Under a foreign sky

The sun was setting over Gaza, painting the sky with shades of orange and red. The warm colors seemed a sad contrast to the cold reality surrounding Samir. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he looked out the window, his heart heavy. His hometown, his home, was slowly disappearing among the rubble and explosions. The sounds of war had become a constant part of his daily life, a relentless noise that never left him. But now, for the first time, his family was forced to flee.

“Samir, we need to move!” his mother called, her face tense and worried. The woman, with sunken eyes from exhaustion, tried to keep calm for her children. Samir stood slowly, his heart racing. He had never traveled far from Gaza, and the thought of leaving everything he knew terrified him.

“Where are we going?” he asked, his voice trembling.

“North, to a safe place,” his mother replied, hurriedly packing a canvas bag. “We need to reach the border before they close it.”

Samir felt the tension in the air. His two younger siblings, Omar and Leila, were nervously playing with their toys. They didn’t fully grasp the gravity of the situation, but their questioning glances mirrored the anxiety of the moment. Samir felt an enormous weight on his shoulders: how could he protect his family in such uncertain times?

As his mother continued to prepare the bags, Samir lingered on a small cabinet in the corner of the room. Inside was a picture of his happy family, smiling in front of their home. It was an image of normalcy, of carefree days filled with laughter and play. He couldn’t imagine leaving all of that behind.

“Samir, come on! We have to go!” his mother called again, her tone now more urgent.

“I’m coming,” he replied, and with one last look at his room, he joined his family. They stepped into the hallway, and the cool evening air hit them. The echoes of bombardments could be heard in the distance, but it was enough to quicken their pace.

As they walked, Samir was overwhelmed by a wave of emotions. The fear of what he was leaving behind mixed with the hope of finding a safer place. But where? And how would they manage? Thoughts raced in his mind. Each step seemed to bring them closer to the unknown.

Finally, they reached the checkpoint. The line of people stretched before them, a serpent of weary, anxious faces. Samir looked at his family and saw the signs of fear on his mother’s face and the anxiety in Omar’s and Leila’s eyes. “We need to stay together,” he said, trying to reassure them. But even he wasn’t sure what to expect.

The security personnel were checking documents with indifferent expressions as people passed through the gates with trembling hands. Samir felt small in the midst of that sea of worried faces, and his heart raced as it finally became their turn.

“Documents!” a soldier barked, his voice harsh. Samir’s mother handed over the paperwork, her hands visibly shaking.

After what felt like an eternity, the soldier nodded. “You can pass.” Samir felt a weight lift from his heart, but the joy was short-lived. The journey was only beginning.

They crossed the border and found themselves in a foreign country, surrounded by a language they didn’t understand and customs that were unfamiliar. The sight of green fields and distant homes felt surreal. Despite the new beauty around him, Samir couldn’t appreciate it. The nostalgia for his home weighed heavily on him.

They settled in a temporary shelter, a dull gray building. Inside, the air was thick with worry. Families huddled in corners, some crying, others embracing. Samir tried to push away his fears, but thoughts kept tormenting him. How would they survive in this new place? Would they ever be able to return home?

In the following days, Samir’s family tried to adapt. But the difficulties were many. Language barriers made communication almost impossible. His mother struggled to find work, while Samir and his siblings attempted to fit in at a new school. Each day felt like a battle against loneliness and anxiety.

One day, after school, Samir sat on a bench in the park near their new home. He watched the children playing and laughing, and a sense of inadequacy washed over him. He didn’t know anyone and felt he had no right to laugh or have fun. The war had robbed him of his childhood, and now, in a foreign land, he felt invisible.

But then, a group of boys approached him. “Hey!” one of them said with a friendly smile. “Want to play soccer?” Samir hesitated, but something inside him ignited.

“Sure,” he replied, his heart pounding. He joined them, and for the first time since fleeing, he felt a flicker of joy. The game helped him forget, if only for a moment, the anxieties that weighed on him.

In the days that followed, Samir began to make friends. The boys welcomed him into their group, and the fear of being an outsider faded. He started to feel like part of something larger. However, the reality of his situation never fully left him. Thoughts of war, of his destroyed home, and of the suffering of his people returned to haunt him during moments of solitude.

One evening, as he was about to go to bed, Samir received a message on WhatsApp. It was a video showing his hometown in ruins. Collapsed buildings, empty streets, and the desperate faces of his friends. Tears streamed down his face as he watched. He felt helpless, a heavy sense of guilt washing over him. Why had he been able to escape when others could not?

That night, he couldn’t sleep; thoughts raced through his mind. He longed to return, to embrace his home, but he knew it was impossible. The war continued to rage, and his future was shrouded in uncertainty.

In the following days, Samir threw himself into his studies. He immersed himself in books, determined to learn the language of his new country. He realized that every word he learned brought him closer to the possibility of building a new future. He wanted to be a voice for his people, for those who hadn’t been as fortunate to escape.

Over time, Samir began to dream of becoming a journalist. He wanted to tell the truth about the war, the suffering of his people, and the beauty of his culture. He aspired to be a bridge between two worlds, to share his story and that of many others.

Even though fear and anguish were always present, Samir found the strength to move forward. With the love of his family and the support of his new friends, he started to build a new life, always with his heart turned towards his home, hoping that one day he could return.

The journey away from his hometown turned out to be a challenge but also an opportunity. Samir understood that despite the difficulties, his spirit remained intact. And as the sun set in the foreign sky, a new day prepared to rise, bringing with it the promise of a new life.