HOT
CHAPTER 1- ON THE RUN
Run. Keep your eyes forward and run as fast as you can: that was all Saajid could think of as she dashed through Baila's war torn streets. She clutched a bundle of dirty fabric tightly against her chest. Gunshots and helicopters peppered their way in with the terrified cries of her people. She stopped for a moment, breathing heavy as sweat dripped down face. She noticed two large men dressed in the strange clothing she'd been taught to fear since her birth. They carried large weapons, and spoke in a language she could not understand. It was gruff, but simple. There were a few words the men spoke that she understood, including "shoot" and "muslim"
Saajid snapped to her senses, quickly darting into the nearest alley way to avoid detection. Her body shook, desperately searching for a place to hide. She spotted an overflowing dumpster and slipped behind it. She noticed that she wasn't alone. A group of civilians had taken refuge in this alley way. Some were wounded, others were just crying. She spotted four crying children. She gasped, remembering something, and hastily unwrapped the linens in her arms. A tiny baby girl emerged from the folds of cloth. She yawned and opened her emerald eyes, stretching out her plump arms and legs. Saajid breathed a shaky sigh of relief as she smiled and kissed the little baby.
"Oh precious one. Is that your baby sister?" A woman's voice spoke.
Saajid turned her head to the voice, instinctively drawing the baby closer. Yet her fears were unnecessary. That voice was in smooth Arabic. The woman had noticed her from across the alley way.
"Oh...yeah.. Yes! This is my sister."
Saajid hoped her face wasn't as red as it felt. She was only 13 years old. Surely this much older woman would shame her for conceiving a child so young. The truth was that this was indeed her baby. She was only months old and Saajid was not letting her baby grow up in such a horrible place. Suddenly, her baby started to fuss.
"Oh young one, did your mo…. do you know how to care for such a young babe?"
Saajid noticed how the woman paused before mentioning a mother. Tears welled in her eyes as she remembered her late mother. Her mother had been killed shortly after the first bomb fell. Her mother was such a wonderful woman. She didn't disown her daughter upon discovering her pregnancy, and had helped her through every stage of it. She taught her everything there was to know about caring for a new baby.
Her baby was really starting to cry now.
"Here now my dear, let me hold her while you settle yourself" the woman offered, her arms reaching.
"No no, thank you. I think she just needs to move around.." Saajid knew exactly why her baby was crying, she was hungry. But she couldn't very well breastfeed her little one with this woman thinking it was her sister. She had no desire to leave the scarce safety of this alley to care for her baby, but she had little choice. Saajid pushed herself up, and swaddled the baby in the linens.
"Ok my love, let's find a quieter place" she whispered, nuzzling her child affectionately. Saajid pulled her hijab tighter around her head and hunkered over the baby bundle.