Nomads

Chapter 1, Pt 7- Mahha

“I am sorry, sir. Your hair is longer now; it is hard to recognize you. Do not be afraid”, she said in Arabic, still growling like a monster, “I am using your gift to us as a translator, the jinn.”

“How are you doing it? Why are you letting that Jinn possess you? Where is Mahha?” He asked,
standing up and stepping back cautiously.

“Sir”, she growled, “Mahha is gone.”

“Wha... What do you mean?” Alsaqr said in bewilderment, afraid of the jinn. He knew what jinns could do once they are allowed control of one’s body.

“When she first used it, she was afraid that nothing would happen. She went to sleep, but still woke up before dawn to close the lid just like you had instructed her to. She was surprised o see all kinds of fresh fruits, and delicious looking cuisine that she had never seen before or even smelt...”, she paused and sighed, “She always used to tell me about that one night.”

Alsaqr was listening to her carefully; it was difficult to understand everything from such a deep and growly voice. “She was just sceptical”, he said after he finally processed everything in his unstable mind.
“Yes, but she was wrong. She was disappointed at herself for doubting you after you had done so much for us. She could not gather the courage to bid you farewell when you set sail off this island. She always regretted not doing that. But days passed by and she had to finally get over the fact that you were gone, and she turned to the jinn, ordering him for food and sometimes small amounts of money. Once, she found herself in a huge debt and ordered him for the money. The next day she was amazed to see two bags of gold coins, but later we received the news of stolen money bags from a foreign merchant, we knew it was the jinn and we were completely disheartened. She never asked him for anything big again.”

Alsaqr sat there, constantly thinking of Mahha. He tried to remember everything that he had come to know of Mahha in those six days, but nothing fell in place.”

“She wanted to meet her father.” The girl said after a long silence. Alsaqr’s eyes widened, now he understood it all. He immediately knew what had happened to Mahha.

“The only way to unite her with her father...” his voice trailed off.
“Was to drown her and remove her existence from the minds of people who were not close to her.
Father had drowned, and his soul had been eaten away by the mermaids. The jinn had told this, but she could not accept the fact that father had died such a terrible death. I am surprised that you still retain her memories, you must have been close to her.”

Alsaqr sat there silently, his mind started to calm down, but his heart started having an influx of confused emotions. He looked at the little kid, he felt sad for her. He had taken a liking for Mahha, he really liked her, but he could not cry. Three months had been long enough a term for him to get over his desire for love, or to love, Mahha.

“I hope I was.” He said and sighed, “What is your name?”
“Inka.” She said, “It means...”

“River”, Alsaqr said as he smiled softly at her, “How are you using it, the jinn?”

“He took a liking for me, he wouldn’t take over me or leave me either. He just... loves me, that is what he says. And I use his powers to help these villagers and earn money.”

Alsaqr laughed at that, “A jinn that loves kids, makes sense to me now. Stay alert though, you have a life too. Know when to let go, and how to let go. Call his name and recite this when you think that he is having too much influence on you.”

Alsaqr handed her a piece of paper with text written in simple Arabic and half expected the jinn to go on a rage and burn him, but Inka quietly accepted the paper, Alsaqr was relieved.

“Good bye and take care.” Alsaqr said as he got up to leave. The night was clear and starry. He walked along the shore and went to the empty beach where he had first seen Mahha.
He sat down, closed his eyes, took a deep breath and his mind cleared itself of all the moments of Mahha and the days spent with her, all that he knew about her and her sister, to lock them away in his Pandora of memories.

He had become a free bird, and his journey would continue no matter how many people he would meet or lose as he would walk. Everyone and everything is temporary, that is the one sole truth of life that he knew and he had set out on an adventure too collect all the truths of life. He took out his bamboo flute from his leather bag and began to play his emotions away, disguised in soft, sad melody.

He played and played, and there was no one to hear except the ocean in front of him, the stars in the night sky, the trees, the birds sleeping in them and the wind that played with his hair.
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