Last Page*
By:
Najwa Ra'ad
Hafez snatched his pen and began writing his
thoughts on a small notebook that treasured his
secrets and shared his moments of happiness and
sadness. The words were racing like ocean waves to
settle on the remaining empty pages. They were
dancing to the rhythm of the author's heartbeats,
aided by a cool breeze that entered through his
window.
Moonlight was landing on the window of the house of
Hafez's father hence, sneaking in like threads that
ended at that notebook, which mirrored the secrecy
of Hafez's survival.
The brunette young man wrote his last words coupled
with a smile that was mixed with tears of joy. It
read, "I present to you my Zahra a heart that beats
with your love." Suddenly he talked to himself: "Oh,
praise to be God, this is the last page."
He went to his bed and succumbed to a deep sleep.
Tomorrow is a new day that will begin the first page
of his new life.
On the next sunny morning, everything appeared to be
so calm except for the tree leaves that were gliding
left and right, playing a roman music that glorified
those rising temples of Baalbeck.
The alarm rang its annoying tone and Hafez woke up
quickly. Today was going to be a hard day. He had a
lot of issues. However, that day was going to be a
day of days because he was going to meet his beloved
girl whom he loved ever since he was a boy. They
both were going to buy an engagement ring because
Thursday was their engagement day.
His steps were light with his feet barely touching
the ground. He opened his wardrobe, donned his best
clothes and departed.
The sun shyly crossed half way in the sky of
Baalbeck, relaying its golden threads like someone
making a dress on top of the high school of Sayyed
Abbass al Mousawi.
Suheil and Ali strolled together on the playground
of the school like every morning. Suheil asked Ali:
"What is the time?"
Ali replied: "It is twenty to eight."
Suheil said: "Damn, a few minutes and the bell will
ring. I miss the summer vacation."
Ali wondered: "Man, you miss the summer during
summer vacation, imagine how you feel now."
As usual, Suheil strolled each day kicking anything
his legs might find. It was like someone revenging
from each stone that belonged to the school. While
he was in that situation, he noticed a brown ball.
At first, he did not recognize it. Suddenly, he
remembered the words of his teacher "Kamel" and his
lectures to the pupils. Perhaps it was one of the
"cluster bombs."
He approached and examined the object then looked at
Ali who wondered about his behavior. After that he
told him: "Look, do not touch it. This could be a
cluster bomb."
Ali was astonished and said: "I will call teacher
Kamil. Stay here and don't let anyone come near it."
Ali ran fast until he reached the principle's room
and said with extreme difficulty: "Teacher Kamil, we
found a bomb."
The teacher scowled at him and said: "Go Ali, I am
accustomed to your jokes…"
Ali replied: "Teacher, I am serious, I swear to
God."
After that, they rushed together like someone racing
time until they reached their destiny. They looked
at it and the teacher said: "Oh it is so. Well done
both of you. Do not touch it until I call for the
explosive expert. I thank God because it did not
explode and hurt any student."
Teacher Kamil phoned Hafez in order to come to
school. When Hafez apologized and said he was unable
to answer his call and go to school teacher Kamil
responded: "Please Hafez. This is something
important. I cannot tell you anything on the phone."
Hafez rushed towards the school. After a few minutes
he reached the play ground. He found teacher Kamil
with some students circling him and trying to
approach with their heedless curiosity while the
teacher kept yelling at them: "No one must approach.
Please, stay away."
Hafez penetrated the crowd of students and reached
near the teacher. He asked him what was going on.
Teacher Kamil was satisfied to point to that strange
ball. As soon as Hafez saw the object, he shook his
head and asked everyone to stay away.
Hafez was a professional deminer. His fingers were
accustomed to doing a unique jog. He handled the
strange ball and as soon as he started pulling the
detonator he realized that it tricked him like it
tricked people before him. It tricked children and
many more…
A few minutes of silence and tranquility passed. It
was a breathtaking view for all those surrounding
Hafez who noticed how the features of his face
gloomed with his eyes encompassing all of them. He
whispered some words and embraced the bomb.
Back home, everything was quite in that bedroom that
was vacant of Hafez. Zahra stood examining the
bedroom with all its details. She came nearer to the
bed, found a small notebook with a red rose, which
she presented to Hafez as a gift not very long ago.
She held the notebook and read those words. She
cried and laughed at the same time. She cried again
as she read: "To you my Zahra, my heart beats with
your love."
She closed the book like a last page of her life
that has yet to experience its prime and kissed it
as a dowry of hers.
*
Inspired by the story of martyr Hafez Khalil Abbass.
