The Wall…

The Wall…

(Translated from the Arabic short story by: Muna al-‘amad.)

Abu Ghazi's family never got fed up of their discussion about the damned Wall. Every time they sat to the dinner table, they had to talk about it. Even at their morning tea, Abu Ghazi said to his wife, "if the Wall is built to the east of the house, we will have to shift the children to another school & if they happen to build it to the west then we will be obliged to walk miles on foot in order to reach the dispensary for our little son. Oh God! This asthma that has caught him, I wonder what has caused it…" he sighed anxiously.

His son, Ghazi exclaimed," yes father! & Poor grandma. She too needs to be taken to the dispensary every now & then. Oh dear dear grandma! She is too weak to walk."

The issue of the Wall became a part of their daily life. The uncertainty made their future oblivious & unpredictable. Will it be built to the right or the left of the house? Are they going to be part of the city on the west or that on the east? They would look at the beautiful, rosy valleys to the right & left of the house & wonder which part will the Wall conceal behind it.

One evening, while they sat to the dinner table gossiping, they heard thunderous knocks at the door followed by announcements with the microphones. They all jumped up with terror & surprise. The soldiers busted in & pointed the guns at them. One of them announced maliciously, "you have five minutes to clear the house… just five minutes… after that… we will bring the house down." He walked out of the door cursing vulgarly, "the bulldozers are awaiting my signal… run for your lives…" he laughed outrageously. The woman nervously pleaded, "but why the house? What have we done? We never cooperated in any action against you…"

The soldier walked slowly, stopping at the middle of the room. He made a line on the floor with his gun and said slowly through his teeth, "the Wall will pass here, my lady!"