Saturday 13/3/2010
By Mariyah I bent down and clasped a handful of earth. It was warm and tingled my skin delightfully. I had trodden this path to the sea on so many occasions during my time in this small town, I was surprised my footprints hadn’t become permanent impressions in the ground. I watched the grains of loose [...]
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by Abufares Time stood still when Yasmina and Amar came into the pub and walked straight to their table. They literally passed through us as if we were invisible. I caught Amar’s attention for a split second before she shifted her focus away from me. I almost jumped off my stool to kiss her a thousand [...]
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By Mariyah Houssam took the slap as though he knew he deserved it. Yasmina glared at him, daring him to object. He opened his arms, tears tumbling from his brown eyes, and softly said, “Souma, I’m sorry. Sit down, please, and I will explain everything.” “Why should I care about your explanations?” She hissed. “Look in my eyes, [...]
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by Abufares A bat out of hell, Yazan drove southbound toward the Lebanese border. His face was faintly illuminated by the dying dusk of the long summer day as he made one phone call after another. He spoke cryptically and in bursts. A certain man was to meet us at the Arida¹ checkpoint to expedite our [...]
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As the expressway threw itself into the arms of Beirut’s skyline I found it both welcoming and foreboding. That may have been more due to my state of mind, but I’m not sure. I didn’t remember much of the ride before then. I was lost in thought and so was Yasmina. We simply held hands [...]
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by Abufares I detected panic in Amar’s tears and pulled her closer. The impact of her eminent departure must have finally sunk in. Although I have disguised my pain under a blithe mask of self-composure my malady was probably contagious. “Amar my love, please don’t worry about what’s in store for us. Now that we’ve found each [...]
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By Mariyah I sat uneasily at the table in Yasmina’s apartment. She fidgeted with the glassware in the kitchen, aligning it and realigning it. Her hands trembled as she moved each glass. She seemed so frail, more so than she ever had before. It seemed to me, knowing that Houssam was alive proved more difficult for [...]
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by Abufares Amar asked me to switch off the air conditioning and leave the window open. Around three in the morning the moon sneaked below the edge of the veranda’s canopy cascading silver into the room. A wave collapsed and sighed on the breakwater. Somewhere near, an unfettered shutter yawned reluctantly with a faint squeak. The [...]
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By Mariyah As she sat down at the table in Youssef’s apartment, I noticed Yasmina’s lower lip quiver. I realized then, just how difficult the evening may be. For most of the early evening, Youssef and I enjoyed our time together preparing for Yazan’s and Yasmina’s arrival. In our frivolity we had managed to distance our [...]
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by Abufares August around the Mediterranean is oppressively hot but nowhere more so than in Damascus where it is scorching and dry. For Amar and me, however, the lingering memories from the night before would make her our city forever. Once we left her behind we kissed, held hands and touched, quietly effacing the passage of [...]
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The story of my return to Syria after living in Canada for 20 years. Includes observations, reflections, and memories of my life, my country, and my family.