The Gypsy At Sunrise

Prologue: Sunset

Prologue:

Sunset

Halayeb, Egypt 2001

I told my truthful friend a lie. What I did was right and no one will bleed by night. Covering myself with emote smiles, I thought the lie would subside….The Arabic song, In the End, my mother just sang for me kept playing in my head as I drifted off to sleep. I still didn’t know why she would sing this depressing song to me, an eight year old girl. The odd part was that I liked it; it was comforting in a weird way. I couldn’t explain why though—maybe I have demon in me. I smiled at how ridiculous that would be.

My family is faithfully Roman Catholic, even though there are very few of us and most of people here are Muslim. But we always go to the prayer services every Sunday at Aunt Hanna’s house. There are no churches here; Father told me that the government won’t allow it because we believe in Jesus. When I asked why, he told me not to worry about it yet. Anyway, I always said a prayer before I wake up in the morning, before eat my meals and even when I go to sleep. Then my mother would sing the same song every night before I entered into my blissful dreams. See, I am not possessed like the girl next door—her name was…oh yes, Naomi. I need to pray for her too.

All of my dreams are about a horse and a huge man with magnificent looking sword and a white crucifix over his garments. I loved him—he always played with me and would sing lovely songs I haven’t heard of before. I wondered who he was but I dare not ask because when I asked him once, he got angry with me. It is true—curiosity did kill the cat. Tonight’s dream was like the rest—he waited for me on the horse like my night and shining armor. I know I’m just a girl, but I fell in love with him—he was so handsome and brave. Stupid as I am, I asked him to marry me once too. He just smiled and kissed my cheek—I was so embarrassed after that, I couldn’t even look at him as he kept singing. I was not so embarrassed anymore because he doesn’t mention my stupid question after that.

He brought me onto his lap and sang a song for me as I smiled ear to ear, like always. He was a perfect gentleman, according to my standards. I loved him with all my heart, but I didn’t even know his name—so I decided to call him Joshua from on our third meeting. He’s been in my dreams as long as I can remember—it was so confusing of why I only dreamt of him and how he knows my name. Maybe it is because it was my dream. Other kids in my school always have different dreams every night—ever so rarely they would dream the same dream. Only sometimes, Joshua would talk to me, but that is the only change my dreams had. He would just sing and play with me. I don’t tell anyone about them—they would treat me like Naomi; lock me in my room and feed me from under the door.

Joshua suddenly stopped singing—his beautiful voice stopped in its tracks—and frowned and the entire lily meadow became silent. I looked at him, suddenly feeling anxious.

“Joshua, what is it?” I asked. He didn’t answer me—his face showed something I have never seen before. Hatred. I was scared; what was going on? I followed his gaze to the nearby forest. There was flame and smoke was canopying the sky—it smelled like my mother’s brunt turkey. I gasped and started to cry. Joshua wiped my tears with his fingers, and hugged me with all his strength. I felt like this was the last time I will ever see him again.

“Do not worry my Ella. I will always be with you. You must listen to me. The darkness is coming and it would be too late. But remember one thing and one thing only—promise me that you will.” He looked into my eyes, pleading. I nodded my heavy head, sobbing as I took deep breaths.

“Calm down, Ella. Listen to me—you must always believe that the sun may rise even though it may seem it never will. Always look at the East. Remember that Gabriella, please,” he said earnestly.I don’t understand what he was saying, but I nodded anyway. There was only one thing that mattered though.