Tears under the sun | Chapter ~ IV Spirit of the Moth

The heat of the sun blazes the bare horizon, giving a very hot temperature inside the truck. My little brother Ahmed is complaining for the extreme sweltering. My mother gives him water to ease his discomfort. I wipe his face with my cotton handkerchief. I try to comfort him while my parent is discussing our departure and the time we will spend in traveling across the border of Turkey. Other passengers also are busy with their family.

As I comfort my brother, my mind still thinking of what happened yesterday, what if the rebels did not come, maybe we’re all dead, It is still vivid in my mind how they struck my father's back with their rifle, gripping hard my hair and spit us, I am afraid if the soldier hurt us again. I can’t let it happen once more. I will try my best; I shall protect my family, but how? I am too young. I wish I am tough, just like others, so that I can beat those evil soldiers spreading chaos in our place. Thinking again of my place, it is sad, I am not there to attend Khalid’s burial. I think about Khalid every night. I feel lost and I don’t know what to do, I am sadden that Remia and her family stay, and I have fear that I will not see her again. I am also hesitant about the idea of settling our life in Turkey. I am afraid, we could be strangers living in my father’s homeland.

We passed several places and traveled a week, until we reach Kafr Janneh. It is look normal here, no gunfire and rockets, completely opposites for the place I came from.

 

 

 

7:00 AM Turkish Airlines arrives in Gaziantep Oğuzeli International Airport. Haifa has a mixed feeling as she walks into the plane exit door heading to the airport building. The time seems so fast, Haifa rushes into the immigration officer counter and after, she takes her bag at the luggage area and proceeds to the scanner.

“Haifa!”A man waves to Haifa as she carries her bag, walking out from the exit door.

“Ayman!” “Thank you, you are here!” she cries and hugs the man.

“Don’t cry,” said Ayman, still comforting Haifa and holding her tight.

“Father will be happy to see you, you have grown too fast,” Ayman proudly praise her cousin Haifa as he put the entire luggage into his car.

The car left the airport. Haifa missed her family and she talks to Ayman about what happened.

“I am afraid Ayman," " I don’t have any idea what happened to them, I tried since last week, calling my mother but her phone is off the same with Baba."

“We even try this morning, we can’t call them, I think the bombing last week severely damaged the infrastructure of communication,” Ayman reiterates.

“That’s what I am thinking also, did uncle Hisham arrange the car going to Aleppo?” Haifa asks Ayman while opening her bag to get the mobile phone, it is ringing.

"Yes, he arranged it already," Ayman smiles to her cousin assuring her things are perfectly planned as she has wished.

“Hello John,” “I am ok, I am traveling now, I am heading to my uncle’s place, don’t worry I will be fine. Yeah I will call you tonight, bye!” Haifa cut the conversation after John’s voice faded.

“Who is that John?” Ayman asks Haifa.

“He is my American boyfriend, he just wanted to help me and he asks my situations right now, you know he cares a lot,” Haifa gives a glimpse to Ayman how her boyfriend cares in finding her parent.

“Did your father knows about him?” Ayman asks farther.

“No, not yet,” “But I am planning to tell him soon,” Haifa assured Ayman that she will deal with it later, the important things right now is to save her family from the chaos.

The car parks in front of the beautiful garden with abundance of trees surrounded the stunning Turkish Houses of his father families and relatives. All of them are waiting for Haifa’s arrival.

“Haifa, thanks God you are here,” A bristly man hugs Haifa with her wife and daughter. The family of Ayman welcome Haifa in their modest home.

“Thanks Uncle Hisham” as she cries as she missed them, she hugs Aya her cousin and her Aunt Asena.

“We missed you,” Aya holds Haifa whiles her parent and brother deeply touch for her gestures.

 

 

I am excited but somehow sad; we will cross the border tomorrow. My father already rented a car we will use in crossing the border.

“Mariam let’s go outside, let’s play.” Ahmed asks me to play but I am not in the mood.

“Ahmed, we will travel tomorrow, I think it is better you play your Portable Playstation,” “I am really tired today,” I open my bag and give him the Portable Playstation.

“Mariam, help me wash all of our used clothes,” my grandma asks me as she unload all dirty clothes from the bag.

“I will wash it all grandma, just take a rest, I knew you are tired.” I get all the dirty laundry and proceed to the bathroom.

The door opens and my parent arrives. My father informs us that we will leave tomorrow at 5:00 A.M, and approximately we will arrive in Turkey during noontime.

My grandma is excited and she prays, my mother hugs my brother telling him to take a shower, it is a week already he did not wash his body.

My father opens the plastic of food he bought, we settled the night with good food, decent place to sleep and a new hope to re-build our life in my father’s homeland.

 

 

 

“Haifa, careful, stop, don’t go there,” Hisham tells her niece not to cross the populated streets were some group of people protesting throwing stones to the Police Force.

“Uncle Hisham, I saw them there, my father drives that blue car heading to that street,” Haifa assures her uncle.

“But it is dangerous,” “you have to come back,” Hisham hold her hands but the moving protester dragged her into the center and it is difficult for Hisham to pulls her out.

Haifa becomes disoriented surrounded by different people, she cries, seems she will lost her breath. The intense atmosphere gives her fear of being trap in case the police will strikes using tear gas. Her body gets hurts as people picketing and advancing near to the police blockage.

Suddenly people retreat and spread sporadically as the police fired to the aggressive protesters.

Gunfire erupted, some fall, some trapped including Haifa, she can’t hold it anymore. She feels she will fall, it adds more fear when she realizes a rocket is heading to their location fires by the government forces from the upper part of the opposite building.

“God please, she cries,” “ No!” Haifa screams.

Loud explosions…blow the massive protesters.

As she opens her teary eyes, she can’t bear the sunlight. She heard the agony of people around her, they cry just like her, she feels her body mounted on the ground, she can’t move her body anymore, and she feels the blood flowing from her head, while the sun rays in the afternoon make her eyes completely blind.she remembers her sister Mariam, when they tried looking straight into the sunlight, those happy moments as they play together with Ahmed, she remember also her loving parent, and John, the person she really love. She heard the voice from the distance calling her name, it is his uncle Hisham and Ayman crying, they are rushing into her, her uncle holds her frail body. She chases her breath while looking into the sky, her tears under the sun flowing like a pouring rain.

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

Reviews

[Rhianne Ney]

What happened here? I was hoping to find something. But haha, sorry for reviewing on the last chapter. I just couldn't make myself move this hand and type reviews for the earlier review. Yes, it's filled with action and greatness, literally. Maybe a little descriptive pinch right here and then. Great job though, keep working wonders, dude

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Lol Thanks Rhianne :) I am working on it, I will post after an hour. Thanks for the reads.

[Rhianne Ney]

You're welcome, kababayan

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

:)

[Rhianne Ney]

:D

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Yan na, post ko na :)

[Rhianne Ney]

“Ayman!” “Thank you, you are here!” she cries and hugs the man. separate this one:
"Ayman!"
"Thank you, you are here."
- there is another dialogue separation in need here also.

Well, I'm not that great when it comes to tenses in grammar so I won't be able to place it here but nice chapter anyways

[Pax]

a long chapter with different scenes, i like it ~ i see you watch the news so much and can tell your side of the story... your progressing kabayan ~ keep it up! great chapter, quite intense and graphic in drama!

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks Pax, Yes I always research and watch news deeds internet, videos, TV CNN and BBC update with Syria Civil war, also raw video in youtube where I get my inspiration to write this story. Thanks for the reads.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

feeds pala lol :)

[Pax]

actually umi- iwas ako sa mga war stories ~ it's too much for me, pero mahilig sa horror...lol

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

lol ako naman mahilig ako sa mga ganitong genre, basta struggle kasi maka relate ako palagi. Horror pwedi rin gusto ko nga i short story ang full moon ko.

[Pax]

may isang libro na binabasa ko noon: True Philippine Ghost stories series, may isang kwento talaga doon na talagang natakot ako, kaya gustong gusto ko yun - pero for now, di na siya masyadong nakakatakot not like the first few issues...

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

I see, ako di ako masyado natatakot sa horror stories kung binabasa ko lang pero kung movie medyo takot ako especially gabi, lol.

[Pax]

mas maganda pag marami kayo nanunuod kasi fun ~ pag ikaw lng mag isa wag nlng LOL

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Oo may pinanoud ako yung "the resurrection" in off ko ang computer ko kasi ako lang mag-isa :) lol

[Leslie Philibert]

Another good write on the theme of how much people suffer in terrible situations..

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks Sir, I hope you will keep reading the next chapter, I am working on it. Thanks a lot.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

HI Thanks for the Reads, I welcome bad and good review, just be honest.

[Ency Bearis]

A remarkable chapter Marc. Don' forget to put in close in parenthesis - the line that starts - " I am afraid Ayman, ..............

Inyou last phrase with the line - she feels her body numb, she can't move her body anymore - let me re phrase this - she feels her body is numb - unable to move any more, ( the way you constructed it is redundancy - the logic - when you are numb of course your body can't move, so just continue as you described the person )

[Ency Bearis]

I'm sorry with typo error as above - I mean - In your last phrase with line .....

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks Sir Ency :) lol I am not aware bout, that thanks for pointing the error.

[Ency Bearis]

My pleasure, if something I can help, I can point out to you.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks Sir.

[Ravyne Hawke]

I love this chapter. I t is filled with lots of good descriptions and action. You still need to work on your grammar.. verb tenses and pronoun placements. Waiting for more.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

HI Lori can you send me where I made a mistake?

[Ravyne Hawke]

I can, but it may be a day or so before I send it.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Ok thanks.

[Ufi Auttorri ~ Amy C. T..]

...making progress

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks

[B-poet]

A great start towards a anticipated compelling nexted chapter. Great write. :)

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Hi Bpoet it is chapter 4 already :) thanks for the reads.

[Britt:)]

Nice job so far. cant wait to read more. :)

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Thanks Britt :)

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Blank again? Whew! Sayang naman.

[Pax]

yup, i think na huli mo na naman si marc and his invisible chapters... LOL
kulitan mode...

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Lol :) sandali lang heheh.

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Hehehe. Tawa mode ako na naman. Pax, joker ka na rin ha? Mana ka sa lola mo. I like it.!

read moreHehehe. Tawa mode ako na naman. Pax, joker ka na rin ha? Mana ka sa lola mo. I like it.!

Marc, asan na ang order namin dito? Antagal namang maluto. Hehehe.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Heheh sinusulat ko pa pa review ko sa inyo mamaya sa private message.

[Pax]

haha ~ ako nga nandito na ako ~ di ko pa nga nababasa yung second chapter ~

segoro napa hot ng chapter na to ~ ang tagal maluto eh ~ ingat lng marc baka mapaso ka sa pagmamadali~

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Oo nga eh :) gusto ko yung medyo makaiwas na sa syntax error pero ang english ko kasi poor talaga heheh.

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Pa-private-private ka na ngayon ha? Sosyal ka, Marc. Ako Public teacher lang, ikaw private messenger? Lol :)

[Pax]

hahaha ~ layo naman ng agwat ~ LOL ~

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

lol :)

[Daisie Vergara (Dhaye)]

Ito ang invisible chapter na maraming views. Oh, Marc, ganyan ka-excited ang readers sa chapter na to ha? Bilisan ang pagluluto. :)

[Pax]

hahaha ~ ok lagyan ko ng imaginary review ~

this invisible chapters seems to put us on edge ~ very engaging event will happen ~ I must say you put a lot of effort in making the climatic scene here, very dramatic!

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Hindi pa ito ang end Pax heheh magugulat ka sa story hehe.

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Oo nga Dhaye talagang may effort ang reader kahit wala pa hehehe