Beyond The Pages || Halal KTH Book

39, our baby

Yashal's POV

A few days have passed since Ahmed's death, and Taemoor has been silent ever since. Everyone is saddened by Ahmed's passing, especially Khala, who cries a lot. It hurts me to see her crying like this. Taemoor didn't cry, but he didn't speak either. Which is more painful? Taemoor comes, works, and sleeps quietly with his head in my lap. He pretends to be normal, but I know he is in pain.

“Taemoor”

I saw him sitting there in a sad, silent state and said. He didn't turn around. It was nighttime, and the wind was blowing. I sat next to him and watched him. I placed my hand on his shoulder and pressed it. He swallowed and tried to drink away his emotions. I saw in the light of the moon that the corner of his eye was shining, probably because of the water.

“He died because of me.”

He sounds, his voice lower than a whisper and deeper than an ocean,

“ No, Taemoor, he didn't die because of you. He died for you.”

He turned and looked into my eyes as if he was asking a question or not understanding. I folded my hands and looked ahead. Taking a breath

“I have been watching you in pain for many days. I know I cannot end the pain, but I can end the cause of your pain. After that, I will leave it up to you to decide what to do.”

“About what?” He barely sounded.

“That is, whether you live in pain or in pride.” He turned his face away as if he didn't like what was said.

“At this moment, nothing you tell me can ease my pain and make me feel proud.”

“I didn't even come to ease your pain. I have come to change the cause of your pain.”

“ Yashal, leave me alone.”

“Let me say something, and then I will leave. It is your choice,” After a few moments, he didn't say anything, his face was ahead, his eyes were searching somewhere. I don't know what, but they were looking for something.

“How many times have you and Ahmed told each other that even if we die for this work, we will continue this work?”

Now he looked ahead, squinting, as if remembering how many times.

“Taemoor, you always sent him to work thinking that he would return after completing the work. It is not bad to think like that, but forgetting your promises that you guys had once kept, even to the point of giving your lives. You guys risked it already, then why?”

He remained silent and then took a deep breath. The warm breath that came out of his mouth as it traveled to my face was enough to tell me how much pain he was in. I really shouldn't leave him alone, but there was nothing I could do.

“....We had made promises, but neither of us wanted to die because we knew that if one of us died, this work would slow down.”

He remembers

“See, He let himself die so that you could live. Because if you are alive, the work will go on; otherwise, not.”

Taemoor's eyes filled with tears.

“Tsk…That's all, man, He won't be able to come back from crying, Taemoor. But he will suffer.” I took Taemoor's face in my hands and wiped away his tears.

“... I…. I can't tell you how badly he died. Yashal, I can't. He was beaten, and his body was at the door of my house, and he was in a very bad condition. He endured all this because of me. He endured all this because of__”