The Light At The Very End Of The Tunnel

Conflicting Hearts

Menna
It's really funny how things can take a complete one eighty degree. To change so completely. I wasn't alone anymore. I had Firas. And with every passing moment. My trust in him was getting deeper and deeper. I found myself looking out for his presence. For his voice. Or even his footsteps walking towards me. Almost as though he understood my predicament, he hardly ever left my side. Perhaps he thought Adila would attack me again. She pretended I didn't exist each time we came into contact. And I avoided Father like the plague. Firas had some business to do in town. And when he asked me to come with him, My theory turned into fact. He was scared of leaving me in the house with his grandmother and father. I was so giddy and excited by the prospect of going out with Firas. And when he opened my side of the door and asked me to hop in. I almost did hop in. It was a cool evening and as though on cue, I saw the windows slide down. It was thrilling. I was on a joy ride with Firas. It felt so surreal.

'Where are we going' I asked sticking my head outside a bit.

'To a friend's widow' He said. I noticed he was tensed.

'What happened?' I asked not wanting to know the answer.

'Her husband. Khalid. He died. And I got shot' He said forcing his voice to be steady but failing woefully. I could tell he meant a lot to him. This Khalid person.

'I'm so sorry Firas' I said. Hoping my words would give him some comfort no matter how little. He was steering the wheel mostly with his left hand. His right rested on the gear. I closed my hand over the latter and he flinched. I seem to have caught him unawares. He didn't say anything. He simply took my hand and held it tight. He didn't let go until we slowed down into a small district. The houses were packed together in rows. Small but neat. It was almost night time when Firas got out and opened the door for me. We walked up to the third house and he knocked gently on the front door. There was some shuffling inside and then the door swung open. A woman. A young woman not much older than I was stepped outside. She was pretty but seemed very weary. Tired. She was thin. Too thin. Her eyes looked blank. Almost as though she had no slither of hope left in her. And she looked unkempt. He clothes wrinkled and stained in several places.

'Yes' She said looking at Firas then me.

'Peace be upon you. My name is Firas. And this is my wife Menna. Is it okay if we came in.' Firas said

'You a soldier' She stated.

'Yes ma'am' Firas replied.

'Come on in' She said turning and we went after her. The place was upside down. It looked as though she had stopped bothering to clean after herself. Empty bottles and cans of frizzy drinks was strewn everywhere. Bits of paper and plates of food gone dry littered the little square of floor that wasn't covered with all sorts of dirt. She pushed off a wad of clothes from the only other sofa apart from the one she was going to sit on and offered us a seat. Firas looked lost. And his tongue seemed to have been glued to the roof of his mouth. He couldn't say anything. But the woman, whatever her name was didn't seem bothered at all.

'We came to offer our respect.' I said trying to defuse the tension.
'We would have come sooner but, Firas has been ill. I cannot imagine what you must be going through right now. But I pray your hurt stops. I pray you find peace of mind. I pray that you find happiness again.' I said trying my best to convey the sadness I felt for her.

Without warning she burst out laughing. It humorless. Bitter and terrifying. Laughter spilled from her mouth but her eyes stayed cold. Firas and I stared at her in confusion.

'Oh you two look so cute together. So cute it's nauseating. I don't want your pity.' She said her laughing face abruptly changing to a serious expression so quickly it was rather alarming.