Torn Family

The crescent was hanging in the sky, like a tiny lantern that is just beginning to glow. In the coming days, it would grow bigger and brighter till it attained a full circle. For some, the full moon is what brings joy while for others it is the crescent that brings excitement.

Aisha and her brother, Abu, looked excitedly at the crescent moon.

“Abba, Ammi, the moon has come. Let’s eat now”, the kids shouted, jumping with glee, as they spotted the crescent from the terrace of their one-storied house.

Their parents, who stood a little distance away, smiled. It was always a pleasure to see the kids happy and animated. It is only in the early childhood years that they so easily express their innocent emotions and love unconditionally, and both Sana and Saif were enjoying it.

“Okay, come down then. I’ve prepared nice chicken pilaf, cauliflower stew, and milk cakes. You’ll enjoy them.”

“Yay”

The family of four went downstairs, chatting and giggling. It’s not always special dishes are cooked. Their earnings were modest and they needed to save for the children’s education.

The mother had laid the table, and was just starting to serve, when the noise of missiles and guns broke the festive mood. The parents exchanged worried glances while the kids rushed to cling to them.

“What’s happening?”

Even before, they could understand what was going on, a missile landed just a few metres away, setting parts of their house on fire.

They rushed out, and joined the crowd of similar families thronging the other lively streets, now filled with cries of despair and sorrow.

The rebels had captured the town and the townspeople soon found themselves in refugee camps.

There was no chicken pilau or milk cake there. Food was scarce, bedding unavailable. Life had turned topsy-turvy overnight. Aisha, Abu, and her parents stayed in the open camp for over a two hundred days.

Once the father ventured out to check their house, but in its place was all rumbles. Everything that they had worked hard for had crumbled along with it.

Some of the neighbours in the refugee camp were taking illegal boats out of the country to more peaceful lands. They also tried to find luck getting seats on it.

Six boats were getting ready to leave the shores of the country on that moonless night. A crowd swelled around trying to get a place on the boat before they left or the rebels caught them. They pushed themselves and those around them to board the passage to safety.

There was a siren in the distance. The soldiers were coming that way. If they had to escape the boat had to sail before they arrived. The boatmen quickly roared the engine and one by one each of them left the shores.

Life was to be forever different. Aisha, Abu, Ammi, and Aba had entered four different boats, not knowing where each boat was destined for.