Cinderella? NO

Abdallah

I cannot jog in the palace anymore because no matter how vast the place is, it is suffocating. Ican't do it in Jumeira either because of too many eyes. I called Imran and he said I should go to Al Barsha, the area is quite, no traffic, no companies, no many shops just few schools and laundry services. Imran and  me  have almost the same  fate,  just that he's not a prince  (he'slucky).  Imran's  father  left  him  in  the  orphanage  for  10  years.  Imran  never  thought  he  had parents. When Imran asked his dad why he did that to him, the dad replied because he was broke and could not take care of two kids. The dad took care of Imran's sister, Ghadah and the mum. Since Imran's birth the mum got cancer and died when Imran was seven. He can't even remember her  face,  so he hates  his  dad for that.  Why  do male children  have  problem with  their  dads,  be  it  in  a  movie  or  in  reality?  Imran's  mum  was  Emirati  and  his  dad Egyptian. The dad used to be rich but went bankrupt and almost mad. I like Imran so much, we met at the weirdest place (at least for boys) and we became very close, more like brothers.He's the only person that understands me, after aunt Maryam and loves me for who I am, not for my crown or wealth. He tells me the truth no matter how bitter. Imran is the reason I am talking to my dad today and the reason I am living with my parents. There was a time I ended things with them and left. Imran made me ask for their forgiveness and also forgive them. I don't like talking about  bitter  things  when  I  talk  about  Imran,  but  what  to  do,  he's  always there even when my life is bitter.I found this solace in Al Barsha that comes naturally, so whenever I'm done with my jogging, I get coffee from the nearby coffee shops and reflect. There is this quite park or garden, and mostly there's no one in the morning so that makes the place perfect for my solitude zone. I sit  in  the  garden  and  reflect  on  everything;  my  life,  the  purpose  of  creation,  the responsibilities  that  lie  ahead  and  Muslims  in  trouble  and  wars.  As  time  went  on,  I  found myself addicted to that garden. Before I started visiting the garden, sometimes I even miss to be in the solitude zone I vowed to dive in everyday for at least 30 minutes. Now I wait for the dawn to see myself in that garden. It is not a beautiful place, it is somehow unkept with few slides  and  swings.  There's  nothing  extraordinary  about  that  place  but  there  is  this  air  that blows in the morning and an amazing solace that is unbearable. To me that place is home.The  same  man  the  same  folders  the  same  destination.  This  is  the  3rd time  I  am  seeing  this weird guy with folders entering father's chambers. I find him suspicious because he doesn't seem to know anyone in the palace but dad. Something is fishy and I need to find out. Three times in this month mum's doctor visited her but she tells me she's fine. Mum is ill, I feel it and I see it. She keeps denying and dad claims he doesn't know either. Mum and dad's relationship  is  funny.  They  live  in  the  same  room  but  one  can  die  without  the  other  one knowing. Their beds are separate and miles away, different bathrooms, different closets...in the same room! I don't think they hate each other but I am sure they do not like each other and  cannot  stand  each  other.  And  theirs  was  a  love  marriage!  They  had  6  kids  together  so what could possibly go wrong. I went straight to mum's room and met her on the phone. She seemed disturbed but when she caught my gaze she smiled and cut the phone. She kissed my hands  and  sat  next  to  me.  Without  beating  around  the  bush  I  asked  her  about  the  doctor's visits. She looked  terrified but assured me  everything will be  fine, without telling me  what was really wrong with her. I made a small prayer, kissed her and left. I love her so much. Ilooked at my watch, its 5pm but  I  cannot  wait  for  5am  to leave this place to my favourite place in Dubai. I missed my tahajjud and  I was almost late for  fajr prayer. I prayed, took my energy drink and took off. Wallah (by Allah) I cannot explain to you how this garden brings peace to my life. The smell is so good, its empty and green. I love poetry and make poems. I decided to visit  the  garden  in  the  evenings  for  poetry  writing.  My  first  visit  in  the  evening  was unbelievable, I saw stuff I had never seen in the garden. I saw people, so many people. The place was noisy and dirty. I remember the lovers kissing under a slide. Nannies with toddlers and  mummies  peeling  oranges  for  their  little  kids.  I  also  recall  the  sight  of  college  girls working on their school works while lying on the grass. I didn't even take five steps in the garden but left after that sight. I decided to write about the garden. So sad and lonely like families have never laughed in your shadeSo clean and tidy like they have never littered on youWhich one do you like more?Your solitude and tidiness or their noise and dirt?The garden I meet at dawn is entirely different from the one I met in the evening.
So fresh and green like they have never marched on you
So naïve and pure like lovers have not disvirgined youSo sad and lonely like families have never laughed in your shade
So clean and tidy like they have never littered on youWhich one do you like more?Your solitude and tidiness or their noise and dirt?
The garden I meet at dawn is entirely different from the one I met in the evening. I decided to stick  to  the  dawn  visit  and  forget going  in the  evenings. I  never thought  something that  is tortured  in  the  evenings  could  look  so  beautiful  again.  If  people could  be  like  gardens;wounded, littered, stabbed  but  look beautiful  again, the  world would  be a  better place.  But maybe the answer is because people litter, march and torture gardens and people later clean them. In our case(humans), people hurt us, stab us, wound us and leave us. Nobody would come back and pick up your pieces. Not even family. We are left with scars and wounds and pain. That is why we hurt others too. The one thing that I know would pick up your pieces and fix you is that supernatural being; Allah. He says "Call upon me; I will respond to you" and also says "whoever comes to me walking, I will go to him running". This is Allah. He's the only one that is going to fix us and help us overcome everything. The garden guard notified me to leave because they close the garden by 11pm.  I was about to leave when I heard sobs in the dark. I was scared for seconds but decided to check. It was agirl covered in black, her face buried in her laps. I  approached and asked what was wrong. She seemed startled and raised her head. I froze and she just stood up and left. I hurried home and  entered  my  duvet.  I  hear  about  jinns  and  even  read  about  them  but  I  had never encountered  one  until  that  night.  I  felt  really  ill  and  slept  like  a  baby.  I  woke  up  6am, knowing I missed the jama'a(congregational) prayer, so I just prayed in my room. I don't feel sick anymore but the phone call startled me. It was Imran."salam alaikum Abdallah, I thought you have left. How are you?""No. I don't think I am going today. I feel tired. What's up?""What is wrong with you. Dad said something, or mum? You are not fine. You are ill?""It's nothing to worry about Imran. I am just tired""Hold on I am coming"Imran  is the  dramatic  type,  in  few minutes  he's  in my  room.  "You  scared  the hell  out  me Abdul...  maa  ma'a  hatha  (what  is  the  meaning  of  this)?  You  look  fine,  but  you  sounded disturbed  and  what  would  make  you  not  go  to  Al  Barsha  today.  You  always go  there  to relieve  yourself  if  someone  disturbs  your  peace,  not  stay  at  home.  This  is  not  you...  ma alkhata (what is wrong)?" I kept staring at him, then decided to talk. "Imran...I think I saw something,  something  cra...scary"  he  looked  so  lost  and  curious  because  I  didn't  tell  him about going to the garden at night. I continued "yesterday I went to the garden at night, 9pm and I was there till 11pm. I heard sobs so I went to check. It was a girl, covered in black and she was black but her eyes were...what do they call it? Ermm 'glow in the dark'. And they had this intensity, light and intimidation in them..." I looked at him to see if he understood what I was saying "I froze and she stood up and left." Imran was quite for some minutes but then busted into laughter. He was laughing so hard that he had tears rolling down his cheeks. I  punched  him  and  forced  him  to  explain  his  amusement.  "Abdallah  what  took  you  to  adeserted place at night? I think whatever you saw there, possessed you, that's why you love the garden so much. Wallah it is so funny, so you saw a jinni. What if it was just some girl crying and she had  beautiful  eyes."  I  couldn't believe Imran. "Beautiful girl, really? 11pm. Crying. In all black. Her eyes Imran, they weren't normal. She can't be human. I feel so sick Imran."  He  started  laughing  again  "What  if  she  was  just  a  girl  that  lost  someone,  or  her boyfriend  dumped  her?".  I  couldn't  answer  his  stupid  questions. "Since  you  are  not  going anywhere, let's go on a date. Breakfast?" He asked. "Geez and I am not eating with you. You are annoying and corny" I replied. "okay let's go to the beach. Where we met." He winked "Nooo I hate beaches.  They  are  too haram.  So  many nudes."  I  pushed him  away.  "But our relationship started  there  and that time I  guess  you have forgotten how haram  it  was when you were roaming there." He teased. "I wasn't roaming there, I prayed in the mosque near the beach and  went  to Salt to  get  coffee. While  you  went to get....  ermmm  doughnut for your girl. Yea?"  I teased. He  laughed and clarified  "It  wasn't any  girl  Abdallah, it was Ghadah.She loves doughnut from Salt and loves kite beach. I frequent there with her." "Anyways, we can't go to the beach, it's too haram. I have an idea. Let's go to book world; Dubai mall?" I asked  "You  know  I am  not a  book person  Abdallah, and  there are  too  many  people  there. They  are  going  to  disturb  you  and  innocent  me."  He  complained.  We  decided  to  just  take breakfast in my room and  play  games  till  zuhr. We went to the  mosque,  took  lunch from arestaurant  nearby,  prayed  asr  and  came  back  home.  We  did  evening  adhkar  (supplications and remembrance of Allah), read Qur'an in my room till maghrib. We went to the mosque and I took him home from there.