Prayers In The Dark

Part 1: 

In a little, peaceful village between hills of emerald green, two boyhood friends, Ahsan and Zoya, were bound by a love no one could comprehend. They had grown up together—climbing trees, exchanging tales, and sharing dreams beneath star-studded skies. What started as innocent friendship gradually matured into a powerful romance, one that neither would dare to speak aloud. In a village where customs prevailed and decisions were not made freely, their hearts held one secret they were sure would never be revealed.

Since their early teens, both of them knew they were meant for each other. They knew each other's silence, finished each other's sentences, and smiled with eyes rather than words. However, love stories in villages like theirs didn't necessarily culminate in a marriage. Zoya's father, a strict and authoritarian man, had something else in mind—his daughter was to be wedded to a successful businessman from the city. Ahsan, son of a lowly schoolteacher, could never attain that status.

One evening, under the ancient banyan tree where they had first met, Ahsan at last spoke.

"Zoya, do you believe in miracles?"

She gazed up, her eyes brimming with tears. "Only if it brings you to me."

Thereafter, their tale took a turning point.

Part 2: The Proposal

When a formal proposal for marriage came to Zoya's house—from a high-strung, well-off and respected family her parents most admired—the house was filled with jubilation. Her relatives applauded her parents, sweets were shared, and wedding talk started without hesitation. But for Zoya, it was like grieving, not rejoicing. Her heart dropped. This wasn't a proposal—it was the end of every prayer she had ever made to Ahsan.

She barricaded herself inside her room and refused to talk or eat. Tears spoke silently for her. Outside, Ahsan stood outside her home every night in the hopes of catching a glimpse or even the sound of her breath. But no longer did the walls between them stand apart.

Gossip spread quickly in their community. Before long, Zoya's father approached her, his tone icy with suspicion. "Do you have a crush on that boy?

With shaking lips and streaming eyes, she mouthed, "I love him… and I always will."

His rage flared. Her liberty was taken away—no school, no telephone, no friends, and most of all, no more Ahsan.

But Ahsan was not one to give up. "We prayed for years," he said to himself, staring up at the same sky they once made vows under, "God cannot be unfair to two hearts who never wanted to harm anyone."

Part 3: Letters to the Unknown

With no way to meet her, Ahsan began writing letters—letters filled with poetry, hope, and love. He passed them to her cousin secretly. Zoya read every word, memorized every line, and hid them under her mattress. Every letter ended with one line: “We’ll write our own destiny.”

But one night, her cousin was caught with a note. Zoya's father discovered the whole collection. She was infuriated and decided to hasten her marriage.

That same night, Zoya did something that no one saw coming. She escaped.

She fled out into the dark fields towards the railway station, where she had instructed Ahsan to linger, just in case. But he was nowhere to be found. Had he not thought she would turn up? Was everything one-sided?

Her gaze searched wildly into the blackness, but she could see only a vacant platform.

And then—a voice.

"Zoya!"

She turned. Ahsan was sprinting toward her, out of breath, carrying a bag in one hand and her beloved book in the other.

"I couldn't let you go alone."

Part 4: The Vanishing

They vanished that evening. No one saw them leaving. The village talked for weeks. Posters were published. Rumors were that they were apprehended, wedded, or worse—dead. Zoya's father employed people to locate them, placing rewards.

No traces were discovered.

Unbeknownst to everyone, they were living on the fringes of the city, staying in a friend's servant quarters, doing odd jobs for cash, saving, and attempting to create life from scratch. Yet, even paradise constructed from love is difficult to sustain when every door is shut and every face is unknown.

One day, Zoya fell unconscious in the office. The doctor confirmed her worst fear—it was a miscarriage. The sorrow broke her and guilt engulfed her. Ahsan held her night after night, praying more fervently than ever, but she started to fade into silence.

Then came the letter.

Part 5: The Letter That Changed Everything

A friend had brought them an envelope sealed. There was no name of the sender, but the writing was recognizable.

It was from Zoya's mother.

"Your father is seriously ill. He's called out your name while sleeping. Return to us, even for once. We won't hold you back again. I swear."

Was this an ambush? Or a heartfelt appeal?

They argued for days, then made up their minds: they had nothing to lose anymore.

Going back to the village was unreal. Whispers filled the air. Everyone stared. This time, Ahsan took her hand in public. They entered the house with thumping hearts.

Zoya's father, pale and weak, looked up from his bed. His gaze fell on Ahsan. He breathed in deeply.

"I might have been an arrogant man… but I wasn't a smart one," he whispered. "I watched how you vanished together… and no scandal followed. No shame to our family. Only silence. Only sorrow. You did what even I couldn't do—love without ulterior motives."

A single tear trickled down his face. "If she still prefers you, Ahsan, then so do I.

Part 6: The Wedding of Shadows and Stars 

They wedded in the same village where the love they had shared secretly was once a closely guarded secret. But this time, the village celebrated for them. Petals rained from balconies. Neighbors from days past emerged to bless them. Even the banyan tree became a witness to their vows, now inscribed with their names in the bark.

But they didn't say to anyone the whole truth—the nights of starvation, the missing child, the broken dreams. They spoke only of that among themselves, a reminder that even love that shatters can be made whole again.

***** THE END *****