AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is entirely fictional and in no way condones violence against women. It is only an expression of personal sexual curiosities. Nor is the story written with any inherent desire to serve as a reflection on the Muslim community. With no offense intended, I try to use archetypes rather than broadly define a religious society in negative hues. I assume that there are a multitude of cultural inaccuracies.
Sahara knew that her 18th birthday would mean that she would be considered an old maid without a husband in her Pakistani village. But she had ambition, and a caring family that wanted her to reach her dream of becoming a teacher.
The problem was the majority in the rest of her village, who just wanted her to be a baby machine who abode by the rules that established what must happen in order to be, in their eyes, "a good Pakistani woman." She must wear a burka that would conceal her shapely, athletic body, not letting anyone see her flowing black locks and beautiful olive skin until the day when a man marries her and keeps her away, only able to be herself behind the walls of her home.
The neighbor, Jahan, was one of the men in the village like this. He was a 36 year old blacksmith, not unattractive because of the workouts from a livelihood built with his hands, but still in the 15th century when it came to women. He chased after 16-year-old girls with hopes of having a wife bear him a son. He chided Sahara for her desire to work outside the home and being driven by goals and personal satisfaction: sexually, socially, professionally, and otherwise.
Still, Jahan found Sahara incredibly sexy for an "old maid." Sahara caught him staring at her as she hung her laundry in the back yard, only dressed in her silk undergarments. Her c-cup breasts were only shielded by a thin white cloth, as her curvy olive-skinned legs poked through a slit in her underskirt. Her small feet were dirty, but delicate as they moved quickly about the dirt yard, carrying out her chores diligently.
"What are you looking at Jahan Sahib," Sahara snapped. "I thought you only liked adolescent girls."
"You better watch yourself, kafir!" he said. "I could have you arrested and stoned for tempting me like that in your slutty manner. What makes you so sexy to tempt a man."
Sahara give him a vulgar gesture before shutting his view of her. But she knew full well that the law was against her if Jahan decided to have his way. She would avert contact with him. She could probably accomplish that before leaving for college in Islamabad at the end of a couple weeks.
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Two nights before leaving for Islamabad, Sahara's family held a small gathering with close friends. They feasted on lamb kebab and rice as her father and mother did traditional dances to the ancient music being played on their cassette player.
Sahara praised her parent's for their guidance and support. She joined in singing with friends until early in the morning. As the sun began to come up, most of her friends left, save for her longtime crush, Tarik, who helped her parents clean.
Tarik was also 18 and fairly progressive in his view of women. Sahara and Tarik used to climb trees and read books as children. It was only in their teens that they began to view each other in a more sexual way. Though they have kissed and danced several times, they remained proper in respect to the honor of their parents and own personal drives.
Tarik was going to engineering school in Lahore as Sahara went to Islamabad. Their parents had considered arranging a marriage between them, but the two wanted to hold off until they've completed education. They had every intention of staying close and making their families happy in the long run.
After Tarik had helped Sahara's parents clean and get into bed for a day of rest before their daughter's departure, Sahara walked him to the gate of their house. Walking hand in hand, she dared to lift up her hijab to peck him on the cheek to say goodbye. She knew that she would be writing him on a daily basis after getting settled in Islamabad.
It was then that Jahan snuck up behind Tarik and struck him on the head with a rock. She knocked Sahara on the ground, covering her mouth with his hand as she began to scream. Her eyes grew wide as her head hit the ground and her hijab fell away.