Page 8 - Issue 41

ELITE Vol.1, Issue 41, March 2022

He wrapped his cloak around him and his turban on
his head, lit his lighter, and left his room.
He walked around the cemetery, for which he had
worked as a guard, from one end to another.
He lay on the ground and put his ears over the grave
of this woman, but he did not hear anything.
He whispered to himself: Maybe it’s the spirit of a

dead one.
He remembered his grandmother who told stories to
the village’s children about spirits.
He thought a little to himself and said: Or maybe it’s
the grave’s torment for one of the dead who has
infringed upon the rights of others, lost themselves
in sins, strayed from the right path in his life and
shall be wretched in the end.
And here is the sound again, but this time it seems The old lady approached him, patted his shoulder
further. and gave him the child saying: Would you say the
He walked apprehensively out of the cemetery, blessings (Islamic call to Prayers) in her ear?
searching for the sound, following its direction. He took her, held her lightly and looked at her for
The whimpering and screaming getting higher. long in astonishment.

He said to himself: Maybe it’s an ill woman And said: she is moving her hands and her feet…
suffering from pain just like my mother did… and her head too!
So he walked faster… Perhaps he could save her. The woman looked at him in wonder: It seems that
Finally, he found its source, there, from the room of you haven’t held newborns before.
a cemetery’s guard on the further road. He replied: I only carry the dead who don’t
As he got closer to the cemetery… the whimpering move… wrapped in white cloth and can’t look
stopped… And instead there was noise and more around… nor are they aware of their surroundings.
movement. And then he started whispering the blessings
He said to himself: Maybe this room is haunted. (Islamic Call to Prayers) in the baby’s ears while
His breathing got louder... and his limbs trembled… staring at her. And when he was done he asked the
And then he heard a child’s cry. woman: Why was she crying before?
He became still and said: Oh my… maybe a child is She said: she wasn’t crying she was singing the
crying for the loss of his mother. song of life.
Amid his confusion and while he turned to return to And when he told her about what happened to his
his room, The door was opened, An old woman mother and about his dreams.
came out holding a white wrapping. She said, “My son, the pain of labor may be
She greeted him, smiled and said: Our apologies, my similar to the throes of death, and between them
daughter in law had a difficult delivery. there is life.

She gave birth to a girl and we called her Maysara. And from the cry of birth to the wailing after
She added with happiness glittering in her eyes: Here death… life passes…
comes Maysara, A new life has begun manifesting And between sorrow and happiness is the meaning
God’s miracle. of life…
The young man is still speechless, bewildered by the
situation.

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