes revealed a gruesome look.

Akbar had drifted off with his thoughts. And now the Sun had sunk. Darkness loomed about him, as the moon glowed with a faint light.

Several days back , Akbar had spent some time with Amir in the banks of Jordan. Amir put his arms over Akbar and told him the instructions would be executed well. And joked about his mice like mentality.

Amir was a brother to Akbar. He had always stood for him through all odds. And never wore an aggressive face in front of him. But in a couple of moments, he would be with the gang searching for Akbar- ready to kill him.

That day, when he told his mother about things that she never knew .She had wept loudly, and cursed him several times. Mother had been silent ever since. Akbar left house during the afternoon. He took a glimpse of his mother, looking out into the porch, with his sister leaning on her and staring at the floor with swollen eyes, dried with tears.

The moon's light showered onto his face all of a sudden. The light was too much for someone who had been engrossed in his own world, staring at the sea dreamily. Akbar squinted his eyes and stood up, as though he woke up from a deep trance. His mind had become silent. Akbar stood firmly as he decided that what he did was right. It was right of him , to tell the authorities about the mission.

Suddenly he felt a hand behind his shoulder. He turned frightfully.

"Akbar dear, you had got yourself into big mess. "It was Saira.

"I.. I didn’t want to hurt you and mother."

"She wiped away tear droplets from her face.

"Akbar, I feared you would do this - although, I didn’t tell mother. I’d been suspicious, when you used to leave late in the evenings, to Amir's house. But mother trusted you blindly. "

There was a wave of silence that crept by.

Saira spoke again "Mother told me to tell you this. Allah loves all human beings. Just like how mother loves us equally. You are distinguished as a human by the work that you do. Not by you're race or religion dear. I heard news that you'd told the police about the mission. Good that you did that but..”

She stopped to wipe a tear off her cheek. Saira's face glowed in the white moonlight. Her cheeks had become pink, and her scarf had been let loose over her shoulder.

"But they will hunt me down. They might kill me or hold me captive at the least. Still sister , fearing at the face of death is not courage. "

Her voice became a bit firmer. "Yes. But-"

"Please sister, go back home. They might come searching for you , but tell them that you knew nothing about it."

Saira hugged her brother and then she swiftly turned by and walked into the sands. Akbar had thought about jumping into the sea and ending his life. But no, he had to die at the hands of the people he betrayed.

In a couple of minutes , he heard quick foot steps from far . They were coming. Akbar ran across the sands as a sudden fear over took him. Someone pushed him , from behind.

He fell onto the ground , and struggled to get up as the person thrust him to the ground.

"I never thought you would do this , Akbar. YOU , of all my friends."

"A-amir ."

"Please don't justify. I'm going to kill you myself , I don't want those bastards killing you .Say you're prayers . Heaven awaits you"

In a couple of seconds Akbar, blacked out into death.