Amidst the Blood, I called your name

Amid the Smell of Blood | A short emotional story

It had been about two months since my marriage to Zainab. I saw her for the first time in the university courtyard and had fallen for her. She also loved me. After many hardships, we finally got married, and one by one, our dreams were turning into reality.

Zainab had been experiencing nausea and dizziness for some time. We both decided to see a doctor to find out the cause of her condition. It was afternoon and the weather was relatively cold. We wore warm clothes, and Zainab adorned her beautiful brown hair with a butterfly clip that I had bought for her, adding to her beauty. I looked into her almond eyes and kissed her forehead. She smiled lovingly at me and softly said:

– Alright! Let’s go before it gets late.

I nodded in agreement, said goodbye to my parents, and we headed to the hospital. After walking a few steps, my mother’s trembling voice stopped us from taking another step. She said:

– Take care of yourselves and bring good news. In this city where calamities fall from every corner, be under God's protection. Now go. Your father and I are waiting for you.

We both said:

– Yes, mother. We’ll come back soon with good news.

– Yes, mother. We’ll come back soon with good news.

When we arrived at the hospital, Zainab went to see the doctor while I waited. After a long wait, Zainab came out of the room and softly said:

– Ali, come in. The doctor wants to see you.

My heart began to race, and for a moment my hands and legs weakened. I said in a shaky voice:

– Why, Zainab? Is something wrong?

She gave a faint smile and said:

– Don’t be afraid, just come quickly.

Seeing her smile gave me some relief, and I went inside. After greetings, the doctor unexpectedly said:

– Congratulations, Mr. Ali. You are going to be a father.

Hearing this, I felt both happy and sad. Seeing the current situation we were in, I thought:

– Your parents have no fate and don’t know what will happen to them in the next few seconds. How can they provide peace and comfort for you with such an uncertain future!

But the thought of becoming a father gave me a feeling of happiness. I said to Zainab:

– My love, let’s go home quickly and share this good news with our parents.

We started moving, and it was close to dinner time. At Pul-e-Sukhta, we waited for the Tunis bus for a few minutes, but those that came were full. We both decided to take the coaster bus. After a while, the bus came and we got on. Inside, we waited for a few minutes until the bus was completely full. Several men and women who had no seats were standing.

The bus started moving. I don’t know why, but the more the bus went forward, the more anxious I became. Then Zainab shook my shoulder and asked:

– Ali, what’s wrong? Why are your hands shaking?

In a trembling voice, I said:

– My love, I don’t feel well. I don’t know why, but I don’t feel good.

I took my gaze from her eyes and looked at the butterfly in her hair, which had started fluttering with the bus movement. I told her:

– My heart is fluttering like the butterfly in your hair. I only hope we get home safely.

Zainab held my hands tightly and smiled at me as always. She asked about the name of our child. I told her it’s up to her to choose the name.

She smiled and asked:

– Shall I tell you the name I have chosen?

– Yes, my love, tell me!

Zainab wanted to tell me the name, but suddenly I was violently shaken, and for a moment everything went dark. I don’t know how much time passed until I could hear the sound of horns, ambulances, and people talking. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to sharpen my hearing to listen to the voices. A voice whispered in my ear:

– There has been an explosion in Qalai Nazar...

I heard nothing else, but I felt a sharp pain throughout my body and my head became heavy. My eyes were burning with pain as I looked for Zainab. Then my eyes met her blood-covered body. I wanted to reach her but I heard them say:

– This lady is also dead...

Hearing this, my mother’s words about calamities falling from every corner of this city, the doctor’s congratulations on becoming a father, and Zainab’s beautiful words about choosing a name for our child all echoed in my ears and added to my pain.

I felt my breath becoming more and more difficult, and darkness filled my vision until only a red color of blood remained in front of my eyes. I could see nothing else, and my body felt light as if all pain had disappeared. I only heard someone say:

– This man has also died...

And in those few seconds, our dreams, love, and hope were buried under layers of dust, as Zainab never got to tell me the name she had chosen for our child.

The End...