The Farm, Eight
The packages filled the back of the Blazer through the rear window. I kept looking for Mall security people to come rushing in.
I opened Valerie’s door and handed her in and went around to the driver’s side.
“Please drive away very quickly!”
We are both startled as the voice from the back seat sounded urgent and frightened.
“Don’t look back, my brother will kill me!”
I started the engine. “Valerie, find out what the story is, will you?”
I paid attention to getting out of the parking lot when I saw three Arabic looking men peering into each car that drove past them.
I pointed to the blanket still in the front seat, “In back! Both! Cover up and don’t move, pull some packages down, now!”
I distracted attention by striking up a conversation with the men. “What’s going on? Someone kidnapped or something? Who is it?”
All the while I am creeping ahead, even nudging a bumper to get some room, then I saw suspicion in one of the guys eyes.
My options were limited with the twelve foot long trailer behind me, but I auto-locked both front doors and looked for a wide enough opening and lane out of the parking lot.
I finally found it and roared away.
“They caught me sneaking out to see an American boy, I let him kiss me, they saw, they will kill me! What can I do?”
Valerie had her arms around the weeping girl who was not dressed in the Muslim style.
“Can I take you home? Will your parents protect you?”
She wailed even louder, “No, my father will shoot me with a gun as soon as he sees me. I have dishonored him and the whole family; and all Muslims. I must die!”
“You have to do something, Sir.” Valerie whispered.
‘What is your name?”
“A’shadieeyah, Sir, what can I do?”
“Ashaa…what?”
“I am called, ‘shady’, sometimes…”
“Shady…do you want to live?”
“Well, sure I do!”
“Even if it means leaving your family and Islam, forever?”
Silence. But I felt the girls together, whispering.
“There is no other way, is there?”
“Not if they are really going to kill you. Ah, Shady, I have heard of, ‘honor killings,’ of young girls, is that what this is??
“Yes, Sir; exactly that.”
“The Police won’t help? People just can’t kill people in this country.”
“Muslims have great influence, the local people will not go against the Laws of Sharia, they will not interfere.”
“Ask Valerie if she thinks you can trust me…I guess you are coming with me, if you want to?”
Whispering…
“She is a female…she can not make decisions for herself, only a male can. It is her religion.”
“Where do you live? Is it possible for you to get some of your clothes and things?”
More whispering…
