An Adventure in Marrakesh

"Are you ready Mira ?"

"I'm scared."

"You're ready"

She closed her eyes and held his hand as a symbol of hope.

"On my count then," the boy whispered.

Three. Two. AND.

One.

The lights to Marrakesh died and led to an uproar from the streets below. Hawkers and street peddlers dismayed at the potential loss of customers. Above them, galloping across the red asphalt, Munir and Mira jumped over two succinctly separated rooftops and stuck their first landing rather flimsily.

There was no time to waste. The lights would be back in exactly seven minutes, a calculation undertaken by Munir after mapping the path of the city guards from the outpost on the outskirts of the city, to the main power generators, hidden so carefully, camouflaged as just another run-down building in Marrakesh.

Seven minutes of pure adrenaline.

They moved with pace across the skyline of plenty a curious dweller, each merely passing a shocked glance and some a rebellious, "Are you both crazy ?" spoken in fluent Arabic, that Munir simply responded to with a quick smile.

They jumped across ten more buildings, as they finally approached the famous Market Square in the center of the city.

"Are you having fun ?" he asked looking at her ever so quickly, but their pace didn't assent him the luxury of holding long enough for a response. He hoped she felt as free and alive as he did at that moment. He deduced that there was a similar feeling burning deep inside the soul of his best friend.

They'd rehearsed this a couple of times, during the dying hours of day, when the dwellers reluctantly headed home to sleep. Of course, they didn't have to contend with the complete darkness as they were right now. This was unchartered territory.

The tents below were held upright by hard fastened bamboo, sufficient to bear the weight of two leaping adolescents.

"Oi, who's that up there ?" came the familiar voice of Mr. Khalid, as both tiptoed with the glory of a pair of gazelles across the cityscape. The wind was cool but not entirely, as the air from the desert hung like a residue, making sure the passing of the torch from day to night, was not entirely made without any company. Marrakesh in darkness. A sight to behold.

As chaos ensued below, Munir and Mira streaked past a few more confused souls, all looking up at the shadowy figures making their way past. The moon was enjoying the scene so much that he illuminated the scene with his bright white light, allowing those who had gathered out on their rooftops to witness the boy and the girl on their adventure.

"This is fun," said Mira turning towards Munir, who had now leaped onto a higher ledge, and was ushering her up, now aware that the entire city was suspicious that somebody was up to something.

"We've got five minutes," said Munir hoisting her up, as they broke into a run again, the mountains in sight ahead.

"Mama is going to be so mad at me." said Mira with a hint of worry and a lot more of "I'll deal with it later."

They soon made it to their first checkpoint. Hotel Marafoos. A ten storied four-star hotel in the middle of the dusty streets of the city. This would be fun.

"You first," said Munir stepping aside.

Mira looked at him for a second and then smiled. "Suit yourself"

She stepped onto the ledge, completely missed by the aloof security guards below, as she raised her left hand to grab hold of the window sill up above her.

Then came her calloused right hand. Bruised and battered from the plethora of household chores she undertook on a daily basis. If there was one thing she was certain of, it was that no matter where life took her from here, the night would live in her soul till the day she departed.

"Come on, Mir" whispered Munir urgently from below. "We'll be seen soon"

Mira hoisted herself up onto the ledge of the first floor, staring into the darkroom of an evidently messy hotel guest. The belongings lay scattered everywhere. "Must be a foreigner" she said to herself, thinking there was no way a Moroccan would be the occupant of such a room.

Munir waited.

She jumped up and reached the second-floor window, her hands holding on the surface by the breadth of her small hands. She had plenty of gusto in her though, as she raised herself up again, now the proud owner of one of the best views in Marrakesh. She turned around and looked at it all.

A city plunged in darkness. That would soon be remedied by the incoming guards.

She looked down and signaled to her partner to join her on her escapade.

He obliged, looking around to see if the careless guard indeed was looking elsewhere, and then making the jump up onto the first-floor window.

Soon, the two were climbing up the tall building, akin to Spiderman, as their palatable appetite for adventure doused the looming fear of death below. As a minute passed, they were almost up on the rooftop of the couple hundred feet high building.

The moon smiled from above. Not very often a play of this scale was put on for his viewing delight. He'd illuminate them for a little longer.

Their hearts beat to the tune of an impatient drummer, as they both looked at each other and smiled again.

"On towards Checkpoint Two," said Munir signaling ahead with his head.

Mira took a gulp to quell her parched throat. She nodded closing her eyes.

"I'll go first," said Munir breaking into a light jog and then a sprint. The ledge lay a couple of feet ahead. He closed his eyes and jumped, as Mira watched on with the privilege of an onlooker who had time stand still for a few seconds. She prayed that he'd make it.

Munir prayed too. He wasn't sure how firm his hands would hold.

His crisp fingers stuck on the velvet carpet.

Welcome to Majoola's Inn and Bar.

The Rooftop was packed with guests that night who were conversing in hushed whispers when the outline of a figure climbing up onto the floor sent everyone into a frenzy.

Munir turned around and beckoned Mira to follow, who had made it to the ledge of the Hotel roof and was looking down, hoping to find her adventure mate alive and very much kicking.

She smiled as their eyes met.

Okay.

She took about ten steps back and proceeded to gallop into what would be the most important jump of her life. Miss, and it's concrete and asphalt that you say hello to. Make it, well then your adventure continues through the city of Marrakesh.

Of course, she made it. There was no upheaval involved this time around. Mira was athletic and steady. They waded their way past the suited strangers and silk robe-clad women, towards the pool a floor below.

A quick sidestep to surpass a waiter holding a platter of cocktails for undoubtedly a rich sheik or two.

They were beyond him before he could turn around and yell out a curse in Arabic.

The pool felt icy cold.

A minute left.

"Almost there" whispered Munir more to himself than anyone else, as he swam to the steps of the pool and hurried past an old man who was watching with the hint of keen voyeurism, undoubtedly the best part of his darkness infested evening.

The mountain was about a hundred meters away.

There's forty seconds left.

"Hurry," said Munir urging Mira as he glanced at his wristwatch and smiled to himself. This would be worth it. He thought. He'd get about five seconds of uninterrupted time.

From the pool top area on the first floor to the muddy patch of road leading up a few coconut trees, they reached the plains with twenty seconds to go.

"Here," said Munir laying down a carpet that he'd carefully hidden behind a bush, when he'd made the arrangements the previous night.

Mira was too adrenaline-infused to notice.

She sat down and breathed hard and fast.

In front, Marrakesh engulfed in darkness.

What a sight.

Fifteen seconds to go.

It was worth it. So worth it. Munir was busy preparing a glass each of fountain soda.

"Here," he said handing her a glass of Coca Cola.

Nine seconds to go.

"I had an amazing time, Munir," she said looking out over the vast landscape in front of her. The outline of the city almost ready to be illuminated back to life. "Thank you"

"The pleasure was mine"

Five. Four...

"Mira, I..."

"Yes ?"

Three...

"Would you like to be my girlfriend by any chance ?"

Two...

A turn of the head. A momentary startle. And then, a quick nod of the head.

"Yep, I'd very much like that"

One.

The city of Marrakesh lit up in front of their eyes, as Munir held her hand, and drew her in closer, the moon watching from above, on his feet, applauding the dazzling spectacle.