***
{Outside The Projection}
Sinbad stared unblinkingly at the projection.
Tears slowly escaped his eyes without him noticing.
There was no sobbing or shaking, just tears, heavy, heavy tears.
Dunya buried her face deeper into his fluff, holding onto him, scared that the world might take him back.
She was crying too.
Neither of them said anything.
No one did. Not even the loud ones in the hall.
Not even the ones who usually had some dumb shit to say.
They were all just frozen.
Because how do you react to that?
What do you even say?
He brought him back.
Malik brought back a boy who had no right coming back.
Huda smiled bitterly.
Layla didn't move.
Safira sighed in relief, as did Duban and Faqir.
Azeem simply nodded his head.
Noor didn't react, still caught in her hate.
Caught in her fear, which dominated that hate.
And Zafar kept his head lowered.
Because as the glow of the exchange faded from the projection…
All that remained was that image.
Malik kneeling.
