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Escape and return!
Ahmed Seif Hashed
I fled to the house of Al-Shanagheb, the house of my grandfather – the father of my mother – which is about five kilometers away from my father’s house, and is located in an area adjacent to the borders of the state of the south. Or close to it, but there are houses in some opposite directions..
In the immediate vicinity of the house there is a ground water tank, and in the house there are niches, and narrow longitudinal slits, which can be used for observation and shooting from the gun to the outside, as it allows the passage of the gun barrel to the outside with a specific section and angle… It seems that this house has witnessed something that was allocated to it. in an empty time.
My grandfather Salem Mani’, my mother’s father also owned another house, and he lived in this house during my childhood, and my mother lived there for a while, perhaps before I came.. This grandfather was a virtuous and peaceful man.. good-hearted, and pure in heart, he spends a lot of his time reading the Qur’an and speaking. In his interpretations.. he was pious, pious, loving, did not hold a grudge, did not harbor evil, and did not pay any attention to politics, yet he later paid his life for the actions of politicians.
My father came a few hours after my escape.. I saw him from the “Al-Shenagib” house without seeing me. I saw him riding his white donkey. My father’s donkey looked like a horse. In the beginning, I felt evil and fire.. my mother’s heart was torn off the runaway in my grandfather’s house..
I went out in terror from the house to the mountain towards the borders of the state of the south, the “People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen” .. There is a state and a system that might protect me, and curb my father’s stupidity.. Perhaps something of this I told myself as I headed to the border through a bumpy path..
My aunt Mary, my mother’s sister, told my father that I left the house and ran away; My aunt was strong in character.. strict and firm.. she was good at courage, confrontation, and incitement as well, reading the book of sand and decoding its talismans, and dealing with him as she desired..
My father realized my destination, and was able to speed his donkey to the southwestern side of the valley, to cut off my destination, and prevent me from reaching the border.. He pointed his rifle and pointed it towards the mountain, while I was hiding behind a rocky outcrop in the mountain’s enclosure as soon as I saw him trying to cut my way..After a long time He negotiated with my aunt Mary, and charitable men who were passing by, and my father committed himself not to harm me, in return for me to return to his house.
Everyone assure me that everything will be fine, and nothing bad will happen to me; My father vowed in front of those who witnessed the situation that he would not harm me or take revenge. I came down from the mountain after what looked like a negotiation process led by my aunt on my side, and my father returned while swallowing his anger, feeling dissatisfied; Because he did not satiate his excitement, and did not cure his raging rage.
I returned with a procession surrounding me.. Some women and my sister from my mother Hana’ were next to me escorting me back and five hundred meters separated us from the path of my father and his donkey.. My father was waiting for us at every turn until we approached him.. The distance began to narrow and narrow with the walk.. When we reached an area called: “Thursday Market,” my father could not bear to record what seemed to him a victory, provoked by my view in which I appeared to be the victor, and he was suspicious that I had been gloated by him, and undermined his authority and authority..
My father could not stand what was in his chest, so he became angry.. He muttered agitated insults, and aimed his gun with emotion at me, the women protected me with their bodies; And the screaming and panic were high.. the passers-by, and everyone who was close to us, entered; The commotion ended when my father reluctantly made another covenant with the people that no harm or harm would befall me, and this time he was faithful to his promise, but reluctantly.
My father could not bear to witness what he envisioned of my continuous victory over him, and so that he would not break a vow he had made twice before the spectacle of the people; He brought me back to our old house where my brother Ali lived, not to our new house where he lives.
My father returned a few days later to reconcile with my mother and her family, then I returned to my father’s house again in the presence of my mother, who deeply regretted what happened, and for leaving me days during which I needed her by my side.
The Eid passed peacefully after it almost turned into an orphanage or an unknown place.. and I was the most important reason for the continuation of my father and mother’s marriage, despite the many problems and troubles that passed and escaped from them by a miracle like a miracle..
***
Continued..
Dar “Al-Shanagheb” is the head of the first triangle in the front of the picture.. Photo by Nazeer Abdel Qader Al-Qubati.
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