Hope. Together. Forever.

Refugee Camp:

✫✫✫

Forty Seven years ago...

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

Talia?

Where are you?

I...

Are you hiding?

Talia?

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

It was another day

in this camp

it was my turn

to carry the empty pail

and return it 

into a 

bucket of water.

It was a hot day,

the sun,

shining its hot rays at me,

another day

of work,

misery,

yet hope

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

"Hey, Kal?

Do you know where Talia went?

No, you don't?"

 I better go ask her mother

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

I was with some other girls

studying in the same grade

as me.

They were my classmates

and I would always go

with them.

Mother was taking care

of Loli

she was sick

had a disease.

I hope father is ok

 in heaven

I hope that he is seeing all the distressing things

that has happened to us

hopefully

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

"Aunty Saira?"

Oh no, is that Loli?

Laying there?

She looked so sick

I need to do something

Aunty Saira cannot do all the work

by herself!

Maybe Talia is out

to fetch the bucket of water

like how all girls do

early morning

every day

"Can I help?"

I ask her

and she nods her head,

gracefully

I bend down

and sit in the tent 

to help her get the medicines 

little Loli needs

I hear her cry

"Oh Aunty, why?"

She pats my head

and says she is proud of me

then I smile

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

My shoulder hurts

and so do my hands

They look wrinkled and crinkled

All sore and dry

some fingers are swollen

my palms are weak

I don't feel good

but I just

have to keep 

going

Loli needs me

and this water

Mother needs me

she needs to feed Loli

and herself

Mother must be tired

I must keep going on

I have to keep trying

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

"Aunty Saira?"

She looks up

"I can go and buy

some medicines

for Loli"

She looks at me empathetically

"I have money

I can go

if you let me

If you want me to stay

I will

Aunty Saira"

She kisses me on the forehead

and gives me the money

I first refuse

but she insists

I smile

and kiss her back

Aunty Saira

is like my own mother

If I ever saw my mother

I wanted to be just like her

She makes me feel

happy

like I needed.

I stand up

hold the money tight in my hands

and go

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

Me and the other girls

were finally done

the river is a long way

to camp

we all talk

and share rumors

and gossips

in the small neighborhood

we live in

We talk about our lives

before we got captured in the war

talk about how our lives changed

drastically

dramatically.

After many miles of walking

I finally see

small hints

of the camp

I see the tents

and the children

the boys playing

we were almost done

with our daily chore

I could see Mezuk today

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

Holding the money tight

in my sweaty grip

I walk to my uncle

hoping he would have

some homemade recipes

Giving money to him

was my small token

of appreciation 

and love

Still wondering about Loli and Talia

still meandering here and there

I see 

in a long-distance

Talia

and the girls

I get a little happy

inside

I squeal with excitement

but not getting distracted

I buy the small pack

of the

homemade medicine 

Stuffing it

in a small purse, I made

 I go to Aunty Saira 

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

My arms feel so much pain

as if all the bones broken

Ugh!

I feel like I cannot hold it anymore

But I think about Loli

My mother

About my family

About my father

I think about how proud he must be

Me being in charge of the family

I trudge on

with the others

full of hope

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

She has come

Talia.

I give the medicine 

to Aunty Saira

and she thanks me

I nod my head

I wait inside their tent

hoping

Talia would come

inside

and see me

Oh how long it has been

since I saw her

I have to teach

my heart 

to not miss her

when she's gone for an hour

alas

this is love

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

To my surprise

I see him

so handsome

just as he was before

He cares

about mother

about Loli

I hear my mother say

that he has been helping her

I knew

right then and there

that we were going to be together

forever

I hope

𝗠𝗲𝘇𝘂𝗸:

I was so happy to see her face

How her copper face

was beautiful

Her long silky hair

so smooth

and amazing

Then

suddenly

I say something

I probably shouldn't have said

"Aunty Saira?"

I ask

and she looks up

"I...I love Talia."

Aunty Saira looks at me

at first

I think she's mad

Then she looks at Talia

I hope. 

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮:

I couldn't believe what he had said.

He loves me?

What would mother think?

She looks me

Sadly

but then

she broke a smile

She trudged Mezuk's and my hand

and made us promise

that we would be together

forever

She laughed

and kissed us both

and said

she would be glad 

to arrange a marriage for us

I hugged my mother

I look at Loli

I see her opening her eyes

Quickly,

I placed my hand on her forehead

"She's ok! Her temperature dropped. Mezuk's uncle...his remedy worked mother!"

We both hugged him

and he hugged us back.

Just as I hoped,

everything had turned out

✫✫✫

Present...

"Talia?" she hears Mezuk call.

"Yes?" she responds.

"Little Loli wants to play with us. I told her grandmother was busy. But just like your sister, our grandchild is a little impatient." he chuckled.

"Haha. Come, let us play with our grandchild. She looks exactly like my sister. The same face, the same sweet voice—"

"But her beauty comes from you."

"Ha! Thank you Mezuk. Now, let us see where our Little Loli is!"

~The End~