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 A Day To Come
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A Day To Come
By: Muawia M. Elhasan
Once the huge vehicle had stopped, Gabriel and Teresa entered the old cargo container which they would use at that time as their only shelter to dwell. No body here could remember exactly when they started to make themselves there but Gabriel could do, he remembered every thing as it would happened just before moments, that day has reshaped his life as whole and it will remain as a part of his worst memories and when they asked him to retell what had happened to him and Teresa in the NGO office he was weeping and crying while some of the officers were registering the names of those people who passed away during the strike on Gabriel's country, he noticed that there were also some foreigners from the Red Crescent and some other Sudanese employees of that NGO staff. The foreigners did not interrupt him at all while he was talking, never said a single word, they were only writing on their brilliant calligraphy and dairies. When he was a school boy he dreamt of such nice and brilliant papers but he had to write his lessons in very miserable and unattractive notebooks. The minutes passed and he felt as if he drowning in a very deep water of sadness.
Are you sure of all these names Mr. Gabriel? The head of investigation team said, as he leaning back on his old wooden chair. Then he exchanged some few words with the foreigners. Gabriel took a deep breath and said "Yes Sir. I am sure of that as I am sure of my name."
Were they all shot by the government army? The head of the investigation team said in creaky but enough voice to be heard. A moment later Gabriel scratched his head and said "Yes Sir, the government is responsible for their death what do you think then? Did they take them for tour for example?" Every body laughed and they permitted him to smoke and have a cup of tea, it was a long time since he had a cup of tea or smoke. The weather was so hot that the foreigners took off their hats and looked nervous, one of them called Teresa and started to speak to her in English. Teresa nodded and looked as if she did not understand any thing.
"She does not speak English" said Gabriel and started to interpret to her, she could hardly release some words but her pale and frown face told every thing.
Gabriel was completely exhausted and aching all over and there were some obvious bruises on him left elbow, the remains of a deep and serious wound on his shoulder and back that easily could be noticed when he bowed to get inside, the place was hot and dark, on the ground there was two small beds which made of bamboo sticks covered with canvas and dirty blanket, nothing else except other utensils and clothes. Gabriel and Teresa got them from the Red Crescent. Many other things were scattered here and there, a traditional dress for the southerners Lawoo, a spear and arrow that Gabriel's father usually used when he went for hunting, and big flask of local wine Mareesa. He made sure that there was enough amount of Baffra and Mareesa immediately after he got inside since he knew well that Teresa would not be able to continue with out food, she was so young to stay for along time with out food. Teresa looked pale and hungry but she was not able to take any thing. It seemed that Gabriel was leading a life of recluse person, she never spoke to him a lot since had been here.
Gabriel knew very well that she was sunk deeply in sadness and when ever she was one of the Arab Sudanese people, she screamed and looked so frightened saying "Mon Do Koroo .. Mon Do Koroo" then she ran and shout to Gabriel "They will kill us."
A few days before the government army bombed the country side and led a terrible strike against the civilians who were being suspected of supporting the SPLMA (the rebellions army). Gabriel was arranging for his marriage to Teresa, he was full of happiness and excitement, at that day he woke up early and said to his mom: "I have a nightmare and it was horrible" his mother Marry was pounding Durrha with some other women who came particularly from the different parts of the village helping her in preparing food and drinks they were working like busy bees and they looked happy and joyful. Marry noticed that her son was very scary and frightened "What was that nightmare may dear son?" she said. Gabriel closed his eyes and said: "I dreamt of a big fire in the surrounded wood and my forefather Jack coming from the heaven to save us, but he was unable to do that since the fire was horrible. I managed to escape with Teresa but we got lost somewhere."
Marry laughed for that and remained her son of the Arabs superstitions that eating too much at dinner always resulted in such bad dreams and nightmares, just two days after that all village was burning with fire. The government militants destroyed every thing and killed so many people on of them was Gabriel's mother.
On their was to Kadoogly in southern Kordofan, Gabriel and Teresa were met with many soldiers from government army and peoples Defense Forces (Islamic militants fight alongside the government regular army), they stopped them several times to check their identities. Gabriel remembered one of those soldiers who hit him on his jaw and asked him impatiently: "Are you from Dinke Ngok?" Gabriel was unable to open his mouth as he felt a great pain on his jaw, finally he released only one word: "Anwaak"
They understood to which tribe he belongs, one of the soldiers from Nuba mountains was able to distinguish and identify the scarlet on Gabriel's front head, it was the only evidence which show Gabriel's identity. Eventually they let them to go.
When they reached the camp for the war displaced people, the darkness had already fallen, covering the vast extended scrub land, few trees and small bushes appeared to their eyes as ghosts. The camp was surrounded by small black mountains and Neem trees, the sound of the vehicle engine captured the tranquility and air stillness. Gabriel could not be able to see any thing except some scattered tents and wool shelters inside, a flag of UN raising above their #########, when the driver stopped the engine he could heard the sound of some dogs and insects.
Two men came out from inside and asked them to stand in a long queue and they started to count them "One, two, … forty, forty-one"
Gabriel and Teresa were given the numbers of (forty and forty-one) respectively. After they had been served food, some rice and Aseeda, Gabriel looked around, he saw a big cargo container and he was hesitant at first, he collected the remains of his courage and entered, the place was hot and dark, he searched over for any thing to be used as mattress while Teresa standing outside waiting for the result with great excitement. "I have found a good residence for both of us."
Since that day Gabriel and Teresa had been living in that container which was belonged to on of the NGOs. When some one got inside he would never find any thing except two miserable beds, a spear and arrow and many barrels of Mareesa and Araqee
Like so many of the new settlers in that camp or Kampoo as it was known among the Arab tribes; Baggara and Messarreea, Teresa had to make and sell wine for Arabs or work as a housemaid in the surrounded villages to earn living.
Each passing day, after the midnight she sat lonely, singing some folk songs remembering her village, the ground covered with grass, pastures, herds of cows, the heavy winds in the sky, her dreams of being a house wife and the wedding fest ivies the image of the ripped mangoes and the smell of fields, Teresa spent her gloomy nights never talk a lot but weeping from the bottom of her heart.
That day, Gabriel went out following two of the UN men and a soldier from the government army, in the NGO office not very far from the container, he was shouting and crying: "They destroyed my village, what do you think I am going to do in the coming days, nights, weeks and months? I am going to take my weapon and fight till death, some day we will kick them out, all of them, some day we will be able to go back home, hope will remain as long as we survive."
At that time a group of some young people was laughing while they were trying to wake Teresa up to sell them wine, one of the drunken rushed in and shout to her "You salve! Come along and give me a bottle of Araqee."
Voices were very loud, the screams coming from inside the container broke the night tranquility, Gabriel ran fast and took his father's spear, he was shivering form anger, the blood boiling inside his veins and his eyes were as red as flames. He hit one of them in his head, the young man fell on the ground unable to resist or defend himself, he tried to do raising up his both hands trying to protect himself, but Gabriel kept on hitting with all of his power until the young man became a dead body.
Gabriel was standing looking to the body breathlessly; his heart was twisting in his breast while Teresa was looking as if she was having a nightmare "Mon do koro will arrive now to revenge, they will kill us undoubtly." She said.
Gabriel did not say any thing, he kept silent. "Let us ran away." She added. Gabriel drained the drops of sweats on his face, went out trying to check whether there was any body outside or not, then he bowed and pulled the dead body out of the container, the smell of Mareesa and Araqee touched his nose strongly and his heart was leaping out of his breast.
Nest day, when the sun was rising up in the east, Gabriel and Teresa were making their long rally toward the furthest north. They left Kadoogly behind, looking for the day when they could travel southwards.
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هشام آدم
فيس بوك
تويتر
انستقرام
يوتيوب
بنتيريست