Finding Muna: A Palestinian Novel

Chapter Ten

Muna let out an exasperated sigh yet again as she scrolled up on the screen of her phone, watching the content with a downcast look. Lamees who was standing by the door frame eyed her warily before sighing as she walked inside the room and sat before her.

"We need to talk," Lamees said in a hushed voice, almost sounding like a whisper.

"Yeah, we do," Muna said with a tired voice as she switched off her phone and set it aside. All of them had been avoiding the issue and they kept postponing the conversation they were supposed to have, but everything still felt like a dream to them and speaking about it so soon would only mean they were acknowledging it as a reality.

"I know it's hard Muna, but we have to come to terms with what we've gotten ourselves into," Lamees started and Muna just watched her expressionless as she nodded in agreement.

"We all have people that are worrying about us in a way or the other and we cannot continue sulking, if this is truly our last moments on earth, then we better put it into use Muna, I don't want to die sulking," she continued and Muna sighed.

"What should we do then? It's not like we can leave," Muna said and Lamees shrugged.

"Yes we can't leave but we wouldn't give them the satisfaction by letting them get away with all of this, assuming we were in the right state of mind that day, we should've recorded the whole ordeal with the security guy but we were too shocked."

"We can start by recording everything that's happening, give updates to the people around the world, let's start by tell everyone what actually happened with Palestine from the beginning, let's show how our people are being massacred and inhumanely killed day by day. Let's do what we actually came here for!" Lamees said and Muna shook her head tiredly.

"I never planned we would be here for long, I don't know what I was thinking – I should have booked us flights back the day before the ceasefire would end. How would we do what we were meant to do? How do we show the world the truth when the media itself is corrupted?" Muna asked as her voiced rose n frustration, her breathing pattern was harsh and she had a hard glare on, she dropped her head and held it with her hands as she tried to control her raggedy breathing.

"Look Muna, I cannot say we have the solution to everything or the answers to everything, what I know is that we have to do something, we have to let the world know that the IDF is killing people unjustly and inhumanely – Muna, this is your homeland, and if you would end up dying for it, we should do it properly," Lamees said and Muna just shut her eyes, letting her words sink in.

"April is going crazy but she doesn't want to show it and that's why she's being extra clingy and friendly to Reem, she's only trying to socialize to escape the reality of the situation. And honestly I cannot blame her, but we have to do something Muna."

"I have done some research about the history of Palestine and I am ready to share with the world, we have to go to Khan Yunis tomorrow to get some footage and see the condition of the people there," Lamees said as she grabbed her tripod from the bedside table and fixed the stand while Muna's head jolted up at her words, her brows knitting into a narrowed form.

"What? Are you crazy?" Muna asked with widened eyes and Lamees raised one of her brows.

"Explosions happens there all the time, aren't you on social media?" Muna questioned with a look of disbelieved and Lamees threw her a pointed look.

"You're saying it as if Rafah is any better, four explosions happened last midnight Muna, four," Lamees said with emphasis and Muna was tongue tied.

"What difference does it make? Plus the people over there are likely to be ordered by the Israeli government to leave Khan Yunis for Rafah anyways so we have to see what the condition is like before they come over here."