The Journalist

Part 42: Friends Stored in the Heart

I once read a quote, if the prayer we say for someone is not granted by God, maybe at that time God is granting the prayer that someone said for us. Did you agree?

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I don't know what time it is, for sure I'm still between the dimensions of dreams and reality. In my mind, I felt a tickling touch in my ears. It was so tingly, that I couldn't help but keep my eyes closed. I woke up shocked as something soft kept tickling.

At the same time, I heard the giggling laughter of the little boy right beside my ear. I turned around, looking at Khalila who was sitting quietly beside me holding the fowl feather that had just been used to tickle my ear.

"Big Brother Blonde, you're up late again!" he said while putting both hands on the side of his lips.

"really?" I opened the window curtain beside my bed. "Oh my God, look, even the sky hasn't turned blue. Why do you like to wake me up in the morning blind like this!" my lament.

"Brother Blonde, what are you saying? I don't know!"

I fell silent and realized I was just nagging in Japanese.

"I said .. It's still dark. Wake me when the sun is up!" I slammed my body back into a thin bed.

Khalila is shaking my body. "Brother Blonde, aren't you going to take me home today?"

My eyes opened for a moment. Yes, I forgot today we were going to the village where he lived. I have to hunt for train tickets as early as possible.

I am now getting ready to leave. Khalila came out of the room wearing the clothes I bought yesterday afternoon. I'm happy, because the clothes fit perfectly on her body.

My comrades approached while showing a worried look. Because they were afraid that something would happen to me again, this time they turned me around with a lot of food and drink. They also put compasses and flashlights into my backpack just in case.

"Ayano, this is the protection amulet I took from the temple when I went home last month. Take it and keep it, hopefully it can protect you!" Eiji gave me a small piece of wood inscribed with a prayer. "If you come back, don't forget to return this talisman to me" he whispered.

"It's a good luck charm for career and romance. I think it's more suitable that you keep it so you're lucky to get a replacement for your previous ex" said So who also gave me a small envelope the size of a red thumb.

"You yourself, you've kept it for a long time but you haven't had a girlfriend yet!" woe while laughing.

"Hey, come! Don't mock me! I'm just confused about choosing the right woman for me."

"August-san ..." Aoba came forward and handed him a small katana. "Hopefully this can protect you both."

"Arigatou. Sorry to bother you and worry you. I promise to return home safe!" I said while bowing.

"Born Brother, what did they give you?" ask Khalila.

"They gave us things that would protect us on the way."

"Tell them, Allah (God) is the protector and the best protector. So, don't worry!" said back.

"You're right. But ... we also need to respect their beliefs," I whispered with a smile.

To be honest, I do not believe in things that collide with logic, including mystical objects like this. However, to appreciate them, I still accept them.

I put a cap on my head and carried a backpack and said goodbye to them. Khalila and I joined hands at the station. We then boarded the train to the Aleppo province. Since this is the only train operating, then I must be ready to jostle with the other passengers. Damn, Khalila and I didn't get a seat so we had to stand up. My face that looked different, made many pairs of eyes that pointed at me with various expressions. I have worn a hat and glasses.

Passengers on this train on average are residents who want to evacuate to a small town that has not been touched by war. They carry a lot of goods, foodstuffs, fruits, fermented fish to farm animals such as chickens and lambs. You can imagine what kind of smell mixed here. Combined, it will smell like rotting organic waste. The mask became my dream object at this time, after all kinds of stinging scents entered my sense of smell forcibly.

Afraid that Khalila would fall or be trampled, I carried her along the way. Fortunately, this trip only takes about four hours. We finally arrived in Aleppo which is the capital of Aleppo province and became the second largest city in Syria. This city was once an ancient city and the oldest in the world which is estimated to have existed since the sixth century BC. Unfortunately, the city was badly damaged by the civil war.

source: BBC

In this city, we had to take a bus to a small town. Thankfully, the bus was not as crowded as the train so we could sit quietly side by side. But apparently, the bus journey could not be said to be more comfortable because we had to pass through a badly damaged road and also pass through a super tight Syrian military checkpoint. My status as a foreign journalist, made it easy for me to get through every check. While Khalila, I reasoned she was my friend's son who asked me to take him to a safer place.

"Born Brother, are we friends now?" ask Khalila suddenly.

"of course! We are friends" I replied as I thrust the pinky day towards her.

"But ..we're going to split up" he said with a frowning face.

"That company wasn't always together like this. Because a true friend is stored in the heart," I said as I patted the chest.

"Did you previously have a friend stored in your heart?" tanyanya back.

I was stunned for a moment while staring at the window of the bus. My memories flew when I last met Ameena. At that time, I was determined to climb the bus just to ask if I could be his friend? Unfortunately, I didn't get any answers.

We were dropped off in a smaller town at my request. As far as the bus went, I was confused because there was no clue as to the direction of the village where the little girl lived. I tried to ask him, but he didn't know either. Unfortunately, the place we came to right now was like a dead city. None of the humans are visible. There are only traces of the remains of buildings that collapsed as a result of the attack a year ago. All I know is that this area is the border between government territory and rebel groups.

The afternoon sun was so hot, it seemed to be walking in the land of Aladdin. After walking for tens of meters, we saw a pickup car that was walking towards us. When it was about to hold it, the car stopped in front of us first. One person sitting next to the driver came out.

"Khalila, Khalila, are you safe, son? We're all looking for you! Your father went to Damascus to find you, your mother kept crying out of worry" the man said, hugging Khalila with a happy look. He then looked at me with a frowning eyebrow.

"I'm Ayano Kei, the Japanese journalist who served here. I found this boy crying in the middle of the two camps' arms contact, and then brought him to this place." I stammered while bowing politely before the man.

"Ah, do you speak our language?" He was surprised. However, after that he turned his eyes to Khalila. "Khalila, let's go home! Your mother and the orphanage people are waiting for you. They don't stop praying for your safety."

Khalila clasped my hand so tightly that the man turned back to me.

"Let me take her to her parents' house" I asked.

"can't. Our village is not just anyone can enter let alone a foreign citizen!" she said, "Khalila, let's get in the car!"

"I don't want to go home if Brother Blonde doesn't come!" khalila said, clasping my hand tightly.

The man had no reason to refuse my request. He then took us to the car. He asked me to hide in the back, precisely in a pile of groceries covered in tarps. This is to make it easier for me to get into the area.

I think the journey from here to the village where Khalila lived is not too far away. In fact, already entering the sunset, we still have not arrived. I tried to peek out from behind the crevices, the view of the cliffs and ravines dominating our journey.

The car stopped for the first time. I peeked back, in the middle of the dim atmosphere, I saw that there were many groups of heavily armed men. It seemed that they were the guards of the entrance area of this region. The car returned to running after the gate opened. From behind the hideout, I could see the area where Khalila lived. I was surprised to learn that there were still safe areas and even far from the hustle and bustle of war.

The car stopped. This time I heard the sound of a car door opening followed by footprints coming down to the ground.

"Born Brother, we've reached my place!" shout Khalila.

I ventured out and got out of the car. Khalila immediately pulled me into a place where many children her age were playing and running around in the yard. This place was quite spacious and looked like a foundation. I heard the man say the word orphanage. Does that mean Khalila lives here? Doesn't she have a father and a mother?

In the midst of my confusion, I heard a loud scream. Some welcomed Khalila with joy and gratitude. It seems that they are part of the board of this foundation.

"Khalila, God willing, you're back safely, we've all stopped praying for you! How did you get back here?" A white-copied man immediately hugged the boy with a full day.

The man who brought us here immediately explained and also introduced me as the little girl's rescue man.

"Thank God, thank you for all your good deeds to this child. May Allah reward him. Come on, please come in!" said the man with the kiss kindly.

"Ah, no need. Looks like I should be home soon. My goal here was just to make sure this little girl arrived safely at her residence," I said as I walked back and turned quickly.

"Brother Blonde, are you leaving?" Khalila was holding my shirt tail.

I turned the body slowly, then crouched down to equalize her height. "Yes, I have to go home soon so as not to make my friends worry."

"But I'm not your friend either." Khalila showed a gloomy face.

"Of course, you're my friend. Friends are stored in the heart," I said while patting the chest.

"You can't leave before you see my mother." Khalila even multimatum.

The white-feced man approached and said, "Master, if you can stay a day here. It's late, there's no vehicle access heading out of the village. Let Our Master meet you and repay your kindness to his daughter. We'll also take you home."

"Ah, there's no need to bother like that!" subtly reject me.

"Come, Master! Our master is on his way home. He must also have wanted to meet the man who saved his daughter" he said.

"Ah, just say my regards to him. I'm glad to have met his very smart son!" my words still refuse.

"Capriloque! Khalila!" The voice of a woman's calling made me flinch.

I turned around quickly. At the same time a beautiful and graceful young woman with a pashmina wrapped around her head was running towards us. In that second also my eyes enlarged followed by a frozen body.

Khalila unceremoniously took off her handrail at the end of my shirt, only to run towards the woman.

"Ummi ..." (mom)

Khalila's screams at the woman made me even more surprised. Is what I see real?

Instantly, I remembered the great hope that had been seeping in my heart at that time.

If we are still reunited, may it be the answer to the prayer he prayed to his Lord ....

May it be the answer to the prayer he prayed to his Lord ....

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