Like No Other

It is one of those days in which things in the Middle East heat up. As usual, so many people die, so many suffer and so many lose their beloved ones. Things are so quiet in here, the orphanage. The winter is so cold; I know that it is so hot in Gaza.

I have been living here as long as I can remember and that applies to most of the children. There are new children who join us from time to time. Noor is the newest girl. She is very calm and never talk. I went to visit her. She seemed to be waiting for me. She gave me her diary again without even looking at me. I started reading from where I stopped last night.

“I was old enough to know about what is going on in here. Our life became like hell. I hear people say it although I do not know how hell looks like or feels like, but can it really be worse? A question I always ask myself. I do not know what I am guilty of, neither did anyone who was around me. I do blame my mother for bringing me to this world. It is no sense, but does it really matter to those living somewhere else? Do you think that I know what living childhood means? Well, guess what? I do not.

We have no rights except the right to die, and even when we die, we do not die like others, and we might need to collect so many pieces of our bodies to be buried. We have no dreams. We know the darkness better than the light. We found my brother dead with a bullet in his head. My older brother left and he did not come back. I do not know how it feels to be hugged. I did not see my father, only his picture.

We live in fear
What do the birds say? I cannot hear
I can only hear the winds of rage
Especially when the armies of the enemy engage
Will anyone listen?
The fruits fall before they ripen
Why do we need to memorise?
Tomorrow, the sun will not rise
I did not see my father
I miss my brother
Life is not fair
But, does anyone care?
Our school was demolished
Our house was destroyed
In less than an hour
My mother…
We are like no other
Our life is full of sorrow
Yet, we still dream of a better tomorrow”

I stopped reading to wipe the tears of my eyes. I looked at her and she looked like she travelled back in time to see that scene again, then she closed her eyes. I used to come the next day and find her eyes open, but this time I knew that it is the last time. I took her diary to read her memories, so at least I discover more.

An hour later, a few missiles hit the building and wiped it out. No one survived, not even the diary, and Khalid did not continue reading the memories of his new friend.

Khalid is an Arabic name that means eternal. Noor is an Arabic name that means light.