The Request [Under Construction]

9. In You, I Trust

9. In you, I trust

I came to to the sound of bickering voices, half in English and half in Arabic.

"She could have died, Zayn! Where the hell have you been?" a deep voice was shouting.

A hard string of Arabic words replied to Ahmad followed by a softer, feminine string of Arabic.

I opened my eyes. Ahmad was fuming at a cowering Zayn and Amna had her hands on Ahmad's shoulders, her face ashen. We were in the lounge and I was on the couch.

Groaning, I sat up. My head was throbbing. Ahmad and Amna's gaze immediately snapped to me and Amna rushed over.

"Are you okay, Julie? How do you feel?"

"Fine," I croaked. Clearing my throat, I tried again, "Fine. My head just pains."

Amna nodded and handed me a glass of water. I smiled my thanks.

Zayn came into view. He glanced at me before saying to the room, "I am leaving. Do not come and look for me. Clearly this stranger is more important to you than your own blood, akhi." With that, he turned around and stormed out of the house.

Amna murmured something in Arabic and pushed Ahmad. He squeezed her hand before rushing after Zayn.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Amna looked at me before sitting down. "There was a bomb yesterday. You have been knocked out for almost twelve hours. Zayn came in a few minutes ago and Ahmad went crazy. Zayn is working for the Israeli Army, he did not deny it. And now I think he has run away." Amna looked miserable. Her face was creased with stress and she had dry tear marks on her cheeks.

"Oh God," I murmured, placing my head in my hands. "This is all my fault. I am so sorry, Amna. I should have never said anything."

"No! Do not say that, Julie. You have made us see Zayn for who he really is."

Amna fell silent, her gaze on the open door.

A while later, Ahmad came back, a crestfallen look on his face. Shaking his head at us, he walked away.

Amna looked at me and then looked at his retreating back.

Saving her the dilemma, I said, "Go and talk to him."

She nodded thankfully at me before getting up and following Ahmad.

Left to my own devices, I got, grabbed my camera and walked outside. It was chaos. There was smoke rising from somewhere towards my left, and more buildings had collapsed. People were rushing about, two men were running past me, holding a stretcher that held a heap of lifeless children.

There were bodies lying on the ground and a child was wandering around aimlessly, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Good God," I breathed.

It was heart wrenching.

Warplanes were flying overhead and in the distance, I saw another bomb being dropped from one of the planes. The ground shook slightly.

Someone suddenly slammed into my side, pushing me to the side. Seconds later, the roof I was standing under collapsed.

Eyes wide, and heart in my throat, I looked around to see who had pushed me.

Well.

Adon was breathing heavily, sprawled on his back.

"Do not. Say. Anything," he growled, standing up and stalking away.