Ikram (English version)

Ikram

The elder leant as much as she could to grab the cell phone that was still lying on the nightstand.
She unlocked it in a mechanical gesture.

Her trembling finger pressed down on a green and white icon, and she placed the device next to her more sensitive ear.
A low and soft voice rose from the receiver, wavering. The man at the other end of the line was talking in Arabic, his tongue rolling and singing the words, and cradling the woman with crystal clear eyes.
"Hi, mum! Uh... It's me, Ikram! I'm just calling to tell you..."
A detonation resonated in the handset. The old woman had already moved the small object aside from her head and put it back in place fast as if she wanted to drink her son's voice.
"Listen, we're kinda on patrol today and yeah, I have to go, but I know how much you worry about me. So I decided... I mean. Marwan sort of made me do it but... That's a good idea, I think. I'm gonna talk you through our day, just like that, live-action! I wish you could talk back to me because I could've answered your questions.
Anyway, I'll give you all the details, alright?"

With a smile tasting like tears, she pressed on the speaker button and put the phone down on her pillow. She closed her eyes, soothed by the familiar voice.

"So uh... today, we're November, 15t 2017. It's 1200 and I'm taking my place in the bomb squad number R2.R as in Raqqa and 2 for... well, second company. First one just ended their patrol.
We just got a call from a civilian, he is hesitant about going home because his building was an ISIS HQ for a bit. We have to check if there is nothing dangerous for him or his family.
Don't worry, everything is going to be just fine for me. I've been trained by the best, you know?"
Oh yes, she knew... Ikram had been one of the few to be selected to get into the American formation that was given in the country. He had devoted all the time he was no longer studying to intensive training in mine clearance.
Her mother's heart clenched at the thought of her son's speech when he had admitted his choice to her. She knew it, he would now risk his life every day, to save hundreds.
"So.... Okay wait a sec, I'm getting in the van..."
The voice was gone for a few seconds. The background hustle and bustle sneaked into the mum's thoughts, a mix of yelled orders and sand-filled wind, so tightly linked to the war.
This damn war, destroying day after day Syrians lives, destroying their houses, wiping out families, shattering their hopes.
And his son volunteered to find a way forward. With peace, to fight hatred. Pride was drowning her heart as the voice started its chatting again.
"There we go! So, with the guys, we're going to Al-Qouatli street, right next to Al-Nuri's mosque. Hey, guys, say hello to my mother!"
A few laughs and salutations headed her way. She muttered an answer to her son's friends. She just wanted to scream at them not to go, she just wanted to beg them to just quit the mission, she just wanted... but she couldn't. Not anymore. Tears filled her summer sky blue eyes.
"We'll be there in five, it's not really that far. What can I tell you in the meantime? Uh..."
Oh, she knew what she wanted to hear. Just an "I love you". Just once. But he wasn't thinking about it. He didn't understand that all she wanted from him at that moment was love, not technical details about his mission.
"Yeah, I know! We could present to you our stuff? Marwan, you start! Come on men, you're squad leader, of course, you start!"
With a snort, another voice, deeper, rose through the phone
"Kay, hello ma'am! so. We all obviously have our bulletproof vest and our ultimate protection cap! It would be cool if it could even just protect us from the sun, but hey. Let's not ask too much, alright?" he scoffed "And then we all have some box cutter, sharpened every day because you don't want to have a problem with your only tool, am I right? And yeah, sure, I was forgetting, of course, Gabriel has his articulated arm or something"
"Hey, face it, man, you're just jealous! It's not just some random articulated arm! It's my mega-ass-kicking-mine-defusing device, alright? Watch your mouth Marwan!
And you even managed to forget to the most important part, I always have my cross and medal on me. You guys have a Koran, right?"