Arriving at the stairs, I start making my way down with one hand tightly grasping the handrail. Walking down the hall was no problem, but going downhill is a different story. My legs are boulders. I have to fight to keep myself from toppling down. Every step is a battle, but I don’t make a sound. Just one foot after the other. A few steps down, I hear something. It sounds like a voice… muffled behind a closed door. I stop moving, trying to focus my ears and make out what they’re saying.
“I’m sure they’re sleeping… saw them. How… longer do we have to do this?”
I take another quiet step, attempting to hear them better. Something stops me from making myself known, as if a chain is holding me back. The voice is distorted, but I recognize it; it belongs to Amaan. His words are followed by another. I can’t fully recognize the second voice behind the door, but I know it’s not Salman’s. It must be Faisal. “Not long now. We just need to go a bit further.”
“Are we taking them with us?”
“The girl would be useful. She knew what she was doing when she treated your wound.”
What are they talking about? Do they mean Fatima? I inch closer to the bottom of the staircase. Their tones sound so much different than before.
“And the boys?”
“Salman is strong. The other one… he’s baggage. And he’s weak. He’ll slow us down. He’s not like Salman. He hasn’t been as open to us. I think he may have been on to us from the start.”
I stand there, paralyzed. They can’t be talking about—
“What if they don’t want to come along?”
There’s a pause before Faisal’s voice breaks it. “Then we’ll deal with them.”
“Will they take us in?”
“If we approach them the right way, then the resistance will let us join their ranks with open arms. They know the fighting will only get worse from here. With everything that’s coming, they’ll take all the hands they can get.”
My eyes widen. This can’t be happening. Faisal’s words echo in my head. My mind has to be playing tricks on me. There’s no way they could be talking like this.
“Wake the others. It’s time we go.”
Hearing the door open, I try and hide behind the staircase’s wall. Arms at my sides, my back and palms are pressed against the barrier. Their footsteps are softer than normal. I hold my breath as they walk right past me. With just a turn of their heads, they’ll see me.
My mind is racing. What do I do? Do I attack them? Do I try and defeat them here or do I wait? Even if I wanted to, I don’t think I could. I see the back of their heads as they come into view. They both suddenly stop. They’re about to turn around. I know it. Allah, please make me invisible. Please protect me…
…they don’t catch a whiff of me.
Going out of view, their soft footsteps begin to grow fainter until they’re gone. But I don’t feel any safer. I remain there for long after they’ve passed. Everything has changed. After everything they’ve seen, they would betray us and join the rebels? How could they—
I’ve got to warn Salman and Fatima.
Chapter 14
Escape
They’re all awake by the time I reach Salman and Fatima. The storeroom’s lamp is illuminated. Salman’s back is to me as he rummages through his sack. My mind is going crazy, a complete opposite of this calm room.
Amaan sees me at the doorway. He’s standing close to his brother, not too far away from me. He politely nods at me before looking away. Is this the same person who was just speaking so menacingly?
Fatima is wiping her green eyes as she lets out an exasperated yawn. She looks as fresh as ever. Blinking several times to wake herself up, she looks at me before smiling.
I don’t return the gesture. I can’t think right now.
Salman is still looking through his bag. Bent over, his gun is on display as it hangs from his belt. Faisal’s eyes are on it as he prepares his own things a few feet away. He exchanges a quick glance with Amaan.
I’ve got to tell them. Think, Zaid, think! I need to get Salman and Fatima alone. The other two might be armed. I think Faisal or Amaan have a knife, or maybe it was a dagger. They might try something if they realize that their secret is blown. We need to slip away when we get the chance.
“Glad to see you’re awake.”
Hearing the voice, I turn towards Faisal. He’s staring at me and wears a slight smirk. There’s a look in his eyes. I can’t tell what’s behind it. A fearful thought grips my souclass="underline" maybe I shouldn’t have come straight here from the stairwell. I arrived only a couple of minutes after them.
Before I can say anything, Salman’s tired and firm voice breaks the uneasy silence. “Zaid. Come get your sack.”
I make my way into the room. My footsteps are heavy. The air is cold in here, and there’s complete silence. I feel Faisal’s gaze follow me, burning the side of my skull. Does he know?
“Are you okay, Zaid?” Fatima sounds genuinely concerned. Is it that obvious?
Crouching down and picking up my sack, I sling it over my shoulder as I look over at her. “It was a bad dream. Woke me right up. But I’m fine.”
Salman walks right by me without a glance and heads towards the door. “Let’s get going already.”
Faisal is the one to respond. “We’re just waiting on Zaid.”
His voice sounds like it did behind that closed door. It’s completely different from the boy we found in that darkened hallway. However, I don’t let his tone rattle me, not missing a beat when I glance back at him. “I’m ready when you are.”
I can’t take my eyes off of the brothers. They’re not leaving Salman alone, staying on either side of him. We go down the desolate streets just as before: Salman and the two brothers up front while Fatima stays alongside me in the rear.
This time, I can’t see any of the destruction or feel any pain. I can’t focus in on any of the misty surroundings, and the smoke isn’t bothering me either. All I can do is stare at the brothers’ backs as I hear their true intentions echo in my head over and over again.
I’m only a few paces behind them. If Faisal or Amaan are suspicious, they’re doing a good job of hiding it. Neither even give me half a glance, keeping their eyes straight ahead or on Salman as they lowly speak to him. Like before, I can’t make anything out. Are they trying to influence him? I wish I could hear what they were saying.
My heart won’t settle down as it swings between being terrified and angry every few seconds. I can’t get their voices out of my head, can’t forget how they talked about us as if we were just animals.
I don’t even know if Salman will believe me. He’s been distant ever since we left Jari’s shop, trusting no judgment other than his own. He was angry when I gave that woman food. He didn’t trust me to wave down the helicopters. A part of me fears that he won’t pay my suspicions any heed.
“What’s bothering you, Zaid?”
Hearing Fatima’s voice, I’m suddenly yanked back to reality. I look over and meet her inquisitive, green eyes. She looks like she’s been staring at me for a while now. “Nothing.”
My response comes out as a reaction, not realizing what I’m saying until the word is out of my mouth. Fatima doesn’t believe it.
I take a deep breath. She’s not taking her gaze off of me. Will she believe me? I move a little closer, leaving only a few inches between us. “Something is happening, Fatima.”
“What?”
“They’re planning something—Faisal and Amman, I mean.” I make sure to keep my voice down. “They’re not going with us to Ballermoun.”