Zarinah didn't know what she expected would happen when she told the guard to 'play the music'. It was just a phrase she was given by Emeryx to say when she was ready. That was why she was caught off guard when she heard all those wonderful sounds flooding the room.

In her whole life, Zarinah had never heard such gentle sounds. In the world of New Earthina, people spent most of their lives either shouting or whispering. 

The shouting was reserved for people in charge, while everyone else kept whispering. From time to time, she had heard someone speaking in a normal voice, but that was rare until she met people who could feel.

However, the sound that was filling up the room in that very moment, as well as her heart, was something completely different. It was gentle and wonderful. 

Its soothing hand made her feel relaxed and happy. Her heart was swelling in her chest, soaring and enjoying the 'music' immensely.

For a moment, Zarinah was completely immersed in the music, she was one with it. It erased where she was or what she was supposed to do. Everything faded in the distance as the marvelous sounds took over all her senses. It was overwhelming, but she never wanted it to stop.

It escaped her notice that tears were rolling down her face in quick succession. They were tears of joy, tears that gave tribute to something as amazing as music. It was beyond her control, especially having in mind that she was beyond herself, beyond her body, soaring in exhilaration.

Finally, once Zarinah's whole being was filled up with the joy of music, she remembered her purpose. It came to her that she should be trying to get some information, not have the time of her life.

With the music still playing and making the room look brighter, she decided it was time to ask some questions. She couldn't determine if the music had moved the prisoner in any way or not, but she thought she might as well get things started.

"My name is Zarinah. What is your name?" she asked.

"I am Okram," the Senseless said.

There was no hesitation in his answer. He didn't even seem to be aware that he had answered it.

Zarinah realized that he was so entranced by the music that he had automatically told her the truth. That took her by surprise, and she wasn't sure how to proceed. After all, she had never interrogated people before, but Emeryx did give her a few pointers.

Zarinah wasn't a very tactful person, so she decided to get to the point instead of using the said pointers.

"How do we hurt the Privileged? How do we bring this awful government down?" she asked.

That snapped Okram from his trance and he scowled at her. His facial expression showed how much he despised even the notion of going against the government.

Zarinah couldn't even begin to understand the sentiment. The government was nothing but cruel to everyone but the Privileged. If they found him, they would kill him for allowing himself to get captured. Yet, he stayed loyal to those tyrants.

"How can you be loyal to those monsters? They have never shown us any mercy. They hid such wonderful things such as emotions from us! How can you be loyal to the people who torture and kill us every day!? Why would you stay loyal to them!?" Zarinah yelled.

There was no change in the prisoner's face. It was as if she was talking to a wall, unfeeling, unmoved.

Suddenly, the music changed. It became much more energetic, and she felt it perfectly complimented the erratic beats of her heart.

Then, the singing started. Both Zarinah and Okram listened with their mouths wide open. Somehow the person singing could pull all her emotions, all the happiness, all the sadness and pour them out into a song.

It made Zarinah laugh, then cry. It made her feel many emotions that fought in her heart seeking dominance, but found none. This time, she could note that Okram was fighting against similar emotions.

He didn't cry like she did, but his eyes were watery, and his posture was rigid. Zarinah could feel that he was holding himself back. Then an idea occurred to her.

"Don't you remember that one time, a few months ago, when the government officials caught those boys sneaking around the forest? They were no older than twelve. Still, they were tortured and drowned to make an example out of them." Zarinah said.

It was a long shot, but the song made her remember how close she was to crying that day, to make it known that she did feel. It made her sick to her stomach, and it took her a few days to recover from that particular execution. It occurred to her that maybe even the Senseless could feel that amount of pain.

"They were ten," Okram said to Zarinah's surprise.

"One of them was my son. The woman who tried to stop the execution and was shot was my wife," he said.

Zarinah remembered the beautiful woman running towards the children begging them to stop. She even offered her own life in exchange for her son's. She was executed on the spot, for the crime of feeling.

Few moments after he said that, Okram started sobbing, and to the horror of the guard who was inside with them, Zarinah went to Okram hugging him tightly while he cried.

It turned out that, by sheer luck, Zarinah was able to find Okram's weakness and help him feel again. That, in turn, led to him promising to help them out. After Okram said that, Emeryx was called in since Zarinah knew nothing of wars or strategies.

As she moved toward the cave center, she could see Nav chatting with some people she didn't recognize. As she approached them, she could hear a snippet of their conversation.

"That was amazing! Your singing voice is incredible!" Nav was saying to the woman.

Before Zarinah could make her presence known, the woman saw her, and a huge smile started adorning her familiar looking face. She pulled her husband's hand gesturing towards Zarinah. Even before the poor guy had the chance to figure out what was happening, she started running towards Zarinah dragging him with her.

"Zarinah, my dear, how much I've missed you," the woman said as she hugged her tightly.

The hug felt familiar, comforting, and when another pair of hands joined the hug, she knew why they felt so familiar.

"Mom! Dad! I found you!" Zarinah said enthusiastically.

"What do you mean you found us, honey? We found you. Or did you think Emeryx accidentally chose you of all the people from the factory," her father said lovingly.

At that moment, everything made sense. Small things that didn't add up became crystal clear. It made Zarinah feel warm around her heart that they cared so much about her.

Zarinah and her mother kept sobbing from happiness while her father smiled broadly hugging them tightly.

"The most important thing is that we are together now. We have spent so much time trying to find you that I can't believe that I am finally able to hug you, to tell you how much we love you. We love you, my dear Zarinah," her mother said.

"I love you too mom, dad," Zarinah said.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

After that precious moment, Zarinah started living in a world full of love and emotions. 

No, New Earthina didn't change, but step by step, they were making foundations for that to be done, by the future generations. More and more people were joining them as their songless hearts were finally able to sing again, the way it was always supposed to be.

Zarinah had her family back, as well as her freedom, and that was all she ever wanted. There were added benefits, such as good friends and Zamirava and her amazing stories, of course.

They haven't changed the world, but they were the catalysts that started the change. 

Sometimes that is all it takes. 

Although they had to hide from the government, even though they did manage to hurt it, with Okram's help, they hoped that the next generation would continue the fight. That they would get the chance to live a free life, without any hiding or fear. For Zarinah and the others, their small haven was enough.

                                                          THE END