A Dalilinki Book One – English Translation

Nisham sat helplessly on the interlocking pavement in front of the house, resting his head heavily in his hands. One glance at him was enough to know that he was in serious trouble.

He did not even notice their arrival until Nazir placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You have worried enough, brother. Get up; the police officers have arrived.”

Nazir struggled to help him to his feet.

“Where is Nisha?” Nazir asked.

Nisham’s mind suddenly became alert.

“Nazir, I don’t know. I haven’t entered the house. I remained here because I didn’t want my fingerprints appearing inside and making people believe I was responsible.”

The Assistant Superintendent of Police agreed that Nisham had made the right decision by not entering.

The officers put on protective gloves and entered the house. They discovered that the lock on Nisham’s bedroom door had been tampered with and forced open.

They searched everywhere, but there was no sign of Nisha.

Suddenly, Nisham’s phone began ringing.

The ASP collected it and placed the call on speaker. Since Nisham’s phone automatically recorded calls, the officer instructed him to speak normally and avoid revealing that other people were present.

“Hello, Sofia. What do you want?” Nisham asked.

“My love, have you seen my greatest surprise? Your lovely bride has disappeared. You will soon receive another call concerning your mother. In exchange for their lives, you must marry me.”

“Please, Sofia, don’t hurt them. Please! I will do whatever you want.”

“Look who is begging me now. You have only three hours to make your decision.”

She ended the call.

Almost immediately, Nazir’s phone started ringing. Their father was calling in a state of panic, saying that their mother was missing.

Nazir explained everything that had happened to him.

They struggled to calm Nisham and persuaded him not to rush out searching on his own.

Shortly afterwards, Sofia sent him a video through BBM. They played it on the projector inside his study.

Nisha was shown standing with her hands tied above her head and a heavy wooden restraint fastened around her neck.

Nisham’s mother was sitting on a chair, tightly bound with rope. Beside her was a large metal rod lying inside burning charcoal until it had become red-hot.

Sofia displayed a syringe and pointed towards the glowing metal.

Her message was clear: she intended to inject Nisha with something that would make her unable to have children, leaving Nisham with no choice but to return to Sofia. She also threatened to torture his mother with the heated metal.

Everyone became deeply alarmed by what they had seen.

A special police team was immediately sent to rescue Nisha and Nisham’s mother. They surrounded Sofia’s house, forced open the door, and entered.

They found Sofia and her elder sister, Rita, sitting comfortably and drinking as though they had not sent the threatening video.

They appeared relaxed because they had expected the police to come and search the house.

“You cannot search my house without a warrant,” Sofia declared.

The team leader immediately produced the search warrant.

Sofia became frightened that the officers might discover where the captives were hidden. She knew her days would be numbered if they were found. Nisham alone could put a gun against her forehead and end her life, not to mention what Nazir might do.

Rita silently reassured her that there was nothing to worry about.

The police searched the house inside and outside, but they found no sign of Nisha or Nisham’s mother.

They eventually returned with the disappointing news.

“I won’t give up,” Nisham said. “I know there is still a chance, and there must be a way to find them.”

Everyone looked at him as though the pressure had affected his mind. However, Nisham was thinking clearly.

“Take him to his room so that he can rest. He is not well,” their father suggested.

“He is not going anywhere,” Abba and Daddy objected. “Let him remain here. The young man is perfectly fine. His temperature is normal, his blood pressure is normal, and every other reading is normal. Don’t assume he is sick.”

Nisham then explained the plan he had formed, and everyone agreed to follow it.

As expected, Sofia soon called him through a video call. He answered while deliberately eating his food.

“You are eating while your mother and wife remain suspended without food or water?” Sofia asked.

“Do you think I care?”

“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t you?”

“No, I don’t care. So don’t waste your time waiting for me to appear.”

He ended the call.

“Rita, that arrogant fool just ended the call on me. I don’t know what to do anymore. I am tired of living like a gangster,” Sofia complained.

“Don’t tell me you are weak. Oh, sorry—I forgot that we don’t have the same father. No wonder.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Yes, I am mocking you because you are weak. Now get up and let us visit them.”

They opened the door to the place where the captives were being held and forced Nisha’s and Nisham’s mother’s legs into freezing water filled with ice.

Rita’s phone began ringing. When she saw Nisham’s name, she answered immediately.

From that moment, Sofia began suspecting her. Rita spoke quietly so that her sister would not hear the conversation.

“Hello, Nisham. How may I help you?”

Nisham smiled because he knew she had reached the place where the captives were being held. That was exactly what he wanted.

“You are the woman I truly love, not your sister. Please release my mother in exchange for my love.”

“What about your wife?”

“Do whatever else you want with her. I don’t need her.”

“No, don’t worry. I will bring both your wife and mother back safely.”

“Okay, my dear. I love you. Goodbye.”

“I love you too.”

Rita ended the call. Sofia had watched her suspiciously from the moment the conversation began until it ended.

“Don’t even think about betraying me, Rita.”

“Why would I betray you? If you are beginning to doubt me, tell me now so that I can fly back home.”

Overcome by anger, Sofia picked up the syringe and forcefully injected Nisha. Nisha released a terrible and heartbreaking scream of pain.

Meanwhile, Nisham and the others spent the entire night developing their rescue plan.

During the video call with Sofia, Nisham had identified clues revealing where the captives were being held. The officers who had previously searched the house had secretly installed surveillance cameras around the doors and other important areas.

The GPS signal from Rita’s phone also showed that she was still inside the house. This confirmed that the captives were somewhere within the property.

They now had enough evidence against Sofia and Rita.

It was almost dawn when sleep finally overcame them.

Meanwhile, Sofia and Rita lay down with their female companions.

May Allah guide us upon the true path of Islam, help us recognise the truth, and allow us to die as truthful Muslims.

Nisha and Nisham’s mother continuously recited:

“La hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘Aliyyil ‘Azim.”

They initially recited it aloud, but their voices eventually faded until they could only repeat it silently within their hearts. They had become extremely weak and were surviving only through courage and faith.

At 5:30 a.m., Nisham and the others woke up, performed the Fajr prayer, and began preparing for the rescue operation.

Rita stepped outside while speaking to Nisham on the phone.

“Wait until exactly six o’clock this evening. Sofia will be going out, and I will bring your wife and mother to the bridge so that you can collect them.”

After ending the call, Rita returned inside.

She did not know that Sofia had overheard everything she said. Sofia only gave her a forced smile while waiting for them to enter the underground room where Nisha and Nisham’s mother were being held.

Prayer and remembrance of Allah were absent from their lives. They cared only about their female companions, drinking alcohol, and consuming illicit drugs.

After finishing breakfast, Sofia and Rita entered the underground section of the house.

Sofia called her female accomplices, who entered with serious expressions.

“Sofia, what are you doing?” Rita asked.

“I am going to betray you before you betray me. Did you think I was foolish enough to trust a stupid Christian like you, the daughter of a priest? I know you are attracted to my husband.”

This confrontation happened directly in front of Nisha and Nisham’s mother.

“Point of correction: he is your former husband,” Rita replied. “And there is no meaningful difference between you and me. You don’t pray, do you? You don’t dress properly, and you do nothing expected of a good Muslim.

“You are neither a Muslim nor a Christian. You are simply a wicked woman. Our mother died because of you. You killed your father so that you could inherit his wealth. You attempted to kill my father because you were included in his final will, and now you are trying to kill me too.

“You are a monster. You are capable of doing anything just to become rich.”

Sofia struck Rita across the mouth with the butt of her gun, splitting her lip.

“Girls, untie them, cover their eyes, and take them to the car.”

Rita quickly jumped to her feet.

“No! You are not taking them anywhere. I already promised Nisham that I would return them to him. Kill me instead and release them, please.”

Sofia looked towards her accomplices.

“Girls, are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

She pulled the trigger, and the bullet struck Rita’s hand.

Rita felt an unbearable wave of pain. Her scream echoed throughout the underground room.

Sofia grabbed her by the hair.

“That hurts, doesn’t it? I’m not going to kill you. You will remain alive and watch me succeed.”

They dragged Nisha, Nisham’s mother, and Rita outside. Rita was tied up and thrown violently into the boot of a car.

Nisha and Nisham’s mother were about to be placed inside the boot of Sofia’s car.