when stars bloom in khan yunis

THE SECOND NAKBA

❜  ⋮ 𝕮HAPTER ONE ,,

where are the children?
the children died without eating a thing

T W O  M O N T H S   A G O

O S D O O D

My grandmother taught me how to braid hair when I was seven years old.

now my fingers itch to braid the hair of the dead infront of me.

I don't look up as her daughter wails at her side, my numb fingers itching to thread through her curls. Her hair is course and there's clumps. I try not to think what they are made of, what wound must've gushed through her beautiful lovely curls. I've always loved her type of hair. I pull my fingers up and it catches on the sunlight peeking through the tent.

"Mama.." her daughter, Yaffa, wails. "Yamma please. please.."

I look up and squint at her blurry body. I focus hard enough until the smudged canvas of her face clears enough for me to steal a glimpse of her nose before it melts back into its murky depths.

any other day I would be annoyed.

today I am grateful for it.

I bow my head down in prayer so her daughter doesn't see my eyes. Many already find them unnerving. but today i spare her the sight. (the irony)

her anguish rips apart my viscera and rubs my bones raw. I don't think I can hold on any longer. If only I had a comb with me. It's such a shame that her hair's like this. Tita g̶r̶a̶n̶d̶m̶o̶t̶h̶e̶r̶ wouldn't like it.

there's a whistling nearby and I barely have enough time to look up when the ground shatters and someone screams. the world turns into a kaleidoscope and I squeeze my eyes shut.

P R E S E N T   D A Y

J A L E E L

something is whistling in my ear. something is always whistling in my ear. It never dies down, not since I lost my hearing aid.

I slowly peel my eyes open when the ground stops vibrating and for a split second I wish I was dead. Maybe then the whistling will stop and I won't run half mad. then again, it's never quiet these days. Motaz said so. He said the drones were loud. I wouldn't know.

'It's a constant buzzing sound' Motaz signed, fingers slightly trembling but I ignore it. 'Like a loud electronic bee. Sometimes it gets louder and sometimes it's so low you almost don't hear a thing'

I tilt my head and place my fingers to my lips and sign back. 'does it drive you crazy too?'

He nods and pushes the palm of his hand to his temple and draws circles in the air and I laugh.

Today the world is painted white and im certain im dead.

then the whistling starts and my eyes focus and Motaz is nowhere to be seen.

I try to move but something holds me down. For a split second I panic and start clawing around. Desperation sinks its teeth into my heart and my mouth bobs open but no sound comes out.