Ya Sin 36:58

سَلَٰمٌ قَوْلًا مِّن رَّبٍّ رَّحِيمٍ

[And] "Peace," a word from a Merciful Lord.

They were going to take the next flight to Syria as soon as the paper work gets done. The officials granted the access only confirmation from Mr. Ali Riza Ozçöşkun was needed, which would possibly be done tomorrow. Nihal, their assistant handed them the official documents and tickets then they retired towards the JW Marriott Hotel. Sara unlocked the bedroom door and just jumped on the bed, sighing Adrian took off his jacket and draped it over the chair. Nobody could believe that this woman is going to turn thirty two tomorrow both literally and figuratively and if you see in the professional case then that's just another case that would enhance her age.

He laid on the bed beside Sara, putting his arm under her head and the other wrapping around her figure, nuzzling his face in her neck peppering kisses. Sara's lips curved a little. She closed her eyes as she relaxed in her husband's embrace. Every year the 21st of September is the most special day of her life as it shares the most important event of her life along with her birthday so it is a double blast of surprise for her. She couldn't imagine that she would complete a decade with the love of her life. She's feeling giddy thinking of tomorrow as their dream is too going to be fulfilled of transporting those Syrian orphans to Istanbul, it was their seventh year together working with CARE relief and two years back she became ambassador after volunteering online for so many months with occasional monthly visits.

She thought how lucky she is to be granted with a wonderful husband. She remembered how exceedingly he helped her in every step of her life since they eloped. She reminisced all their memories sour and sweet as citrus. Suddenly she was broke out of her trance as a slight pain erupted below her collar bone and was replaced with jittery coolness. She turned her face towards him narrowing her eyes.
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"You stare me as your monkey, do you know that". He remarked like a question.

I raised my eyebrow in amusement "Do you know what a monkey does which my monkey doesn't". He pretended to be thinking. "Hmmm....no enlighten me!" he exclaimed with a smile lingering on his handsome face displaying his cute dimples, my weakness.

Then he erupted in a fit of laughter as I trickled him ruffling his darkish blonde hair demanding me to stop, but that cruel side of mine doesn't let me and I sped up. What he did next shocked me when he turned me over and pinned my hands above my head.

"Adrian....please". I worded bewildered looking straight into his darkened blue orbs in anticipation of what's gonna come.

"You started first saying my monkey which isn't.....and"

"So the monkey isn't yours... really", cutting off my words.

"It's yours too, you know"

"Hmm I know my love. But who started first".

"You...." I trailed raising accusing eyes on my man.

"So let me finish" saying this he grabbed my lips in a hungry kiss pouring all the love and devotion with sparks of lust. Trailing his hands all over my body absorbing my features all over again while I ruffled my hands in his soft hair as he kissed my sensitive spot below my ear. Knowing that it's gonna be a long night and reminding myself to also get a good sleep as we've a flight to catch tomorrow.

My eyes flicked open, enjoying the light slanting through the window as a whirl of azaan echoed through the city the loudest voice being from Kocatepe Mosque. A looming glow invades the room; darkness turns to soft shadows. My back arches and curls as I bury my face in my husband's bare chest wrapping my arms tightly around his torso. Then I feel soft soothing touches on my head as he runs his fingers through my hair, the dark giving it a rusted hue.

"Salam! Good morning, beautiful" he wishes as I smile against his chest.

"Morning, beautiful" I teased. He giggled softly making weird patterns over my back.

We were broke out of our sleepy vibes when my phone rang I received it greeted by a cheerful soft voice.

"Assalamalaikum! Mama. A very Happiest Birthday to you. I love you so so so so so much and know that no one could love you more than me." I could hear bickering in the background and as I thought the phone gets snatched by my monkey when he greets me. I switch on the speaker.

"Assalamalaikum . Happy Birthday to you Mama. May Allah grant you the best this year and no more worries worry you, no more wounds hurt you and no troubles for you and of course I love you more. Can you hand me the phone to Dad".

"Thank you my pies, He's listening handsome" Adrian raised his eyebrows towards me at my partiality.

"Salams Dad! A very happiest Anniversary to you and Mama, We love you" they both wished with a loud shriek that my ears cringed.

"Ouch! That would be the loudest wish you could ever muster" he exclaimed as they giggled. They talked a little more with me and Adrian, and were too excited to share how their little brother said his first word 'ALLAH' which brought tears to our eyes. We were really missing them though it's just had been few days. We realized one thing during our travels that we couldn't live peacefully leaving behind our children.

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It was a serene beauty as I looked through the window panes of the airplane. Though I always wished to have wings but this divine view is what I'm so grateful for. No skill of architecture or manmade scenery can appeal so alluring as this beauty between the clouds as if they're the coolest cotton candies travelling through you and you travelling through them. Observing the lively blue sky filling itself with the enormous clouds as sun shines through them in its all glory while I entwined my hand with my sleeping beauty all in his highness resting his head on my shoulder in his deep slumber as I admire his honey face as sun rays falls on him absorbing his cologne. His eyes glamour with seductive long eyelashes as they fall into his face with tempting pink lips. The things he does to me.

Suddenly I felt my hand tightened in his hold as he opened his lids staring deep through my soul from his ocean color eyes."Alhamdulillah" the word escaped his lips as they curved a little in the most pleasant of smiles that took my heart to miles and miles deep in fondness. Then he pecked my cheek and placed a lingering kiss on my forehead mumbling 'I love you'. Those three words spoke a lot that time, the abyss that only lovers could decipher.

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We distributed all the refreshments to the orphans and the ladies those were in charge of them. The two flights already took off to Istanbul just there's last plane yet to come then I would be free from worries of Beirut orphans. I could never imagine the love these children showered on us. By giving us a huge hug whenever we meet, being enthusiastic to share their stories of what activities they did, absolutely loving to spend their time with us and pleading us to stay a little more. They are my most wonderful kids and I couldn't be more glad than today as they would live better lives in Istanbul away from fear, danger and all the happiness that the children of their age deserves. Maybe not all because I know they've no parents and none better then my husband knows how is to live without parents. But I know our organization would do all it can to give the kids a loving, caring and comfortable lives, to be always there for them. There's only one champ who is always lonely. He doesn't talk or is active like other children it really bothers me. I tried to talk with him a few times but he doesn't really opens up. Seeing him pull out the leaves from the twig I decided to pull him out of the shell and counsel him.

"Sara it seems there are difficulties in landing the plane so they're reversing the route then going to land the plane. It would take around forty minutes to land. I'm will go near the tower as the connection isn't clear here. Okay." Adrian snapped placing his right hand on my shoulder. I nodded then he went giving me a reassuring smile.

I went towards Salem and sat beside him taking out two twigs from my bag and hands over to him. "Limaza ana?" ("Why me?" )he asked in his all innocence.

"Because you're my favorite". Then he didn't spoke anything after a moment of silence he spoke.

"I couldn't live without my baba, he was everything I had"

"You know you could start over, as you see there are plenty of kids such as you aren't they living. I know dear it is hard and I couldn't even imagine your pain but.... you know you're here because Allah wants you to live and help yourself and other children. Your baba would be happy to know that when you do a wonderful job"

"When I was born my mother died. Baba was the only family I ever had. He did everything for me and then suddenly this... I don't know how I survived one year without my father."

"Don't you trust Allah because..."

"I do trust Allah, otherwise I couldn't even take a step. But I'm not that strong. You know the story of our Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) and his daughter Fatimah (r.a) right. She was a very strong woman but living without her father was her weakness" he cut me off with his words.

I couldn't ponder further as I remembered Adrian and when he said how much he adored his dad. I couldn't even carry the grief of my loved ones death coz I know I'm not that strong and Allah knows so as he never burdened me beyond my limits.

Just then I heard a loud deafening shriek and stood up. There was a wind whirl, though the sky was clear. It seemed so ambivalent. Then I felt someone clutching my hand, holding me tightly. My motherly instincts pondered, I hugged the boy. I saw the children were running towards the hill pass and the two volunteers summoning me but I couldn't understand. An explosion took place a huge one I could see it on the other side. My ears were numb and deaf, I just stood there like a statue. Then there was a lightening strike travelling towards me it was so fast. This was the last thing I remembered as it hit me and I dozed off.

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A sharpening pain radiated through my spine woke me up. Something wet touched my lips I thought those were tears but as I wiped it with my dusty hand, it was blood which wasn't halting. I couldn't even figure out the source of blood as my nose was also bleeding and head was hurting badly. Then my thoughts went to Salem who was beside me. I thanked Allah because he was lying two feet away from me. I tried to move but couldn't then it clicked me that my leg was dislocated from my hip bone. In tremendous pain I tried to reach the boy and I finally did by dragging my body through my left arm. I tried to wake him up and in an instant knew that he was long gone as his burnt body was laying motionless but I still tried, I called him but he didn't answer.

'Inna Lillahi Wailaihi Rajioon' escaped my lips.

I just prayed my last prayer because my body was becoming numb with pain and blood leakage that could be visible on rock dusty floor to keep my Adrian and other kids safe and for my children and family. I couldn't even decipher that I was dying but the pain was unbearable.

Saying my last words of tawheed I succumbed into darkness but it made me smile as a few rays of white light extremely illuminating was starting to appear.

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He woke up with a jolt as they said something. They were dragging him out of the antenna stand. All he felt was pain and despair as his flesh was ripped off from his arm. A new hope rose in him to find his life, his heartbeat. So he stood up instead of being so frail. They were shouting at him to stop but he ran and ran to find her until he couldn't anymore still he dragged his body.

The thunder flashes, the scrutinizing rain. Amidst the storm, the birds take a flight towards the shelter .Two souls anxious to frail. He wandered as a collapsed body, gained all his might to find her. His Limping body was tired, blood seeping out through his trousers, flesh dangling from his arms, if you see he looked like a handsome zombie out of a Halloween magazine. His agony was much but failed short of his love. He was all drenched in water and blood, you couldn't differentiate and separate the two fluids as they jelled with each other. He looked through all the lanes, his mind was at halt and was only looking for her, he couldn't decipher all the cries of anguish around him.

Alas, the agony of finding her being wounded ended, but it's not same for him. Coming out of one tragedy and he fell into much greater. When a corpse was brought to him. He couldn't feel the pain cause it was so excruciating that it numbed his senses. He held her motionless hand and travelled to the ring, the alimony of their trust, their bondage. Her wedding ring. Then it clicked him. It was his Sara. It ended. Being succumbed to injuries he laid down on her unconscious. When they tried to move him, his breathing was ceased. They flew to a better place together away from this cruel world just like those birds. The innocent souls were done and went to a place away from all the harsh thunders, glimmering only in the beautiful reflected light of the moon. Smiling in reverie in the most beautiful gardens near their Master.

Salams Everyone!