Short Stories

The Will: Ten days had passed since the death of Haji Abdul Kareem Mirza, known by everyone in the neighborhood as Mirza Sahab. The large old house, which had been filled with relatives, prayers, and visitors a few days ago, was now much quieter. Only a few guests had come for condolences, sitting in the drawing room and talking in low voices. In the men’s sitting area, Saad and Fahad were serving tea and refreshments to the guests. They moved politely from one person to another, fulfilling their family duty. In the women’s section, Areeba was sitting with her mother Rubina and her aunt Uzma. The women were quietly discussing family matters while remembering Mirza Sahab. But away from all this, Hamza was sitting comfortably, using his mobile phone. A smile appeared on his face as he laughed at something he was watching. The house was still in mourning… But everyone was dealing with the loss in their own way. A few moments later, Advocate Siddiqui Sahab entered the room and requested everyone to gather. Jahangir Ahmad Mirza, Dr. Ahmad Nawaz Mirza, their wives, children, and Sakina with Haji Iqbal all came together in the drawing room. The atmosphere suddenly became serious. Advocate Siddiqui Sahab opened the file in his hands and looked at everyone. “Mirza Sahab left a written will before his death,” he said. Everyone became silent. He continued: “According to his wish, this house will belong to both of his sons, Jahangir Ahmad Mirza and Dr. Ahmad Nawaz Mirza. He wanted both brothers to live here together with respect and harmony.” For a moment, everyone looked at each other. Then Siddiqui Sahab turned the page. “Regarding the old trunk, Mirza Sahab wrote that the jewelry and valuable items belonging to his late wife will be given to his daughter, Sakina.” Sakina lowered her eyes silently. “The remaining valuable items will be divided between the two brothers according to his instructions.” He closed the file slightly and added: “Lastly, Mirza Sahab had twelve lakh rupees in his bank account. According to the law, this amount will be distributed among the legal heirs.” The room remained quiet. Everyone had heard Mirza Sahab’s final wishes… But no one knew that these decisions would soon test the strength of their relationships. Advocate Siddiqui Sahab closed the file and looked at everyone. “One more thing,” he said. “Mirza Sahab had specifically told me that the distribution of his belongings should only begin after his chaaliswan. He wanted the family to complete this period peacefully before any legal process started.” Everyone listened quietly. “Besides that, these matters are not completed in a day. The legal documents, paperwork, and other procedures will take at least a month.” He placed the file back into his briefcase. “Until then, everyone should remain patient and avoid any misunderstandings.” After saying this, Advocate Siddiqui Sahab stood up. “I will take your leave now. I will contact you when the legal process begins.” Everyone politely said goodbye as he left the house. The room became silent again. But this silence was different… Because now everyone knew what they had inherited — and what they had lost. After Advocate Siddiqui Sahab left, everyone slowly returned to their own routines. No one said anything. There was no discussion, no argument, and no questions. The family members quietly went back to their responsibilities, as if trying to move on from the difficult days that had passed. Jahangir returned to his work at the bank. Dr. Ahmad Nawaz went back to his medical duties. The women became busy with household matters. The younger ones returned to their studies and daily activities. The old house became quiet once again. But beneath that silence, everyone now knew that after forty days, decisions would have to be made… And those decisions would change the family’s future forever. The Missing Trunk: A week had passed since Advocate Siddiqui Sahab’s visit. Life had returned to normal in the Mirza household. Everyone was busy with their own routines, waiting for the day when the legal process would begin. But no one knew that something unexpected was about to happen. One night, while the entire house was asleep, an unknown man entered the old house. His face was covered with a cloth, hiding his identity. He quietly moved towards Mirza Sahab’s room, where the old trunk was kept. The room was locked, and everyone else was sleeping in their own rooms. No one heard anything. No one knew what was happening. The stranger took the trunk and disappeared into the darkness of the night. The next morning, panic spread through the house. The trunk containing Mirza Sahab’s late wife’s jewelry and valuable belongings was missing. Everyone was shocked. The police were informed, and an investigation began. The first step was to question everyone about their movements that night. During the inquiry, it was discovered that Hamza had gone to meet his friends at around 10:00 PM. Later, Haji Iqbal had gone to a medical store around 10:30 PM because of severe stomach pain and bought medicine. When the police questioned Hamza’s friends and the medical store owner, both confirmed their statements. Their stories were true. But one question remained unanswered… Who had stolen the trunk from Mirza Sahab’s room? The mystery had just begun. When Sakina came to know that the trunk was missing, she was devastated. The news spread through the house like fire. She could not control her emotions and started telling everyone: “My father clearly mentioned in his will that the trunk belongs to me. Someone is deliberately taking away my right.” Her voice echoed through the house. “This is not just about jewelry… this was my mother’s property. Someone has tried to steal what was meant for me.” The investigation was still going on, but no solid evidence had been found. The police had questioned everyone, yet the mystery remained unsolved. The biggest problem was that there was no outsider involved. Only the family members