safe at last

Nada wasn’t an exceptional woman, but she was exceptionally beautiful. Her Arabic name took you back to the first dews and gave you the feeling of an explosion of joy, changing your whole life like a victorious sunrise.

Walking to her school like always, she heard some unusual sounds and voices. Her feet quickly carried her into the school where she thought would be safe away from them. The children were already in the class. No bells rang as a signal to queue up and enter in an organized way, and a ghostly atmosphere was taking over the place. The faces were pale. As she passed them by, no one uttered a word. She ran up the stairs two steps at a time heading to her class. She tried to change the horrifying atmosphere.” Time for English,” she said with joy, but the kids were trembling in fear.

She tried to pull herself together for the children. Ignoring the life or death matter, her brain was looking for a way out of this mess. She took a minute to breathe. Then, as she was taking the pen out of her purse, a thundering sound roared forcing her to scream with her hands covering her ears and her eyes shut.

Her voice grew tender as she called the students to gather around her in the middle of the class lying between the desks where they might feel safe. Heavy explosions were roaring not far from them, with some shots coming from behind. Nada knew that something bad was about to happen. Fear was spreading like a plague and silence suddenly prevailed.

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star,” she whispered softly, raising her hands to imitate the twinkling star as a bullet almost hit her hands, narrowly missing them to hit the silent wall behind her. Shrieking shouts came from the children who were helpless around Nada. Nada held in her hands the tiny heads of the kids hugging them in an attempt to save what was left of their innocence. She asked each one of them to come closer and closer to the rear corner. A deafening blast hit the school. The screams of the kids made Nada’s heart sink into a helpless feeling. Alaa cried non-stop, and with the tears dropping from his eyes he said,” Mum must be scared now. She is all alone and she fears explosions.” Miss Nada drew a comforting smile on her face. “Don’t be scared, sweetie,” she said.” There is nothing in there. Your mum is safe and we will be safe to go back to our families soon.” Alaa hugged her tightly and soon he was asleep.

Ten minutes passed. Everything was quiet except for the hearts which were racing to get to a safe haven. She asked the students to stay at their places quietly. She stood up slowly and started walking leaning against the wall as a shelter. She opened the door to take a glance; smoke was covering everything at the school. She turned her face back insisting that the kids stay where they were and then she resumed her walking through the smoke. There, to the left of the library something had happened. Thinking about the children, Nada tried to overcome her deadly fear. She stepped out of the school to find out that half of it was destroyed. Nobody was in there. Wiping away her tears, she rushed outside looking for any living people. She saw a flash of light and then she heard footsteps. Someone shouted from behind,” Quickly! You must leave the town. It’s too dangerous. They are all around us and there is no coming back from here.” She went back inside, crying out for the children to get down. And soon they were on the way back to their homes with trusted company and she was in a strange car, dashing through terrifying fields with fire shots all around hoping to see her family again.

Five years passed. It was Spring. Nada walked to her school like always. However, today the kids’ laughter prevailed. Birds were flying freely high in the sky. A child ran toward her with a smile on his face. It was Muhamad. He hugged her very tight putting a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I am going to talk to Mummy today, my grandma told me that Mum said goodbye to Dad before he flew to heaven with the birds, and that she might be able to come back for me,” he said happily. Nada held his hand and together they entered the class. With the students gathering around her, she said, “We are going to draw a picture of peace today.”

She rushed out of school to reach the organization she was working with, as a volunteer in a social therapy program. Her hair was glittering like the sun rays with every blow of the wind. Miss Nada received a text message. To her surprise, it was from Alaa. It read:” Hello Miss. I am safe now along with Mum. Thank you for being there for me. One day, I will be back home to see you. How are you? Are you still fine?” Nada smiled with hope and texted him back,” I will be safe soon”

Nada was an exceptional woman as she knew all through her life that no matter how bad things can get, they will eventually pass. However, she needed to give each grief the right amount of time to strengthen her well-being as pain is a new resurrection for the phoenix within our souls. The phoenix shall rise again one day.