To Live Her Life
January 9th, that afternoon.
Only hours earlier, right after dawn he had found her; they still had work to do though. Youri was forced to leave the unknown named girl (at least to him) with one of the medics who were there. They even went as far as handcuffing her to an old pole in order to make sure she wouldn't run. His heart broke watching as they took her and he had to leave her there alone around men she didn't know or understand. At least there were a few women brought in as nurses to help or else the situation would have been worse.
Oceané had her scarf on again, she put it on right after she was dropped off. After the men left, she was alone, until a woman came by with a water bottle and a wrapped cake of some sort. After the smiling woman handed her the items Oceané thanked her and she once again was alone while the woman went about her duties. It was a strange feeling but for the most part... she was free. And she relished at the thought, not dwelling on the bad for those few hours.
As the heat set in, she started getting antsy. Her black clothed abaya stuck to her underclothes that stuck to her. Her hair was most likely soaked, and she could feel the sweat wetting in a trial to cool her body. Fatigue really started to set in around then, she was after all let out in the hot desert heat.
Youri had been going through house after house, Demetrio kicked down door after door. They found no one. If they did many were already dead. Many, they assumed, fled while given the chance. Riyadh was the capital city, a densely populated area. That possibility was always factored in, but so where the people, his people, who sere guarding the perimeter. With two houses left, they found two children, twins, who were crying. They knew going in that there were children from the wails. Youri had to pull them both off of their dead mother and father. This made him wish he knew a few words in Arabic, at least they would knew he would help as best he could. If not him, he knew someone who could...
Right as Oceané felt the numbness taking over, the sun started to get lower and lower in the sky; giving her hope that the sun would soon be replaced by the moon. Though passing out from exhaustion sounded good to her at that moment as well. All she wanted was to sleep... until the sight of a black haired, suited clad man caught her attention. He was holding two small children in his arms. They were probably barely even 5 years old. Her heart skipped a beat, then pounded insanely in her chest.
She forced her body to push herself up and then also, her legs to hold her shaky body from collapsing. She stood watching them all come closer to the “medical station.”
“тут” (Here...) Youri said to no one in particular, continuing in his mind: “She'll understand and help you...” He came even closer and put and gently placed the little girl into her arms. Despite being drowsy, Oceané became wide awake. She slid down, her back against the pole, into the dust that littered the cement ground underneath her. The little girl looked at her and instantly tears came to her eyes and the she started bawling again,
“ألأم أريد ماما!” (Momma I want momma!) The little girl wailed..."ماما" (Mama!) She continued crying in Oceané.
"أعرف ، أعرف.” (I know, I know) Oceané shushed the little girl in her arms, “كل شيء سيكون بخير" (Everything will be okay...) or at least she hoped. Oceané rocked the little girl back and forth while barely whispering audible things into her ears and wiping away her tears.
Youri smiled at the sound of her voice as she talked to the younger girl. He dropped to the ground next to her, sitting cross legged with the other young boy in his arms still. He watched the little boy quivering as he took in his twin sister being comforted. Youri soon handed him over to her as well. The boy cried but wouldn't let anyone see it. 'Tough love' Youri supposed. Who knows what had happened to these other children, what their parents may have done, the laws and punishments they were susceptible to. Youri realized how great he had it as a kid, even though he always thought there were too many rules...that was nothing compared to living this life...
To live her life
He sat back watching the three of them solemnly until it was time to move out. It was starting to become darker, camp was being set up about a mile or so away in a secured location, more secured than in the middle of the city that is. After one of his superiors told him it was time and then left, he stood. He was given the keys to the hand cuffs, so he bent over to loosen them and take them off. He held out his arms, hoping that she would understand. The twins were asleep in her arms.
Oceané let him take the heavier of the two, the young boy up to chest, holding him there with one arm. The girl was heavy for her virtually muscle less arms but that was all pushed aside, will power taking over. In one fluid motion Youri grabbed her hand as well and lifted her to her feet. Oceané blushed and looked at the ground as she followed him. His free hand just barely brushing her clothed back as she walked directly beside him.
Soon, they both arrived at an armored vehicle of some sort. Inside the pioneer, wagon-like vehicle were women and a dozen or so children, excluding the youngest, most needy babies. There were a good 10 or so of them as well. The one woman she made eye contact with was an Arabic woman. She was clothed regularly, but somethings you can just tell.
Oceané ran forward towards her and the wagon, the woman came down the ladder to her as well. They met almost in the middle. Oceané pulled her scarf away from her face, letting it lay limply wrapped around her neck. This was the common thing to do when addressing an older woman, it showed respect. In many ways it was a form of concern, eye contact if you will...though you wouldn't dare ever to that. She believed it was rather stupid but she always did as she was told from fear of disipline.
“Ей!” She heard yelled after her “Ей!”
"ما الذي يحدث؟" (What's happening?) "الى اين اخذوا منها؟" (Where are they taking them?) She questioned in an almost breathless tone.
“لا تقلق ، سوف يكون على ما يرام.” (Don't worry, they will be fine.) The woman assured Oceané. "سمعت عليهم التحدث باللغة الإنجليزية ، فهي تدفعنا إلى مكان آمن" (I over heard them talking in English, they are taking us all to a safe place.) "سوف أتأكد من أنها آمنة" (I will make sure they are safe...) The woman paused, seeming like she knew what Oceané felt. She never would though. “ثق بي" (Trust me...) Oceané finally nodded and handed over the little girl in her arms to the waiting ones of the older grown up woman. Oceané found out before the little girls name was Alia. Her brothers name is Ibrahim. She made it a point to tell the woman that as the man carrying Ibrahim caught up to her.
Oceané was torn, there is no safe place here. She didn't feel safe and now she was giving up these two scared kids to who knows what. To prove her point, some unknown man grabbed her arm roughly as the rest of them finally caught up to her.
“Ти, маленька сука” (You little bitch) the man hissed, but she didn't understand at all. She understood everything clearly when he slapped her and sent her flying onto the ground though. She cowered away as he came closer immediately after he threw her to the ground.
“Навіть не думайте про торкаючись її!”(Don't even think about touching her!) Youri screamed after watching what one of the guys on another squad had just done to her. He was a younger boy, younger than himself anyways, eighteen years old at the most. “Якщо ви йдете поруч з нею ще раз я тебе вб'ю.”(If you go near her again I will kill you.) Youri growled out the threat to the man in front of him. He was dead serious, but the boy just smirked.
“Що ебать тут відбувається?!” (What the fuck is going on?!) A booming voice yelled. Oceané cringed as she saw a huge, dirty, older man step in between the two boys in front of her. “добре?” (Well?) He yelled louder than she had ever heard a man yell before. She didn't know what they were saying but whatever it was, it wasn't good by any means.
Youri argued with his leader, the ultimate one over this particular group. This was like every military. Everyone had someone over them from the lowest of the lows way up to the president and maybe even further. He wasn't the lowest but still, he was no where near his father or brothers status' and they were more towards the top, the middle than he was.
“Відтепер, вона ваша відповідальність. Це все про вас і тільки від вас. Ви хочете ризикнути на неї, так і буде. Але його на вас ...” (From now on, she is your responsibility. This is all on you and you only. You want to take a risk on her, so be it. But its on you...) With those parting words, Youri was left alone. He long since help the girl up from the ground and let her stick with the twin children for a while while he discussed things. He was risking everything, he knew that. He couldn't bare to she her killed though, anyone killed for that matter.
But there was something about her.
-
Oceané was scared but to keep her sanity and a remote sense of safeness, she continued to walk behind the boy whose hand was entangled with her own. Meanwhile, she was ever aware of the armed men following after the two the them, and the ones in front who kept turning every now and then to look in their direction, to look at her. Way in front were soldiers, guns raised, an then a few vehicles. Then behind them was the same, all the children included.
Youri knew he was taking a risk. He saw how all of his group acted with her, he knew they were just a glimpse as to what would come after they meet up with the bigger group. He knew the deathly glares both he and she were getting, saw the shame in her eyes as she walked head cast down to the ground.
She was different from them, you could pick her out in an instant amongst the men of the caravan.
Youri was determined to protect her though, then a thought came to mind.
“Як тебе звуть?” (what's your name?) He pulled on her hand as well, to get her attention. Her eyes were wide and shined brightly despite the circumstances. He pointed to his name plate, and said “Youri”. His name plate on his left shoulder said his last name, yet she wouldn't know the difference.
Oceané watched him, trying to understand anything. She willed herself to just magically understand what was being said around her so that the self consciousness might go away, so the questions would go way. He pointed to his name plate and said 'Youri.' His name, she supposed.
“Youri?” She tried it out even with her dialect it sounded strange though she figured out his name, one question down. He nodded, his lips turning up into a half smile. He loved the way his name sounded on her tongue, with that Arabic accent. It sounded in all honestly like nothing he had said but she said it like she heard it in her head on repeat. 'Youri' . “Oceané أن" (I'm Oceané). She pointed quickly and lazily to herself not wanting to talk in the presence of men out of habit.
“Oceané” Youri repeated under his breath, barely in a whisper with his accent present, so that's her name...
He then watched her brief smile fade away just as the sun into the night sky.
Oceané had her scarf on again, she put it on right after she was dropped off. After the men left, she was alone, until a woman came by with a water bottle and a wrapped cake of some sort. After the smiling woman handed her the items Oceané thanked her and she once again was alone while the woman went about her duties. It was a strange feeling but for the most part... she was free. And she relished at the thought, not dwelling on the bad for those few hours.
As the heat set in, she started getting antsy. Her black clothed abaya stuck to her underclothes that stuck to her. Her hair was most likely soaked, and she could feel the sweat wetting in a trial to cool her body. Fatigue really started to set in around then, she was after all let out in the hot desert heat.
Youri had been going through house after house, Demetrio kicked down door after door. They found no one. If they did many were already dead. Many, they assumed, fled while given the chance. Riyadh was the capital city, a densely populated area. That possibility was always factored in, but so where the people, his people, who sere guarding the perimeter. With two houses left, they found two children, twins, who were crying. They knew going in that there were children from the wails. Youri had to pull them both off of their dead mother and father. This made him wish he knew a few words in Arabic, at least they would knew he would help as best he could. If not him, he knew someone who could...
Right as Oceané felt the numbness taking over, the sun started to get lower and lower in the sky; giving her hope that the sun would soon be replaced by the moon. Though passing out from exhaustion sounded good to her at that moment as well. All she wanted was to sleep... until the sight of a black haired, suited clad man caught her attention. He was holding two small children in his arms. They were probably barely even 5 years old. Her heart skipped a beat, then pounded insanely in her chest.
She forced her body to push herself up and then also, her legs to hold her shaky body from collapsing. She stood watching them all come closer to the “medical station.”
“тут” (Here...) Youri said to no one in particular, continuing in his mind: “She'll understand and help you...” He came even closer and put and gently placed the little girl into her arms. Despite being drowsy, Oceané became wide awake. She slid down, her back against the pole, into the dust that littered the cement ground underneath her. The little girl looked at her and instantly tears came to her eyes and the she started bawling again,
“ألأم أريد ماما!” (Momma I want momma!) The little girl wailed..."ماما" (Mama!) She continued crying in Oceané.
"أعرف ، أعرف.” (I know, I know) Oceané shushed the little girl in her arms, “كل شيء سيكون بخير" (Everything will be okay...) or at least she hoped. Oceané rocked the little girl back and forth while barely whispering audible things into her ears and wiping away her tears.
Youri smiled at the sound of her voice as she talked to the younger girl. He dropped to the ground next to her, sitting cross legged with the other young boy in his arms still. He watched the little boy quivering as he took in his twin sister being comforted. Youri soon handed him over to her as well. The boy cried but wouldn't let anyone see it. 'Tough love' Youri supposed. Who knows what had happened to these other children, what their parents may have done, the laws and punishments they were susceptible to. Youri realized how great he had it as a kid, even though he always thought there were too many rules...that was nothing compared to living this life...
To live her life
He sat back watching the three of them solemnly until it was time to move out. It was starting to become darker, camp was being set up about a mile or so away in a secured location, more secured than in the middle of the city that is. After one of his superiors told him it was time and then left, he stood. He was given the keys to the hand cuffs, so he bent over to loosen them and take them off. He held out his arms, hoping that she would understand. The twins were asleep in her arms.
Oceané let him take the heavier of the two, the young boy up to chest, holding him there with one arm. The girl was heavy for her virtually muscle less arms but that was all pushed aside, will power taking over. In one fluid motion Youri grabbed her hand as well and lifted her to her feet. Oceané blushed and looked at the ground as she followed him. His free hand just barely brushing her clothed back as she walked directly beside him.
Soon, they both arrived at an armored vehicle of some sort. Inside the pioneer, wagon-like vehicle were women and a dozen or so children, excluding the youngest, most needy babies. There were a good 10 or so of them as well. The one woman she made eye contact with was an Arabic woman. She was clothed regularly, but somethings you can just tell.
Oceané ran forward towards her and the wagon, the woman came down the ladder to her as well. They met almost in the middle. Oceané pulled her scarf away from her face, letting it lay limply wrapped around her neck. This was the common thing to do when addressing an older woman, it showed respect. In many ways it was a form of concern, eye contact if you will...though you wouldn't dare ever to that. She believed it was rather stupid but she always did as she was told from fear of disipline.
“Ей!” She heard yelled after her “Ей!”
"ما الذي يحدث؟" (What's happening?) "الى اين اخذوا منها؟" (Where are they taking them?) She questioned in an almost breathless tone.
“لا تقلق ، سوف يكون على ما يرام.” (Don't worry, they will be fine.) The woman assured Oceané. "سمعت عليهم التحدث باللغة الإنجليزية ، فهي تدفعنا إلى مكان آمن" (I over heard them talking in English, they are taking us all to a safe place.) "سوف أتأكد من أنها آمنة" (I will make sure they are safe...) The woman paused, seeming like she knew what Oceané felt. She never would though. “ثق بي" (Trust me...) Oceané finally nodded and handed over the little girl in her arms to the waiting ones of the older grown up woman. Oceané found out before the little girls name was Alia. Her brothers name is Ibrahim. She made it a point to tell the woman that as the man carrying Ibrahim caught up to her.
Oceané was torn, there is no safe place here. She didn't feel safe and now she was giving up these two scared kids to who knows what. To prove her point, some unknown man grabbed her arm roughly as the rest of them finally caught up to her.
“Ти, маленька сука” (You little bitch) the man hissed, but she didn't understand at all. She understood everything clearly when he slapped her and sent her flying onto the ground though. She cowered away as he came closer immediately after he threw her to the ground.
“Навіть не думайте про торкаючись її!”(Don't even think about touching her!) Youri screamed after watching what one of the guys on another squad had just done to her. He was a younger boy, younger than himself anyways, eighteen years old at the most. “Якщо ви йдете поруч з нею ще раз я тебе вб'ю.”(If you go near her again I will kill you.) Youri growled out the threat to the man in front of him. He was dead serious, but the boy just smirked.
“Що ебать тут відбувається?!” (What the fuck is going on?!) A booming voice yelled. Oceané cringed as she saw a huge, dirty, older man step in between the two boys in front of her. “добре?” (Well?) He yelled louder than she had ever heard a man yell before. She didn't know what they were saying but whatever it was, it wasn't good by any means.
Youri argued with his leader, the ultimate one over this particular group. This was like every military. Everyone had someone over them from the lowest of the lows way up to the president and maybe even further. He wasn't the lowest but still, he was no where near his father or brothers status' and they were more towards the top, the middle than he was.
“Відтепер, вона ваша відповідальність. Це все про вас і тільки від вас. Ви хочете ризикнути на неї, так і буде. Але його на вас ...” (From now on, she is your responsibility. This is all on you and you only. You want to take a risk on her, so be it. But its on you...) With those parting words, Youri was left alone. He long since help the girl up from the ground and let her stick with the twin children for a while while he discussed things. He was risking everything, he knew that. He couldn't bare to she her killed though, anyone killed for that matter.
But there was something about her.
-
Oceané was scared but to keep her sanity and a remote sense of safeness, she continued to walk behind the boy whose hand was entangled with her own. Meanwhile, she was ever aware of the armed men following after the two the them, and the ones in front who kept turning every now and then to look in their direction, to look at her. Way in front were soldiers, guns raised, an then a few vehicles. Then behind them was the same, all the children included.
Youri knew he was taking a risk. He saw how all of his group acted with her, he knew they were just a glimpse as to what would come after they meet up with the bigger group. He knew the deathly glares both he and she were getting, saw the shame in her eyes as she walked head cast down to the ground.
She was different from them, you could pick her out in an instant amongst the men of the caravan.
Youri was determined to protect her though, then a thought came to mind.
“Як тебе звуть?” (what's your name?) He pulled on her hand as well, to get her attention. Her eyes were wide and shined brightly despite the circumstances. He pointed to his name plate, and said “Youri”. His name plate on his left shoulder said his last name, yet she wouldn't know the difference.
Oceané watched him, trying to understand anything. She willed herself to just magically understand what was being said around her so that the self consciousness might go away, so the questions would go way. He pointed to his name plate and said 'Youri.' His name, she supposed.
“Youri?” She tried it out even with her dialect it sounded strange though she figured out his name, one question down. He nodded, his lips turning up into a half smile. He loved the way his name sounded on her tongue, with that Arabic accent. It sounded in all honestly like nothing he had said but she said it like she heard it in her head on repeat. 'Youri' . “Oceané أن" (I'm Oceané). She pointed quickly and lazily to herself not wanting to talk in the presence of men out of habit.
“Oceané” Youri repeated under his breath, barely in a whisper with his accent present, so that's her name...
He then watched her brief smile fade away just as the sun into the night sky.