Asia emptied the freezer. Mama and Asia loaded the body inside the freezer as Ali sat in the corner of the kitchen while they cleaned his mess. Ali felt alienated. He didn't want her mother and sister to become murderers. And moreover, they were blaming him. There was no shame in them. They were ruthlessly accusing him of something that had never ever crossed his mind for once. Who would believe him? It's two against. It's women against a boy. All women are considered softhearted beings. But, right now, this display of brutality speaks otherwise. There is no way that he could escape prison. He always knew that Asia had it in her to kill but never for a moment did it ever occur to him that her mother could be also involved in something so hideous and cruel.
As he was crying Asia started yelling. "I remember everything." She was pointing at the father clock in the hallway. It was 3:33. It felt as if Time had stopped because they had spent there the whole night and it was only 3:33.
"Shutup and go to sleep," said Mama. She was seething with unhinged anger.
But Asia couldn't stop herself. Because she could feel and taste what had happened last night. How somebody who looked like Mama made her drink water riddled with snakes with daggers for fangs.
"Mama I remember everything about last night. I remember--"
"Please stop trying to make everything about yourself. We have a dead body in our freezer. There are more important things that we need to deal with. We need to clean up properly and go back to sleep. I don't want any more of you guys' nonsensical attitudes. I have never seen children so irresponsible and knuckleheaded. Nobody has murders or psychopathic sleep killers in their family. First, it was your father who couldn't make enough money and now if somehow we have managed to get a little money to play with you guys have lost all your marbles. I also want a little peace in my life. I washed, cooked, fed you selfish kids my whole life and never have you ever managed to bless me with a second of peace. Always keep me on my toes. Uncle Adnan's kids are so decent. They study well and also do not kill people or have stupid mental illnesses. I don't which sin's punishment are you guys." Mama slapped her forehead and sat on the floor.
"Your father is also in a no-signal-zone. I have no idea how to contact him to let him know him his son's kartoots."
"Mama, why are you blaming me? I didn't do anything."
"Shut up. If you utter another word I'm going to cut your tongue into tiny pieces and feed those to you. You'll probably love that, you psycho." Yelled Asia.
"I don't want anymore yelling. Ali, you go clean your vomit. Asia, you go clean the trails from the lobby to the master bathroom. And I'm going to clean the trails from the bathroom to kitchen."
All of them knew they didn't have any time to fight. They started doing what Mama had said.
After they cleaned up Mama gave all of them a dose of her sleep medicine so that they could sleep and not appear sleepy and anxious in the morning.
Next morning
Asia woke up and everything started to come back. She got up ran to the kitchen to check whether it was a bad dream or a bad reality. When she reached the kitchen she saw the kitchen counter brimming with food items and water was dripping from the counter because everything that was frozen had now melted and drops of condensation had turned to puddles of sweat on the kitchen floor.
"Why is everything out of the freezer? All the icecreams have melted and the meat will go bad in a few hours. I have tried to fit a lot of the things in the refrigerator. The one that is in the kitchenette. The freezer was locked and I couldn't find its key." said Rani as she mopped the floor.
"Ah. I don't know. I just wanted water."
"Baji what do you want for breakfast? Your favourites pancakes?" asked Rani, smiling innocently.
"No, I ate a lot of nachos last night. I am not hungry."
Asia nervously grabbed a glass of water and started to walk towards her room, briskly. To avoid further questioning and small talk.
It was going to be a long day. Or maybe even a long life.
The rest of the day went fine but Rani made beef chilli dry. Which nobody could bring themselves to eat because of last night killer, bloody escapade.
None of them could eat anything. They had planned to act normal. But how could they? They were living with a ticking bomb with no time frame.
As night approached and Rani left hunger started to creep in. They needed to eat something but none of them had the courage to go to the kitchen to go look for some food. Or even the kitchenette as a matter of fact.
They decided to order fries and six-cheese Tuscan pizza. It was the highlight of their day.
The order was about to arrive in about 2 min as the rider was just around the block.
"Ali you are not going to get the pizza. I am," said Mama
Ali looked at Asia with a pale face and a squirm.
"Mama I will come with you," said Asia, fidgeting a little.
"You don't have to," said Mama.
"I don't want to be alone with him," she whispered in Mama's ears.
"Okay."
Suddenly somebody was knocking at the main door.
" I thought Rani had left." said Mama as she looked at Asia questioningly.
"Yeah, she did."
"What if the Main door to the garage was open and the delivery game came inside directly? Did you not close the door when Rani left?"
"I did."
"I'm sick and tired of your irresponsible attitude Asia."
"I did. I promise."
Mama and Asia went down the hallway and opened the door.
And staring back was the same dead man they had trapped in their freezer.