The Journalist

Part 31: Sixty Precious Minutes

People say feelings are the deadliest biological weapon. Never lose even against logic ....

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One word that jumped from his mouth successfully made me aghast. Yes, just one word! My frozen body slowly twisted with a stiff look that loomed on my face. Coinciding with that, he raised the burkak on top of his head just like I do right now. Suddenly, this pair of eyes doubled in size as soon as he saw his soft face that was now clearly displayed before me.

He and I stood in the moonlight with their eyes fixed on each other. I'm still confused. I mean, I still can't believe the woman standing a meter away from me is her. Even my mouth couldn't open, as if it was locked tightly. Is this an illusion?

Moments of time seemed to creep slowly, making all the situations that had been gripping suddenly filled with longing. This is quite embarrassing! We met at the wrong moment. Even when I'm wearing a covered woman's outfit like this.

I still looked at him without turning a bit. The woman's lips moved, hissing at something that seemed difficult to remove.

"O–ogenki desu ... ka?" he hesitated with an inappropriate accent.

(Ogenki desuka in Japanese means what's up)

I don't believe this. He greeted me first. Even in my own language. Baffled. Mute. Idiotically. That's who I am right now. I suddenly became the greatest person in the world. My tongue is too thick to speak. Oh, no, I can't do this! Don't let him think I don't recognize him anymore!

"Hi, genki desu," I replied in a voice that almost whispered.

(Hi, genki desu\=I'm fine)

He nodded small. Although faint, I could see a faint smile flowing on his lips. After that, he turned his body away slowly. No, don't tell me he'll just leave!

"Mina-chan!" call quickly.

His steps stopped followed by a head that turned slowly towards me.

"Kaifa haluki?" I asked him back in Arabic.

He looked flinched, but immediately replied. "Ana bikhoirin."

(Ana bikhoirin\=I'm fine)

What else am I supposed to say? I'm confused! I lost my vocabulary. We were trapped in silence again. However, it did not last long as there were noisy sounds around the area. It turned out that the soldiers started combing this place. They've been on standby with guns and rifles. Some carried sniffer dogs and bomb detection devices. They must have received a report from an international aid camp. No doubt, I also immediately took Ameena away.

"Mina-chan, come with me!"

I asked him to run. Unfortunately, it turns out that the soldiers are also there from the front. We turned around and had to go down a barren chasm. I don't know what bad luck befell me and him so our second meeting should be like this. It reminds me of when we tried to escape an impromptu attack on a refugee camp, then ended up getting lost in the desert.

"Akh!" Ameena's small scream was heard as she suddenly slipped from stepping on the tip of her own robe.

I'll approach her soon. My hand spontaneously extended towards him. "You all right?"

Ameena directly rested her back on the stone with her legs thrust forward. The woman's breath seemed disjointed. Sweat flowed from his forehead. Strange, we haven't seen each other in nearly three months. However, it felt like everything we passed tonight was just like repeating events that had passed. If it's not pursued like this, is there still a chance for us to meet?

Silent. I tried to peek over the rock to see the surroundings. My eyes widened when I saw the horde of soldiers heading here. Inevitably, I immediately invited Ameena to return to guerrilla. After descending the ravine, we had to climb back up. There is no way for us to escape. All the places have been combed by the army. However, we must not be caught because the United Nations Army on guard is currently the Japanese Self-Defense Force.

Ameena looked at me anxiously. I squinted while looking around the place. The troops holding the rifles were invisible, leaving only those busy carrying bomb-detection devices and sniffer dogs. That means, they might be guarding around a point higher than this place. This strategy I learned as a soldier.

I intercepted Ameena who was about to run down. Because it just makes it easier for snipers to take aim at us. If we don't want to be seen, then we have to be in a higher place than their hiding place. But where is it?

I looked up, precisely at some of the trees that surrounded us and almost covered the sky. There's no way to beat a military dog's prowess at sniffing. However, hiding in trees may be a surefire tactic to avoid them.

"Mina-chan, can you climb?" I pointed at the tree.

Ameena nodded.

They're getting closer to us. There was no other way, I rolled up the long clothes to the waist, then climbed up a medium-sized tree that stood firmly beside us. As soon as I got to the branch, I saw Ameena who was still standing down there.

I opened the long khimar I was wearing and also took off the long clothes leaving only the singlet and jeans on my body. I tied the khimar and the cloak into one and then pushed it down.

"All right! I'll pull you out of here!"

He looked at me with an unconvinced face. However, I again begged him to go up immediately. He then jumped to try to take the edge of the cloth. As soon as it reached his hand, I immediately pulled the cloth bit by bit until he climbed to the top.

Now, we both sit on the same branch. She leaned against the tree trunk, while I was beside her while monitoring her down. Fortunately, Ameena managed to climb to the top. Because, just a few minutes later, the military troops had arrived and tracked down there.

We tried not to move, not to make a sound even to the point of having to hold our breath for a while. Fortunately, this tree has thick and wide leaves. My eyes turned to Ameena. The woman closed her eyes tightly. Her tiny lips pursed and both of her hands clenched tightly. His fearful expression made me hold back my laughter.

"Mina-chan," called me in a whispering voice.

He opened his eyes, just a little.

"Don't worry! They're gone, "I said calmly.

His eyes are now perfectly open. He looked down to confirm my words. His leg breath was blowing followed by both hands that immediately wiped his face.

"Mina-chan, look!" I pointed forward, precisely at the bright glowing full moon.

The curvature of the crescent moon then rose on her lips, not inferior to the beauty of the full moon in winter. It brings shade to the heart and soul that sees it. He was still like that time. Not much talking. However, the look on his face was hard enough to describe his mood.

"Mina-chan, give me one hour." A request came out of my mouth all of a sudden.

(Give me one hour\=Give me one hour)

Ameena turned towards me without a sound. There was no answer from him. Just shut up and look back ahead. We watched the satellite of the earth again with swinging legs.

I still want to be like this. I still want to linger here, sit quietly with him and forget for a moment what happened. Let us be like this, creating the precious sixty minutes before dawn snatches away the night and escapes the full moon from the horizon.