On the Other Side

Chapter 1: Syria

"When do you think Baba[1] will be coming to get us?" Najid asked sadly.

His mother, Maryam, let out a long sigh, "He's not coming my darling, that's why we're leaving tomorrow evening to go to him."

"But - I don't want to leave. I want to stay here, in my bed, in my house!" He whined as he brought the tattered blanket over him.

"It's not your house Najid," his sister Jawl stated, "technically it's Baba's."

"Children please!" Their mother shouted as she sat down on the mattress, "I know you're both upset that we have to leave, but you both know that we can't stay here anymore - it's not safe. Baba left to Europe to try and find us someplace safe and comfortable[2]. It's been a year now, and we've heard nothing from your father. Najid, you are still a young boy, I understand that but you must promise me that you will be strong for both your sister and I. Okay?"

Najid paused a moment to look around their bedroom - or rather, their entire home. He would miss what little they had. He would miss the door that creaked at night, the small stove where Jawl would make bread[3], the dull grey curtains covering the windows - he would even miss their worn out mattress. The one large mattress that he, Jawl and his mother had to share in the corner of the room by the heater.

It was late January, and the weather was not welcoming to them[4].

"Okay," Najid whispered.

Maryam smiled warmly at her son and kissed his forehead, "Do not worry, I have been saving up the money to leave for months now. Once we get to Germany, we will find Baba."

"Is he dead?" Jawl asked suddenly.

"No Jawl! Don't ever say that again! Your father is fine!"

"Then I don't want to see him," Jawl said with a scowl upon her face.

"How dare you-"

"Mama he left us!" Jawl shouted, "He left us and that forced you to work every day just to keep us safe! And then, that forced me to drop out of school and Najid to try to find work! Are you not in the least bit angry at him?!"

Najid slowly slid under his blanket in an attempt to block out the noise. Lifting the corner of it up, he watched as Jawl's black hair violently cut the air as she turned to face her mother. He had not seen her so angry before - his older sister was so angry in fact, that she had forgotten to cover her large birthmark sitting on her right cheek.

"Jawl," their mother said quietly, "You know how difficult it is to get out of here. You are a smart girl; you understand how troubling it's been for us. We've done everything the UN has asked of us, sending paperwork after paperwork and document after document but now we are at a dead end. Just applying for asylum and refugee status[5] has been difficult enough[6]. And you know, Jawl, that your father did not leave us, we have deemed it too dangerous to stay here. We want you two to have a good future, and a good future does not involve being afraid to go outside."[7]

Jawl's face crumpled under the weight of her mother's words, "I'm sorry Mama."

Her mother chuckled, "You are more like your father than you think, young one. Now, let's get some rest - tomorrow evening there'll be a truck that should take us to Turkey. We need all the rest we can get."

"Good night Mama, good night Najid..." Jawl mumbled grumpily.

Light snores could already be heard from Najid's general direction.

"Good night my children. Sleep well."

~

The house was silent until 1 o'clock in the afternoon the next day. It was a moment of silence for the home and country they would most likely never see again. Jawl made preparations of food and water whilst her mother and brother gathered their belongings in a large rucksack. Jawl made sure to pack her favourite book "Around the World in 80 Days." Time both slowed down and sped up for the family as if they were in some sort of alternate world where time no longer functioned properly. As the sun set along the horizon, the family was ready to depart.