A Footstep Of Gaza

Four A.M.

All night long in the bed, Gaza is thinking of riding a horse again. He still feels his heart beats fast, neverthless he enjoys it as well. He feels the adrenaline rush so he gets addicted. It's already four in the morning.

He leaves his room to peek at what his grandfather is doing. There he sees Hisyam is in the living room. With few piles of books and several sheets of paper are scattered around him. By wearing a glasses, he is looking seriously facing the laptop.

"Good morning, handsome. How are you this fine morning?" Hisyam greeted him.

(He hugs his grandfather from behind)

"What a great morning. Grandpa, what are you up to?"
"Ah, I'm typing down the copy of crop yields from these ledgers"

Hisyam shows him some charts of the harvest over the past decade. Gaza pays attention conscientiously as he notices what it tells.

"Uhm..."

But then Hisyam puts to sleep the laptop. He takes his glasses off and asks Gaza to clean himself before prayer time comes as the dawn starts to break.

Gaza spends his leisure time by cleaning the fallen leaves in the pool. He's accompanied by his dog that sits on the edge watches him jump to swim. While Gaza is swimming about fifteen minutes, there Hisyam on a balcony calls out his name. He asks him to finish swimming.

"Gazaly, when you're done, let's meet in the back yard"

(Hisyam goes back again)

"Go change your clothes right away, let's meet up there within ten minutes"

(Gaza sighs)

"Zeru, did your that? Well, I have to find my bathrobe then"

(Zeru barks once)

A bracer, finger tab, a bow stand, a bow stringer and a target to shoot at. The back yard is filled with archery equipments. Then Hisyam brings a quiver of arrows and two bows. He puts the arrows behind them and he gives Gaza a bow with an arrow.

"Hold these" Hisyam said.

From a distance of seventy meters, he stands upright with feet shoulder width apart. He places the arrow on the bow. While using his dominant eye, he looks down the arrow and align it with the target. Relaxing his grip on the string and allow his fingers to slip backward and... Bravo! He shoots his arrow is landing perfectly right on the center point on target foam blocks.

(Gaza is astonished by his grandfather)

"Now your turn"

Gaza gulped as if he is indecisive if he can do it. He places the arrow on the bow. While using his dominant eye, he looks down the arrow and align it with the target. Relaxing his grip on the string and allow his fingers to slip backward and his arrow lands on the foam blocks outside of the circles.

"You still have four arrows remain, Gazaly"

(Gaza tries to aim the shoot one more in different angle, but he still failes)

"You must take care over small thing. Watch the way you stand. Try to aim your arrows in any direction from the cardinal directions. Well, I'll be back soon"

(Hisyam gets out of the back yard)

There Gaza tries to aim the shoot from different angles. Again he doesn't hit the mark. He keeps trying until the last four arrows are being used. Hisyam comes back by bringing a tray fills with some healthy snacks made from nuts and two glasses of young coconut water. He puts them on a patio table and he sits on the pelbet. He is watching Gaza doing archery under the palm tree.

Gaza pulls out the arrows which stick on foam block and he aims the shoot again. He is still eagar to do it until seventeen times and the arrows remains three. But then he feels tired and finish the archery.

(He is lounging on a stone wall close to his grandfather)

"Gazaly, you need time for that and keep your seventeen shots in a row. After all you will take a lot of effort, if you do it at once. Take this a glass of coconut water, hope it boosts your energy" Hisyam said.
"Thank you, grandpa"
"Talking of the future, how's your plan Gazaly?"
"I have no idea yet, but I just wanna live in modesty"
"But the next month is your graduation event. And then, where would you like take your dream?"

(Gaza still remains silent because he is unsure yet)

"Alright, let me decide it for you. I have two options. I'll take you to military school abroad or do you wanna marry?"

(He is suddenly choked)

"Uhm, grandpa I need to think about it"
"Sure, I'd like to know your answer. Please, make your choice soon, because of faster is better" Hisyam tries to convince him.
"Alright, grandpa"
"I'll always try to do my best for you. I want you to grow as a better man. Of course I will set you free to choose over your own future. Yet, instead of freedom I prefer to independence"

(Gaza touches Hisyam's hand that lies on the patio table)

"Grandpa, I won't let you down"
"Well, after graduation I'm going to take you somewhere to meet new people"
"It excites me to meet new people, can't wait to see them"
"Now go change your pants. I see you've been wearing a wet pants to dry"
"Alright, grandpa"

*a phone rings inside Hisyam's pocket*

"And may peace be upon you, son"

All of sudden, Hisyam's expression changes instantly when he picks up a call from someone. His face turns into restless and a little gloomy. When Gaza comes back to take his glass in the back yard. But he is speechless seeing the look on his grandfather's face. He may think about his grandfather rarely shows emotions but when something happens, Gaza can feel what is going on him.

(Gaza kneels down at Hisyam who is sitting)

"Grandpa, what's going on? I'm sorry if I still can't decide it by now"
"We're going out of the town tomorrow" Hisyam said icily.

Gaza still wonders what really happens, but he just hope everything's gonna be okay. The trip is going to start.