…
———
Judy woke up slowly, her eyelids heavy as if weighed down by mist. A faint light crept in through the curtains, bathing the room in a soft gray calm. She felt a light heat wrapping her forehead, and she glimpsed a shadow sitting beside the bed.
Yousef sat on a worn wooden chair, his back straight but his face betraying a deep worry. His hands were clasped in front of him, as if holding a question yet to be asked.
Judy (in a hoarse voice, slowly opening her eyes):
– Who… are you?
Yousef (leaning forward slightly, his voice calm and reassuring):
– I found you in the forest… near this house. Is it yours?
Judy (touching her head with trembling fingers, trying to sit up but her body fails her, her eyes distant):
– Yes… I think so… Something strange happened there…
Yousef (watching her intently):
– What happened? I didn't find anything around you.
Judy (whispering, her voice shaky as if thinking out loud):
– Anaconda…
Yousef (frowning, moving a bit closer):
– What?
Judy (trying to smile faintly, her cracked lips barely moving):
– Anacondas… only live in the Amazon… but… that's not important now. What's your name?
Yousef (with a slight hesitation):
– Yousef.
Judy (staring at him as if trying to read his soul):
– I feel like I've seen you before… Have we met?
Yousef (relaxes his shoulders, sighs deeply, averts his gaze):
– Maybe in the news… or on social media…
Judy (eyes widening in surprise):
– Wow… So you're famous?
Yousef (standing up, running his hand through his hair nervously):
– I don't know… I have to go now.
Yousef left the place, sneaking into his home like someone returning from a battle. The house was wrapped in darkness, save for the dim glow of a single lamp. He moved down the hallway lightly until he reached a room where Yaqoub lay.
He slowly opened the door and stepped inside.
Yaqoub was lying on a narrow bed, his chest rising and falling with calm breaths. Yousef approached carefully until their faces were almost aligned. Suddenly, Yaqoub opened his eyes, frozen for a few seconds, then screamed and jumped away from Yousef.
Yaqoub (trembling, breathing heavily):
– Yousef…?!
Sarah rushed in hurriedly, her hair disheveled and her face terrified. As soon as she saw Yousef, she grabbed a heavy vase from the table and lifted it above her head as if to strike.
Yousef (raising his hands in surrender, his voice broken):
– I just want to understand… What did I do? Why all this hatred?
Yaqoub (stepping between him and Sarah, his face pale):
– Stop! Don't anger him, Sarah!
Sarah (glaring at Yousef with hostility, her voice trembling):
– I won't let you go this time.
Silence fell for a moment. Time itself seemed to slow in that tense room, as if everyone held their breath, waiting for the coming explosion…