Jinxed

It was Friday, and Quetta, my beloved city, was facing strikes against inflation.We knew that the strikes were necessary to raise our voices against the rising inflation in our city, but it was hard not to feel the impact of it on our daily lives. Roads were blocked, and as a result, many students could not make it to school. I was a 10th-grade student back then. Since many students and teachers could not arrive, classes were canceled. Some students were playing with water on the ground, while others were strolling in the corridors. Our group decided to stay in the classroom, as we did not have much energy to waste.

While Ram engrossed herself in her novel, Zainab sat on the desk, playing with a small mirror and occasionally glancing in it. Meanwhile, Sughra, Hadeesa, and I gathered together to discuss the latest trending song.

When suddenly, Zainab dropped the mirror on the floor, and it smashed into pieces. "Oh no! I just bought this yesterday," she said with an annoyed face.

"Then you should have taken care of it," I replied.

"You know it's a bad omen," Hadeesa pronounced.

"What?" Sughra asked with a confused face. Ram was quiet and worried, staring at the pieces with fear on her face. She said in a feeble voice,

"The breaking of a mirror is not a good sign. It brings the bad luck of seven years, and believe me, it does."

"That's ridiculous," added Zainab.

“ That’s not ridiculous  Zainab! For God sake.”