The Journalist

Part 51: Barrier Wall

Ameena was not the first person in my life. I was not the first person in his life either. She was once married to Mr. Ali's younger brother, while I once lived with Yuna. We both had someone in the past.

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Khalila had returned to her room after studying for hours in my room. I also prepared to rest so that my condition would soon recover and be able to return to Damascus.

"Born Brother, Blonde Brother, did you hear my voice?"

I was shocked to catch the sound of Khalila wafting from next to this room. He was also banging on the wall right behind me. I turned around and knocked on the wall.

"Yes, I heard it. Is our headboard next to each other?" ask me with a spontaneous smile.

"Yes. Our beds are turned back to each other. So, Blonde Brother don't sleep snoring, huh? Because your voice will get here!"

I'm laughing a little. Was I snoring last night?

Soon, I heard Ameena's voice asking Khalila to go to sleep. Oh, yes, I forgot that Ameena's room was right next to Khalila's. The outside of this building is made of concrete, but on the inside, only use a type of gypsum as a barrier between rooms.

Hearing Ameena's soft voice, made my feelings warm up. He appears to have led Khalila to recite a prayer.

I reached into my pocket, trying to find the remaining candy. There is one more lollipop. I quickly unwrapped the plastic wrap and started sucking on it. Yes, I do often bring candy as a substitute for cigarettes. When my mind was stuck, only candy and cigarettes saved me.

The sky is lying on the lap of the night. Khalila's voice was no longer heard. I also find it difficult to close my eyes. Slender. Only occasionally did the sound of crickets screeching. The night wind that infiltrated the room, unable to press my eyes. I tried to sit, leaning my back and head against the wall. Next to my hand formed a fist, then tried to knock on the wall I was leaning against.

"Mina-chan, are you asleep?" askaku.

Silent. There's no sound. Even a minute passed. I took a deep breath while bowing. A smile was drawn to my lips.

"Hey, Mina-chan, you know .. I'm so happy to see you again. I'm also happy to know you're Zaheera. Although I know you must be disappointed because your pen friend has been me all along. Forgive me for the lies I've done. Saying I'm a woman and faking my identity. At that time I just wanted to know the facts that happened in the refugee camps. But .. You should know, not everything I've told you is a lie. About the broken love story I told you about, it really happened. In addition, the news I wrote I had to give to the Al-Jazeera journalists because the media overshadowed me, refused to raise the case."

I paused my sentence for a moment, just to take a breath.

"I've even been in a phase of blaming myself and thinking I'm a failure. I went through hard times simultaneously to the point of making me decide to recover my mental and my heart. After that, I felt like I couldn't help you more. I'm losing my heart to uncover a case that could potentially be made public. Therefore, there is no reason for me to continue our friendship in cyberspace."

I let out a breath. My lungs were so relieved to be able to tell the truth. Even though he may not have heard me.

"I ... was also happy to meet Khai and Nissa at once."

I'm aghast. Ameena's voice suddenly sounded from behind the wall, making my heart feel lost to the beat of the rhythm. I thought he was asleep. Turns out he heard everything I said. My head turned slowly towards the wall.

"I'm sorry about what's been happening to you all this time. Everything that happened has passed. We are always spoiled by memories, both bitter and sweet. That's what keeps us feeling guilty and sorry. Though we only need to collect every wisdom on the journey of life," he continued. His voice was quiet in my ear.

Too long stunned, leaving me silent for a moment. Like losing the ability to speak. Now, replace him who knocked on the wall.

"You're asleep?"

Once jerked, I who had time to immediately say, "Ah, not yet. I don't have any drowsiness yet.

"Are you going back to Japan?" tanyanya slow.

"Gum." I'm nodding.

"When?"

"About five days."

"Are you going back to this country?"

"It should be like that" I replied with a sad face.

Actually, I wanted to ask him directly about Mr. Ali. I want to know how he feels about that guy. Unfortunately, I have no courage. To be more precise, I felt I had no right to ask that. Who me? Of course it's nobody!

"Hey, isn't there something you want to give me before I leave? Like a thing or some kind of souvenir that can make me remember you?" my many.

I waited a long time for his reply. In fact, he didn't even make a sound at all.

"Look at a book on the nightstand!" her door.

I turned to the side, my eyes fixed on a thick little book adjacent to my origami crane. I picked up and opened the book this afternoon. However, there was not a single sentence I could read.

"Take it!" command's back. "That's one of the most precious things I have."

My eyes spontaneously stared at the wall. "really? If books are valuable, then they shouldn't be for me."

"It's okay."

"What book is this?" I asked while opening sheets after sheets of paper filled with arabic writing.

"Tafsir book."

"Tafsir?" I cringe.

"You can read it if you want to know. But, if you don't want to, you better not take it."

"Hhmm .. I haven't been able to read Arabic."

"really?" Ameena looked surprised. "I'm sorry, I thought you could read." His voice is weakening.

"Ah, but it's okay. Now the era of technology. Even the language of other planets can be known."

"The book is about the guidance and guidelines of human life. You're a critical person and you're happy to find out everything new, so I think it suits you. Maybe you'll ...." Ameena did not continue her words.

"Why?" manya curious.

"Please take good care of the book. Don't put it anywhere."

"Gum." I'm nodding. "I will definitely read and try to understand it."

I hugged the little book. Of course I'm very happy to receive a memento from Ameena. At this moment, I felt like we were sitting on our backs. I turned my body slowly, staring at the wall that separated our room.

"Hey, Mina-chan! Thank you ... Thank you for taking me as a friend. Thank you also for remembering me," I continued with a deep smile.

"Thanks ...." He called me hoarsely. It's almost inaudible.

"Yes, mina-chan."

"Jaa ne ...."

Again, I heard the words coming out of his mouth. I poked my lips, taking a deep breath as I looked back at the wall with a stifled tightness.

"Jaa eyes," I said.

For some reason, our farewell this time felt hard to penetrate in my mouth. I am fully aware that my heart has been attached to it. Even so, just talking to a situation like this, had already made me happy. At the very least, my desire to chat with him has been achieved.

My fingers tried to touch the wall, then put my palms together, imagining Ameena doing the same. With both palms still on the surface of the wall, my face advanced slowly. A pair of eyelids closed as my dry lips stuck there. While across the street, I imagined her welcoming me with tenderness and also returning a touch of my hand. Think of it that way if there's no wall standing in our way.

"Oyasuminasai," I whispered with trembling lips.

(Oyasuminasai: good night)

I stared at the plain wall in front of me with my glare. I know, I'm happy right now. However, this happiness seems to be mixed with a feeling of tightness that resides in the chest. This wall is like the difference that stands between us. Even so, it is not a barrier for me to channel my feelings to him. I want to melt each of our encounters in memory, then store them in memories.

Mina-chan, will you touch my love, let it creep into your heart and spread throughout your mind?

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