Beauty and the Bangles - An Islamic Thriller of Love & Mystery

21| Dear Gaza! (Love beyond Seas)

Unedited draft*

The gentle light of dawn entered the room, casting a tender gaze upon its occupant. However, she was not found nestled in the comfort of her bed; instead, she knelt on a soft prayer mat, her fingers brushing her chest, a flush on her cheeks.

Once more, an overwhelming sensation gripped her, as if the air had been mercilessly drawn from her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath.

The impact of the video she viewed the previous night lingered, disrupting her peace in bed. The haunting cries of innocent children echoed in her mind, casting a shadow over her sleep throughout the night.

She grew deeply ashamed to her very core for the ease with which she had been partaking in life's simple pleasures - eating, drinking, laughing, sleeping, and breathing; while Gaza was drenched in its own innocent blood.

Unable to contain more, she unfurled her legs and stood up from the mat to grab a pen and paper. 

Her lips quivered as her ink started to bleed onto the lap of paper: 

Dear Gaza!

With the wings of imagination, I soared towards your soil.

But as soon as my vision met with your land, a turbulent sea of crimson greeted me, a sight that tore at my heart.

The poignant and pungent smell confirmed that it was none other than blood.

Blood in all its possible tragic forms.

The blood of innocent children robbed of their laughter and play.

The blood of women, their beautiful smiles, and their longings for their future were cruelly extinguished.

The blood of men who should be dreaming of brighter tomorrows.

The blood of elders who should be witnessing the joy of their loved ones.

And even the blood of infants who've not yet stepped out in this harsh world.

Oh, Dear Gaza, that vivid, scarlet river told me stories of stolen innocence, shattered dreams, and unfulfilled wishes.

It cried out, narrating tales of oppression, transgression, brutality, and above all inhumanity.

The crimson tears of this blood spoke of the profound suffering and unfathomable cruelty that your inhabitants have gone through.

My poor heart couldn't bear the weight of it all, and a pool of tears blurred my vision.

My throat was choked with suffocation, so I averted my gaze to your skies, seeking solace.

But, even your skies echoed with cries.

Heart-wrenching cries of the injured.

Painful cries of those who have lost their loved ones and will never return.

Unable to contain this too, I tried to flee only to confront the rubble.

The rubble unveiled different stories of what they once were - towering buildings that had sheltered families, and served as hospitals, mosques, schools, and churches.

I covered my mouth to stifle my sobs, and my legs turned to jelly, immobilized by the grief and injustice.

I screamed to my surroundings, demanding answers.