Chapter 4: Half-life

Four days later……………..


Radames felt like he was traveling slower every day. His legs were hurting so badly. He tripped and fell and yelled in pain as he felt his ankle twist. He tried to get up, but the pain was unbearable.

What am I going to do now? Radames thought. He couldn't walk. The pain in his ankle was unbearable, but he couldn't stay put. What if someone was looking for him? Radames started at the Nile, wondering what to do next.

Then, suddenly it came clear to Radames: he could swim the Nile. It didn't matter what the state of his ankle was. The water would only heal the sprain. Radames crawled into the Nile.

After a while, Radames felt very tired. His arms felt as if they were going to fall off at any moment. Once again, he questioned himself on why he was even attempting this journey. It would most likely take seven months, maybe even a year. He couldn't exactly swim for a year. It would make him sick. Yes, the water wasn't tainted here, but Radames had forgotten the other areas of the Nile that actually were tainted.

Not for the first time, Radames considered turning around and swimming back to Egypt and turning himself in to be buried alive. But, the journey back to Egypt would take just as long as it did to get as far as he was now. Besides, I'm almost halfway there, Radames thought. It would be foolish to turn back now. Radames took one last look behind him (even though he lost sight of Egypt three days ago) and then kept pressing ahead.


Aida sat in her hut and hadn't risen from her bed since breakfast. She was supposed to be in the harvest fields with the other women, but if she went into the harvest fields, she would be socializing with the other women and she wasn't in the mood to socialize.

She'd spent the past three days in the harvest fields with the other women and they were always asking her about her stay in Egypt. How horrible were they treating her? How did she survive? She spent most of the afternoon avoiding any detail of Radames and Amneris. When they spoke out against the Egyptians, she would cringe andsurely the other women weresuspicious.

Aida wanted to be alone today. She just couldn't spend another day with those women. They all meant well, but she didn't want to spend another day talking about her stay in Egypt.

Aida needed to talk to someone about her situation with Radames. She wanted to talk to someone who understood her. Her mother would probably understand the most.

Busara wasn't really Nubian. She was originally Ethiopian. When her parents were her age, Ethiopia and Nubia were engaged in a war against each other. A Nubian warrior had captured Busara, but Amonasro had her released and it was love at first sight.

Since then, they were always sneaking off away from the battles to be together even though they were betraying their countries. After a while, Nubia and Ethiopia called a truce and formed an alliance. Three years afterwards, Amonasro and Busara were married, bringing joy to Ethiopia and Nubia.

My mother is so lucky, Aida thought, glumly. Suddenly, Busara entered her tent.

"Young lady, you should be ashamed of yourself," she said.

Aida at first thought that Busara was peeved because she wasn't in the harvest fields, but by the look on her face, Aida could tell that this wasn't even remotely near that matter.

"Mother, what are you talking about?" Aida asked.

"I'm talking about you and that Egyptian captain," Busara said, sharply.

"How did you-"

"Your father told me."

More guilt started weighing down on Aida's shoulders.

"Aida, he serves the enemy," Busara said, angrily. "No, I'm sorry, he is the enemy. He commanded the troops that captured you and the other Nubians. You betrayed them, your father, and the rest of us and you made it public! How do you justify this to yourself, Aida?"

Aida knew that she shouldn't talk back to her, but she couldn't help herself this time.

"Mother, of all people, I thought you would understand," Aida said. She knew that she shouldn't talk back to her, but she couldn't help herself this time.

"Of all people, why would I understand?" Busara's voice was getting high pitched.

"Because of you and father," Aida said. "Have you not forgotten how you two met?"

Busara's shoulders tensed up and then went back down.

"That was different, Aida," Busara said.

"No, it wasn't!" Aida shouted. "And I didn't betray Nubia! I brought her king home!"

"Yes, it was different!" Busara shouted back. "Because if your father was caught with me, his consequences wouldn't be as bad as this Egyptian captain that you were involved with!"

"Consequences?" Aida repeated.

"Aida, what do we do with traitors?" Busara asked, lowering her voice.

"We banish them," Aida responded.

"Yes," Busara said. "However, do you know what Egypt does with their traitors?"

Aida tried to think if she heard what they do, but she couldn't think of anything.

"No," Aida admitted.

"They get buried alive," Busara said, slowly stretching out the word "alive." "But, this is only if they're caught."

"He wasn't caught," Aida protested.

"Aida, do you not remember a guard that ran off? Your father did."

Suddenly, a memory of that guard standing next to Radames's father entered her mind. It was the same guard that took Nehebka away to be executed when he actually came for Aida.

"How does he remember the guard?" Aida asked.

"You know your father," Busara answered. "He remembers every detail. And right after that Egyptian captain let you go, the guard ran off and most likely told his Pharaoh."

"So, he was most likely………" Aida trailed off not wanting to finish the sentence.

"-Buried alive," Busara finished. "Yes."

Aida stared straight ahead as images of the Nubian slaves digging a hole entered her mind…………………Soldiers bringing Radames to a tomb which filled up the hole………………Radames struggling to get free……………….Radames being thrown in the tomb…………………….Nubian slaves and soldiers covering up the tomb so Radames couldn't break free…………Radames being deprived of life and air……………….

"I got him killed," she whispered.

Tears filled her eyes. This is all my fault, she thought. She laid down on her stomach, buried her face into her blankets and cried. She felt Busara sit on the bed and rub her back.

"There, there," Busara said, softly. "Don't cry."

"But, this is all my fault!" Aida wailed. "If I had just listened to father and gotten in the boat, he would still be alive!"

"Daughter, you don't know that he's dead," Busara said.

"Yes, I do," Aida sobbed. "He's gone."

After hours of crying and many attempts to stop Aida to stop, Busara rose from the bed.

"I'm sorry, but I need to leave," Busara said. "Your father was expecting me an hour ago."

Aida nodded, flipping over on her side so she was staring at the wall.

"Aida, I wasn't supposed to comfort you," Busara said. "I was supposed to make you think about what you've done. Your father his still thinking of a punishment."

"Yes, mother," Aida said, through tears.

Busara walked towards the door and then turned around.

"Daughter, come out for dinner," Busara said.

"No, thank you, mother," Aida replied.

Busara finally walked out. Once again, the image of Radames rotting away in the tomb entered her mind again and he probably still hated her for lying to him.

"I'm sorry, Radames," Aida whispered out loud. "I never meant for this to happen to you."


"Maybe, I need to see the daylight
To leave behind this half-life
Don't you see I'm breaking down
Lately, something here don't feel right
This is just a half-life
Is there really no escape?
No escape from time
Of any kind
"- Duncan Sheik


To Be Continued………….


A/N: Chapter 5 is coming soon.