I curled up, in my fathers arms, as he cradled me, stroking my hair off my forehead.
"I promise.. everything's gonna be ok.."
"මම පොරොන්දු වෙනවා ඒක හරි යයි කියලා."
He whispered, his voice was soft and exhausted. Eyes darkened as I looked up to them. Full of sorrow. I always wondered where mother went. Father told me that she was in a place high up, waiting for us. I didn't understand.. Why can't she come here with us?
My eyes were shut, surrounded by the warmth of my father, knowing that we were safe, for now. He looked out of the plane window, at the stars, the blue sky. The clouds were grey. Below it was pure blue, in the middle of the sea. His eyes were teary, his face stiff. His whole appearance was dreary, with the two year old child in his arms. Close to him. He told me not to worry, this was the last flight we were on. My father told me that he did not have enough money so snacks would have to be compromised. I remember the time back then where we could have treats without a worry.
My arms clung onto my father, as he hovered the blanket above me, holding me tight. Stroking my hair every second. I felt his tears drop on my head, although he did not make any noise. His face was straight.
I woke up, the daylight shining in my eyes. Along with the crowd chattering, as my father walked through the airport with me. I looked around, seeing green flags, with a white crescent and a star in the middle. I looked around, faces looked a little.. different. Than the ones in the country I used to live in.
He stopped, now sitting down on the airport seats, putting me on a chair too. He was smiling. Opening up the pizza box. I smiled too, taking a slice. "Thanks!! Appa!" we both ate, and I was relieved. Seeing my father finally smile. And not a fake one. Although we were really low on money. After we were done, finishing the whole thing, he lifted me up, now walking off.
Off to find taxi, he took his phone out, looking for people who needed roommates, were willing to share their house or at least a motel or apartment, where he can easily get a new job too. We were in a corner.. Away from all crowds. To the point no one could even hear us. So nothing would go wrong. So they could not find us.. Hopefully they wont find us. We moved from country to country.
We both heard footsteps, as I clung tight onto him, he looked around, walking backwards, trying to hide as much as he could.
Before masked people from behind jumped down, then grabbed him by his neck, falling down with him, their knees on his back. Dropping me, I stood up in shock.
"Appa..?"
He gasped, struggling for air, before yelling out.
"SON,.. RUN AWAY, RIGHT NOW!"
පුතා, දුවන්න, දැන්ම!
Zain paused, his heart pounding as one of them lunged at him. He barely dodged, watching the attacker hit the ground. Fueled by adrenaline, Zain ran and squeezed into a gap between bricks. Holding the kufi tightly which fell off his fathers head. From his hiding spot, he could still see his father—beaten, lying on the ground, and trampled. The sight burned into his mind, an unbearable image he knew would haunt him forever.
Zain covered his eyes as they blacked him out with one foot to his head, making his body ragdoll, as if it was lifeless. Before shoving him into a bag which somewhat looked like a bag of vegetables or normal rice. And not a human body. He collapsed, with the kufi still covering most of his torso, crying into it. "Appa.." He said, his voice was quiet, as he watched them take him away. Away from the crowd. Slowly now blacking out. He felt his body going numb, only his thoughts were conscious now, as slowly he sensed some light, although his eyes were closed, everything around him started to get warm and fuzzy...
His surroundings changed, as the laughter and banted of children slowly faded in, he opened his eyes, he was in a house. A very familiar house, he heard two familiar voices too, instantly crawling to them, following them into a room, he looked up, to his mother and father talking in Sinhala, content, safe and sound. Their attention diverted to him, as they both looked at him, smiling more. Although his mothers face was covered with a white glowing dot, but her hair was a mix between curly and straight, really fluffy... he could tell that she smiled more as he came in, his father carried him, putting him on his lap, stroking his hair. With each stroke, he got warmer, loosening up, closing his eyes, drifting away to sleep...
"Hey, wake up!!" "ارے اٹھو!!"
Yelling in Urdu, woke up him up, and shaking too. He looked up to the older kid, who looked down to him, then he looked to his side, looking even higher, to the face of the dog. He was still for some seconds, before leaning onto the dogs soft mane.
"..My name is Ayaan. And who are you?" "..میرا نام آیان ہے۔ اور تم کون ہو؟"
Zain blankly stared at him, not understanding a single thing he said. Ayaan would ask him again, getting a completely different response.
"Do you know where my Appa is..?" "ඔයා දන්නවද මගේ අප්පා කොහෙද කියලා..?"
Ayaan was completely silent, also not understanding a single thing he said. They were awkward for some seconds, until he noticed Zain tear up, his lips were quivering, as he started to cry. Realizing that he was far away from home. And mother and father are not here anymore. Ayaan, without hesitating, would lean in and hug him really tightly. Stroking his hair, which reminded him of his father, making him cry harder, grabbed onto Ayaan.
Ayaan just leaned back, comforting his new friend. As the dog leaned down to him, rubbing it's cheek against his, drying his tears. He wouldn't stop crying for hours.. remembering the good time he had back in Sri Lanka. Although it is pretty much in the same state as Pakistan, it's still his real home...
The sun sunk down, stars appeared one by one. Zain looking up, getting deja vu. Of the moment where they looked at the starts in the plane. Except his father was up there with mother too.. Or most likely, in the long process before being there.
Ayaan, after coming back, with three nuggets. He tossed one up for the dog Silvera, as she grabbed it with her mouth, chewing it down. He would eat one for himself, then he would look down to Zain, who looked up to Ayaan, his stomach grumbled too. Ayaan would put the last nugget in his palm. Zain would eat it, hey it actually tastes pretty good! Yeah those frozen nuggets, taste amazing. He would then lean against Ayaan's side, as Ayaan closed his eyes too, grabbing him and hugging him tightly, eventually, falling asleep. Outside, in a grassy spot which was between the roads.
