On the Other Side

Chapter 4: Macedonia

In out in out in out in out, Jawl repeated to herself as she struggled to breathe.

They had been running for 10 minutes that felt more like an hour, hoping that they had lost the Macedonian border police. The rucksack kept slamming against her back as if trying to slow her down. Najid could see his sister struggling.

"I think we're okay to stop now!" He managed to gasp through his dried throat.

Relieved, everyone stopped, though panting and coughing. Najid felt sweat drip down his temples, making his eyes sting – but he didn't dare to make a sound. The group stared at the trees behind them anxiously, as if waiting for the police to pounce out of the trees in a renewed attack against them. They waited, motionless with bated breaths. After some time, Kareem broke the silence with a wail.

"Shhhh shhh! It's okay, it's okay, shhh I'm here my dear," Halima cooed at her son.

"That was close," Irfan spoke with wide eyes.

"Your hands!" Abal exclaimed as she neared her husband, "Does anyone have any spare cloth?!"

Halima rummaged her bag for one of Kareem's blankets.

"Take this."

"Are you sure-"

"Yes, yes please take it."

Abal sighed and beckoned her husband to sit down. Taking out a bottle of water she poured a trickle over his bleeding hands. His face scrunched up in pain, but he managed to keep his hands steady. As Najid came nearer, he could see open lines and dots of human flesh. The cuts were deep but if they were looked after then they would heal in due time. After wiping his wet hands on her clothes, Abal ripped Kareem's blanket in half and wrapped each of his hands.

"You need to rest, Irfan."

"No, no I'm fine. We need to keep moving."

"I can't let you do that to yourself, you've hurt your hands and you need to stop doing anything that could reopen those cuts."

"I am fine Abal, and I won't let my injury slow us down!"

"Fine, then – if you won't rest for your own wellbeing then think of the children! They have had to travel an entire day on foot, crossing a dangerous river that almost killed one of them, and then had to run away from the police! We are stopping here."

Irfan sighed in understanding and raised arms up in surrender, "Okay, we will spend the night here."

One by one, the group laid out their sleeping bags on the damp forest floor. The group huddled together, and for once it wasn't uncomfortable for Jawl. Back when they were in Turkey, which seemed a lifetime away, she remembered how they had to sleep outside the train station all together, and how intrusive it felt. Now, it felt like they were a family. Through the long train rides, Irfan would make jokes to make her and Najid laugh, Abal would tell them about the countries and places they went through, Halima would console them when they felt tired and homesick, and even little Kareem with his funny gurgling reminded her of Najid when he was a baby. With every step they took they were getting closer to their new life, and despite everything they had gone through and what was to come, it would surely be worth it. And on that thought alone, Jawl peacefully fell asleep.

~

"Let us through please!"

"Look what you've done - my daughter is crying!"

"...we haven't eaten in days-"

"Don't take us back to Greece!"

The group stared in horror as they watched the Macedonia police in the small town of Gevgelija holding back a crowd of refugees. Whilst the group huddled in the trees, the crowd was in the centre of a bridge that crossed over the Konska River – their only way into the town unless they wanted to swim across and drown. Slowly, the crowd turned around and began walking in the direction of the Greek border. Wails and shouts of desperation echoed amongst them, but the police weren't swayed. They had orders and they had to follow them. Soon, the multitude of people started disappearing from view, and eventually, even the sound of their voices died away.[45]