Burn the wall and build a bridge

Hussled and crowded places were never a part of their rendezvous. Their soul craved for silence and peace, neverthless their past gave them any. Sabreena and Karim, two beautiful souls who were raised up in an orthodox Christian and Muslim families, respectively, where the possibility of falling in love with another soul would come not even in their craziest dreams.

Karim, a handsome young man, who always dreamed about living in a first world country, who aimed to be a pilot, to fly around and above the world. But the havoc of destruction hit above his head in a moment,in the form of a missile from US Marine. The M242 Bushmaster ruled a mastery above all the shattered dreams that lay down. As with Gaza, Karim’s future and dreams went to an infinite loop of uncertainity. 

In another world, Sabreena a beautiful woman in her early twenties packed up her bag and left her homeland in search for her Marine brother. Somebody who climbed the corporate ladder at a very early stage of her career, was a matter of envy to community in which she lived. As she became closer to the ruby of wealth and fame, she became a stranger to relationships until she received a missing in action message about her brother who was serving his period in Afghanistan. 

The fidelity in which one live would fade away the moment the fear of rejection gets into him and Karim was a victim. When nothing edible would suffice Karim’s hunger, he was left with no option other than to join a militant group who did everything to establish their authority upon everything they smothered. 

Against all warnings and odds that restricted Sabreena from reaching Gaza, she finally stepped into the warzone. 

The sound of bullets and bombs  may not be much different from the noise in the industrial area of New York City. It all weighed in the same decibel to crack up her ears. A cashmere shawl which she bought in one of her church sales was the only cloth she was having to cover her head. Like a deer in the lion’s den, she was attacked and ridiculed of being an American. Like a sheep to the slaughterhouse she was taken in a caravan filled with caracasses of living bodies to a warehouse, to be raped. 

The nightwatch was Abdul, the overseer of the gang of militants, gave Karim authority to slaughter the dignity of Sabreena.  The helplessness that one feels when they can’t hide their nakedness and exposed top to bottom infront of a strange man is the worst feelings. She cursed the moment when she was formed in her mother’s womb. The ripped soul and body post rape lay intact infront of her eyes. Getting raped at the gunpoint in a strange land was not even in her worst nightmares. But out of blue, Karim whispered in her ears, don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt you in a clear US accent. For past 25 years, Karim was preparing himself to settle in the US and hence he mastered the accent. 

He shouted something in Arabic like language lifting up his gun and held Sabreena by her hair. 

Just follow my movement, trust me I’m not gonna hurt you. As he again raised his voice to his fellow militants, Sabreena followed Karim’s lead. Tha gang hailed Karim to show their support and got busy with other girls. 

One question remained in Sabreena’s mind, why did he rescue her? 

Beside the rubbles of ruined city, under the dark grey sky, and handful of stars he whispered, look I don’t like to be here. I hate what they do. I’ll take you out of this place, but will you please get me to US? 

Though it sounded like a good offer, her ultimate aim was to find about her brother.There was a peck of an emotion that can’t be defined through words was sowed in both of their hearts.  

She had never given up at any point of her life and this time too followed her routine. She explained about her situation and the reason why she was there to Karim. He guided her to US military camp. To the US military, Karim was an aid. He had rescued girls before and helped them get back to their homeland. It was indeed a risky business. If any of his gang members finds what he does with the girls, he will be brutally murdered. But that fear of death never bothered Karim, since he was so much confident about his focus.

Sabreena found that her brother was injured terribly in an encounter and she has to take him back home for further treatment. Sabreena and her brother were airlifted and sent back home. As they were departing, Karim prayed with his eyes opened that atleast this lady should not be like the rest, who never returned to rescue him. 

Days and months passed by, Sabreena, still in her corporate heights, Karim, still in Gaza, helping people expecting someone would get back to him. Finally thanksgiving day came and Sabreena just took her diary to find how her year was, until she came across May 13th, she was ignorant about Karim and what he has done for her. He told the entire story to her family and her brother who now completely recovered from his trauma. 

If someone has helped you, you should never delay in acknowledging them, her dad poured out his wisdom, People get caught up in their job and life, but sometimes a thank you note is not enough. With tearful eyes she left the living room where her family was seated. 

Her heart was pounding to be with Karim, and to take him out of the ruins. She set her mind and packed her bags, this time the missiom was different.  She had stayed there for more than a week, but couldn’t meet Karim. Her brother’s friends in military came for her help. They went for patrol in search for Karim but got back unfulfilled. This went on for few days until military gave up on their search, on top of that the orders were given to roll out from their mission in Gaza. The last hope has now flew away, and now the batallion is all set to get back to homeland. Everyone was happy except Sabreena. As the trucks and tanks were leaving, Sabreena, in her bones felt to get down at the place where she promised him to get back, not by words, but by the lock of their eyes. 

She heard a ear cramping gunshot near to her, and she saw Karim, bleeding. She, with her full strength ran towards him and pulled him towards her. The army doctors rushed, doing whatever they could to abstain the soul from departing Karim’s body. Sabreena started reciting Psalms 23, Even though I walk through the valley of death I’ll fear no evil, in Karim’s ears. 

Days passed, Karim has got his senses back and Sabreena didn’t have an option to stay back. She was compelled to leave along with troop. But this time she was not ready to leave Karim behind. When she discussed about this to her lawyer and he informed him the procedures. Keeping the soldiers as witnesses she knelt before Karim, with her hands extended and uttered the beautiful question, Will you marry me? 

They burned down all the walls of religion, culture, ethnicity and built the bridge of love.

Disclaimer: It’s purely a work of fiction.