Chapter 13: Dead and Gone

5 years ago…

Aladdin stared up at Babkak's confused face. Abu was still huddled in Aladdin's arms. Aladdin had carried the monkey halfway across the city before Babkak and Omar had finally caught up to him and dragged him to their hideout for an explanation.

Aladdin had given one or at least he had tried to.

After Aladdin finished speaking, Omar was the first to respond. "Aladdin," Omar said. His deep voice was grim. "You shouldn't tell lies. It's not nice."

"I am not lying!" Aladdin snapped. He couldn't believe that even Omar, the most gullible person he knew, thought he was lying. "I was there," Aladdin insisted. "I saw Kassim. He…you have to save him, Babkak. You're the oldest."

Babkak's baffled expression cleared as rage entered his wiry frame. Aladdin's second eldest brother glowered at him for all he was worth. "Omar's right," Babkak said, "Aladdin, you are a lying cowardly piece of shit and when Kassim gets back, he's going to help me skin you and your damn monkey alive."

Aladdin nodded at this brotherly scolding. The street rat was just relieved that someone else was in control.

"Come on, Omar," Babkak said, "We need to get Kassim."

Omar got up from his spot beside Aladdin.

Aladdin put Abu down and began to rise as well, meaning to follow them.

Babkak saw this and said, "Hell no, Ape-boy, you sit your ass back down and try to not fuck anything else up while we're gone."

Aladdin didn't even argue. He just looked to Omar.

The large boy hesitated. Aladdin and Omar weren't super close, but he saw Aladdin's desperation and felt bad.

"Leave him," Babkak ordered, already standing by the door. "We have to go. Now!"

Omar gave Aladdin one last sad look before following Babkak out and leaving Aladdin alone with Abu.


Back then Omar and Babkak had been angry and disappointed, but they had still believed Kassim was alive. By the time, Babkak and Omar had returned, the only family Aladdin had left in the world had turned on him and they had been trying to kill him ever since.

Deep down Aladdin had always known that one day his older brothers would get their revenge. It was his fate. That's what he had thought until Abbi had said those magic words:

I'll make Babkak and Omar disappear

Aladdin had not known that he had been longing to hear someone say that. The mere idea of Omar and Babkak being gone from his life was like remembering how to breathe.

To make matters worse, there was the way Abbi had said it. The look in her eyes had been resolute, leaving no room for doubt. Aladdin thought he was a good liar, but if Abbi had worn that same expression while telling him she was an angel sent from Allah to guide him into heaven, he would have believed her. That's how convincing it was and it wasn't fair. No mere girl should be able to look that sure about anything.

And even now, as Abbi was explaining her plan, she had a presence to her. It reminded Aladdin of Kassim. It was like Abbi knew that the world belonged to her and she need only wish for something for it to be so.

"First," she was saying, "Abu will scout out the animal tent. He can use Babkak's knife to cut small holes from the top of the tent and look for Rajah's cage. Once he finds the right one, he can mark the spot with an X and come back to us. Then he and I will distract Syreeta while you enter the tent through the spot Abu marked out. After that, all you have to do is get Rajah's attention with that," she gestured to the headband, still gripped loosely in Aladdin's hand, "explain the situation, and unlock his cage without touching the floor. You should be able to hang down and do it."

"How did you…" Aladdin began.

"I saw you steal that melon drink earlier today," she said with a straight face.

Aladdin gaped at her.

She had! How? Seriously, where had his clueless easily-impressed rich girl gone?

Abbi placed a hand on Aladdin's shoulder and said, "I know we can do this." The determined look on her face softened as she looked at him like he was the most important person in the world. The power of her confidence left Aladdin speechless.

"Yeah, let's get started," Abu agreed.

Abu's words broke Abbi's spell, Aladdin turned to the monkey in surprise. "Are you sure Abu?"

Apparently, not even the monkey was immune to Abbi's promises and plans because he said, "I'm tired of having to save your butt every other month and she said we'd get paid. Let's try."

Aladdin looked between Abu and Abbi. They were both looking to him. Aladdin knew he should say no. This was crazy, but he couldn't.

Abbi's plan sounded good. Abu was game and the street rat was tired of running. He was tired of gasping, tired of fighting his old friends just to survive. Abu was right. Abbi was right. They had to try. "Fine," he said.

Abbi smiled at him.

Aladdin squeezed his eyes shut and spoke quickly before he was completely bewitched again. "but if anything goes wrong, I'm going to get the hell out of there. Same for Abu. No promise," not even one to the most beautiful girl alive, "is worth our lives." Aladdin opened his eyes in time to see Abbi nod.

"Understood," she said as Abu responded with, "Duh."

"Shake on it?" Aladdin said to Abbi. This was starting to become a habit between the two of them.

Abbi held out her hand. Aladdin shifted her headband to his other hand and then reached out to grab Abbi's. Even Abu put his hand in. Now, their handshake was more of a cheer, but it felt right. Despite the queasy feeling in Aladdin's stomach and the sweat beginning to leak from his armpits, the three of them were actually doing this. They were going to outsmart Syreeta, save Abbi's tiger, and eliminate Omar and Babkak from Aladdin's life for good.

Or at least, that was the plan.