Khalifa

Extra 01

First we feel. Then we fall.

— James Joyce

Al Shafay

The winds of Isfahan blow strong and cold unlike the hot winds of deserts he has transversed on his way from Baghdad. The hood of his cloak falls off his head and his hair come to graze his eyes before he combs the long strands back with his fingers and readjust his hood. He dodges bodies in the crowd as he hurries through the bazar with his servant close behind him. Time is like sand slipping through his fisted hands and he hasn't found anything fruitful so far to worth it. He huffs as they reach a partition and stop.

"Where is the man, Daud?"

"He might be running late, sayidi."

He grits his teeth as he looks at his guard who quickly lowers his gaze. "We are the one running short on time. If this man doesn't give us any valuable information about Yusuf, you and him both better pray my wrath doesn't boil any further than its limits and scald you."

"May it not, sayidi," Daud prays quietly. "But this man found Buraq, so he might know something about Yusuf bin Khalid too. That's why I thought it necessary to meet him. I believe he'll come if we wait a little longer. Something could've come up--"

"I got it, Daud. Don't ramble."

Daud snaps shut his jaw and he scrubs his face in frustration. The sky is turning darker. The day is dissolving away. He looks around and his gaze jumps from person to person before briefly falling on a young woman coming in their direction and then flicking away. She walks past him and suddenly he catches sight of an older lady rushing to keep up with the girl. Recognition instantly hits him like an axe in the chest and he stills. For a moment, he forgets to breathe. Her presence out of the blues in front of him chokes him. She certainly has grown older, but not so weary for him to not recall her-- to forget.

"Nour!" she calls.

His head snaps to where the woman went seconds ago. She stops and turns around.

"Maman, hurry."

"You slow down, Nour. You're galloping like a horse," her mother complains as she tries to catch her breath. She rushes back to help her.

Nour. Nour. Nour. His ears start ringing. The air around him suddenly chants her name. His eyes seek her, find her, and this time lock on her. Despite his will, against his modesty and shame, he stares at her, tracing each of her features until its a stone carving on his mind.

"Unbelievable," he mumbles to himself.

He feels as if a corpse has ripped apart its grave and crawled out. He feels as if wolves from the mountains of lost memories are howling at him. He feels his heart stopping and going berserk at once. He cannot believe what he sees.