The concrete jungle in
the desert city of Abu Dhabi sprang to life as the lights came on. Sabina,
nearly at the end of her shift, reached Room No. 724 in the hotel she worked,
pushing her trolley ahead of her. She quickly and efficiently pulled out the
cleaning liquid, new set of bedsheets and pillow covers and opened the door.
The room was dark and stuffy. She smelled something, but could not say what it
was. It made her uncomfortable. She inserted the key in the slot and entered
the bathroom. She saw red spots on the floor and paused, feeling tensed.
She stepped back and
noticed the floor. The stains led up to the bed. She saw the prone figure,
swathed in blood. She let out a scream and ran out, not stopping till she was
in the manager’s cabin. She was inconsolable, and the effort of keeping herself
together seemed to have exerted her beyond her capacity at that moment. She
fainted.
