Not Alone
Khaleel Jooste
Not Alone
By Khaleel Jooste
Copyright Khaleel Jooste 2015
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I seek protection from satan the outcast and I begin in the name of
Allah,
The Gracious, The Merciful.
Ayat Al-Kursi
Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
Surah Al- Baqarah (The Cow) 2:255
As Allah wills
#Alien
#HoldOnTight
#MyOnlyWish(This Year)
"Indeed, your wealth and children are a trial."
Surah At-Taghābun (The Mutual Disillusion) 64:15
"And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to as-sabirun (the patient ones)."
Surah Al-Baqarah (The Cow) 2:155
Not Alone
“Take my hand.”
She reaches out to him.
“Don’t be scared. I won’t let go. We’ll be safe.”
Hesitantly he moves along the side of the vine, closer to her.
He takes her hand.
Gently at first.
Then he grips it tight.
She could feel the shivers.
He wasn’t faking it.
He was really scared.
“Hey, you are safe. I promise. Nothing is going to happen to us.”
She starts to move.
“Slowly, please. Highly places make me very queasy. Really.”
She slows down.
Waits for him to make his way to where she was standing at the edge.
When he was right next to her, she puts her arm around his waist and gives him a reassuring smile.
Her eyes comfort him.
He smiles too.
“Pretty isn’t it.”
“Honestly.”
She puts her hand out.
Stretches her arm into the air.
“Careful. We are mostly not sure what they are really. Surely you must be careful.”
“Stop worrying so. It seems harmless.”
He shakes his head.
“Seemly, yes. Surely, no. Carefully.”
She shakes her head.
Then.
“Do you think we should climb over and jump?”
She looks down.
“It seems almost like it will catch us. Don’t you agree?”
She stares at him excitedly.
“Doubtedly.”
“Come on. Maybe we’ll see those things again.”
“Like at the parky space?”
“Yeah. Exactly.”
“But that was downly, not so highly. I don’t think they come near highly places. I was wrongly thinking we might find something here.”
She sighs.
“I’m sure there is more.”
He could see that she wanted to go ahead and look.
She was always curious.
Never scared.
He enjoyed that about her.
He didn’t want to disappoint her.
“Mostly, I don’t want to, but surely, if you don’t let go, we can go. So long as we proceed safely. Promise me.”
“Definitely.”
She smiles excitedly.
Starts to climb onto the top of the vine thing.
“Together.”
He breathes deep.
Slowly climbs up and balances himself next to her.
“Ready?”
She takes in his eyes.
“Honestly?”
“Yes.”
“Positively not.”
He looks down.
She looks down too.
“Highly. We really are highly up.”
She agrees.
She takes his hand.
They both breathe deeply.
“Safely, yes?”
She nods.
“Always.”
He nods too.
“Okay.”
They look at each other.
Then they both jump.
ك
1975
“Kimmy dear, put that down and come have your supper. Honey.”
She gently runs her hand across his chest and kisses the top of his head. He puts his hand to hers.
“Coming, dear. It smells wonderful.”
“Yes, Mommy! May I have seconds?” Kimberly throws her coloring book into her back-pack and tosses it to the side. She skips to the dining table and sits down.
“Finish that first, dear, and maybe you can. Later.”
“Mmmmmm. Come, Daddy, say grace so that we can dig in. My tummy is rumbling worse than a dinosaur’s.”
“Oh, yeah, Angel-Face? What does a hungry dinosaur’s tummy sound like?” He takes a seat at the head of the table as his wife takes hers.
“Like this…roarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… grrrrr… roarrrr…” She puts her thin arms into the air, forms fists and makes a growling face.
“Like a lion roaring?” Her mom laughs.
“Yes, Mommy. That’s why all the animals ran away whenever they heard the dinosaur’s tummy growling… they knew not to mess with a hungry dinosaur or they would be dinner. Roooooarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr… grrrrrrrrr.”
She takes her dad’s hand.
Then her mom’s.
“Better say grace, Daddy, before I eat yours too.”
She sticks out her tongue and closes her eyes.
Jonathan says grace.
Squeezes his wife and Kimberly’s hand as his says “Amen”.
“Mmmmmmmmm,” Kimberly immediately starts.
“Not so fast, dear. Eat your food slowly. Remember to chew.” Her mother smiles.
“Yes, Mommy. I will try my best. But the worms in my tummy have ideas of their own.”
“What worms, dear?” Her mother curious.
“The fairy worms that creep up your nose while you sleep and lay their eggs. The eggs flow all the way to your tummy to be safe there. If they didn’t flow down, the nasty fairy-worm-eating-spiders will get to them.” She takes another bite of her cannoli. “The spiders will still attempt to get into your mouth, but go to the dark depths of the throat, they wouldn’t dare. And the ones that dare get into your mouth are on a suicide mission any way.”
She eats some more.
“Mmmmmmmumm.”
“The pasta’s lovely, sweetheart.” He takes her hand in his and kisses it softly.
“Mom’s old recipe. Spinach and ricotta. The special ingredient is the detergent with the lavender and potpourri.” She smiles and winks.
“You are kidding, right, Amber?” He puts his fork down and looks worriedly as Kimberly puts the last bite of hers into her mouth and asks for more.
Amber scoops some into Kimberly’s plate.
“Remember to eat the greens too, honey.”
“You were kidding about the detergent, right, Amber?” Jonathan still eyed Kimberly. He looked as if he wanted to stop her from eating any further.
“What detergent? We bought some last week. Why would we want to buy any more?” She takes a sip of her water and then wraps a rocket leave around a cherry tomato and takes a bite.
“The pasta, Amber?” He seems to ha
ve lost his appetite.
“Oh this? Mom’s recipe. Spinach and ricotta. The special ingredient...nts” she rolls her eyes, “are a few herbs.” She eyes him as if to say you’re not getting them out of me.
“Your sister has been trying to out cook me for a long time now. I will be dead first before she gets her hands on mom’s recipe. Her cannoli is always bland and soggy. But I love her dearly.”
She smiles at Jonathan and then focuses on Kimberly.
“Angel, did you remember to put your books in the laundry?”
Kimberly looks at her mom with a laugh.
“Very funny, Mommy. They will be ruined if I did that.”
Amber looks at Jonathan and then at Kimberly.
“What’s funny about it, Angel? You were in the sand pit again and your dress and pink top is a mess. They won’t be ruined, but rather cleaned.”
She eyes her daughter.
“But you said books, Mommy.” Kimberly laughs more.
“I said put your clothes in the laundry. That was long ago.”
“But, now, Mommy… you said.”
She looks at her dad.
“Did you put your clothes in the laundry, Angel-face?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
She looks at her mom and tries her best not to laugh anymore.
She decides to rather forget what her mom said and eats more of her pasta.
“You feeling okay, Amber.”
“Right as rain. Never better.”
She squeezes Jonathan’s hand.
“I’ll get the car out of the oven and we can have dessert.”
Kimberly laughs out loud.
“You’re so funny, Mommy.”
“What did I say or do that’s so funny?” She smiles.
“You said car out of the oven.”
“Don’t be silly. I said tart. It’s my own recipe.” She smiles proudly and excuses herself from the table.
Kimberly looks at her dad and starts.
“Mom sure is funny, hey Daddy.”
She giggles more.
Jonathan tries to smile, but only manages a curl to the corner of his mouth, followed by a frown.
He looks in the direction of the kitchen.
This has been happening more often.
“Tada!” Amber returns to the dining table.
“Smells delicious, Mommy. What is it?”
“Cranberry-a’la-Amber with some delicious sauce. You sure you still have space in your tummy?”
“Me? Of course, Mommy. The worms ate all the cannoli. I am still very hungry.
