The Phone Call

It had been several hours since the pamphlets wanted us to evacuate. The idea that time was on our side was a fragile and futile effort in maintaining some resemblance of normalcy.

There’s a laugh. ‘Normal’ hadn’t been a reality in our lives for months. The missiles had been falling for long enough, the children were used to them.

“What else do you want to bring Marya?” asked Azeena patiently.

“My notebook and my stuffy. Oh! And my pencils. Can I bring my favorite book too?” said Marya excitedly.

Marya hadn’t quite grasped the severity of the situation. Why should she? We don’t want her to be scared, but she probably should be. Hell..we are. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and we’re running out of time to cover it. Between our apartment and the shelter is four miles of hard war zone.

The idea of trekking across the bombed out buildings and through an active military zone is so frightening that neither Azeena or Halim have gotten any sleep in days.

Halim’s brother, Faris, has offered to drive them, but his car will only take four. Five if they cram..or take the smallest of the group. The trip will be fast and easy for them, the roads are mostly clear. The pamphlet says the missiles start in a day, there’s still time to get out and away safely.

Halim and Azeena decide together that Faris will take both of their girls, Zara and Marya with him. The car will be full, but the journey will be easier for them and the worry will be less if they can arrive quickly to the shelter. Faris and Samira will already be traveling with Amina, so there’s room in the car.

Marya busily flits about playing with her dolls and telling them all she’ll see them soon. She pats each one and gives them a kiss on the forehead. She’s the kindest, most gentle creature. The idea she is exposed to this hell is somehow cruel and unusual. As she leaves her room, she turns and runs back in. She grabs a picture she drew of herself and her sister picking flowers. She says it’s her ‘best work of art’ and has to take it with her.

Azeena takes the picture and places it neatly in the backpack, along with her book and notebook and pencils. There’s even a little stuffed animal she insists must go with her.

With the essentials packed, the family heads downstairs to meet up with Faris and load the car.

Marya listens as her family discusses the travel ahead of them. They keep talking about roads to avoid and where to meet if something happens. She isn’t sure what is going to happen that would make them have to meet somewhere other than where they’re going. She listens to her dad and uncle speak and thinks of how it sounds in her ears. She looks at her cousin and aunt and sees many similarities. Her mom and aunt are very similar too. They both have dark hair, light skin and beautiful eyes. They give the best hugs too!

Marya walks to her mom and hugs her hip. Azeena puts her hand on her back to reciprocate. It’s not the same, but it’s still nice. Everyone looks so intense. The looks of determination are on all their faces. Except Amina and Zara. They look more scared.

“It’s just a car ride. We’re not going far. I don’t understand.” Thinks Marya.

They load the car and say their good byes.

“Why are mom and dad walking?”, thinks Marya. “Uncle Faris can just come back and get them”.

Azeena and Halim walk in a different direction than the car drives. The path is more direct and the car can’t travel over the craters left by previous missile strikes. There’s lots of cover too. They begin their journey and watch Faris and the kids drive towards the shelter. They should be there in about a half hour. We’ll be a little bit behind them.

***

As they drove away, Marya and Zara began to cry. They couldn’t help it. The whole situation was just too much. Zara knew the dangers of what was happening and how walking was worse than driving. She could only think how she wasn’t going to see them again.

Marya was sad because she missed her mommy. She also fed a little off her sister and the mood of the everyone else.

Faris tried to help the situation with a song, but he wasn’t really a good singer. Marya always thought he sounded like he was sick when he sang. Zara just slinked into her seat and wished it to stop.

Amina kept quiet and stared out the window. She was used to her dad’s antics. They didn’t phase her anymore. His attempt was slightly comforting though and eased the fear a little. Maybe this was just a normal car ride.

Samira finally put a stop to the madness and told him she wanted to talk to Marya and didn’t want to interrupt him. Catching the hint, he ended his ballad and went on driving, silently.

Samira asked about Marya’s day and whether she missed school or her teacher. Marya, of course missed her teacher. She was so nice and kind. How could she not?

Marya began talking about her class and her favorite part of the day. She told of her classmates and how they acted. She recounted a funny story where one of the boys had accidentally burped while telling a story for ‘show and tell’. She made sure to emphasize how she missed her friends. She asked when she could see them again.

Faris mumbled under his breath, “oh. Shit.” He kept driving, but slowed down to almost a crawl. The conversation mostly stopped as all attention was on the foreign tank driving across their path.

Samira said, “the pamphlets said we’d have safe passage. They’re the ones that sent them. We should be ok”

Faris continued forward slowly, trying to make his movements away from the tank and deliberately show he means no harm.

Marya remembers the car was going really slow. Uncle Faris was scared and so was Aunt Samira. Zara had gone quiet. The tank was big. It was moving across the road and then stopped when it saw the car.

There was a lot of noise like rocks hitting the car and things falling apart. The car was rocking a lot. Uncle Faris looked like he was dancing for a minute then went very still. The car drifted slowly to a stop. There was glass everywhere.

Marya tried to nudge Aunt Samira, but she didn’t respond. She looked hurt, but she didn’t make any sound. Amina was in pieces. That didn’t seem right. She was just sitting quietly a few seconds ago. She is now broken and bleeding. Zara is shaking and visibly frightened. She is fumbling for something.

Marya is terrified and also comforted that Zara is ok. Zara finds what she’s looking for, her phone. She calls for emergency services. While she’s on the phone, Marya looks out what is left of the window. The tank has continued moving and seems to be going away from the car. No one seems to have seen what happened. Marya isn’t even sure she knows.

Marya asks Zara when they can leave to see mommy. She asks why they have to stay in the car. She keeps asking why her family members won’t answer her. She heard Zara tell the operator they’re ’dead’. That can’t be right. They were not sick. They weren’t in the hospital. She must be mistaken. They’re sleeping.

Zara has started to cough and seems to be breathing fast. Marya thinks she’s scared and tries to comfort her. She holds Zara’s hand and tells her ‘it’s going to be ok’ and that ‘mommy will come and take us home.’

Over the course of ten minutes, Marya is alone. Zara having succumb to injuries she received in a hail of gunfire that destroyed the car and killed everyone but Marya, miraculously, lays motionless and peaceful next to Marya.

Some soldiers are wandering near the car and talking to each other.

Marya isn’t sure what to do. She hasn’t had to think of things like this. She decides to try and call the number Zara called.

She dials and hangs on the phone. The operator answers and Marya speaks…extremely softly. The operator isn’t sure she heard her and asks her to repeat herself.

“Can you come get me?”, she says meekly into the phone.

The operator, begins asking questions.

“Where are you?”

“I’m in a car with my family”

“What happened”

“We were driving and a tank shot at us”

“Is there anyone around you that can help?”

“My family. But they’re dead.”

“Are you safe?”

“I don’t know. I’m in the car with my sister, aunt, uncle and cousin. But they’re all sleeping. There are soldiers nearby, but I don’t know where they went”

“Ok. Hide down in in the floor behind the seat. Stay there and don’t let them see you”

The operator begins the process of getting clearance for an ambulance crew to go to the scene. The process involves contacting the occupying army and explaining the situation. The army then decides on the approval process that will allow the crew to access the patient and extract them.

While that process works, the operator continues speaking with the little voice on the phone. The girl’s mother is located and patched into the phone call. The little voice comes to life when she hears her mother’s voice. A sound of relief and joy and sadness.

“Can you come get me? It’s getting dark”, said Marya.

“They’re sending someone to get you baby”, Azeena said with tears in her eyes.

“Where are you?”

“Your dad and I made it to the shelter. We were very worried when you weren’t here. I have your backpack, your stuffy is waiting for you to color a beautiful picture.” There is a pause, “Is Zara with you?”

“…”

“…yes. She’s here. She’s sleeping though. She’s been asleep a long time.”

“O…K..baby. <sniff> that’s ok. <choke>…..”

“…you don’t have to wake her baby.” Azeena sobs, knowing her oldest is gone.

“Mommy?”

“Yes baby”

“Can you come get me?”

Hours pass waiting for clearance to be granted. The phone line remains open the whole time. Azeena gets Halim to speak with Marya and they talk about anything and everything.

***

“We’ve been dispatched to the hot zone. Let’s get moving”, said the Paramedic.

They load up into their ambulance and begin driving. The trip in was mostly uneventful, until they reached the check point.

Occupation Troops take their opportunity to question the crew and search the ambulance top to bottom, inside and out. After 30 minutes at the check point they are allowed to cross. They were given specific orders to go directly to the scene without deviation.

The road is rather straight, so that wasn’t such a hard task.

As they get close to the remains of the car, Marya and family were in, they report their proximity and visual contact with the vehicle. They do not report seeing Marya.

***

Marya is getting restless. The seats are wet and sticky and none of her family are snoring or even breathing for that matter. The darkness of night is making her anxious and scared. The phone has offered some comfort and speaking with her mother has helped, but she still doesn’t know why she has to stay here or why no one has come to get her quickly.

The operator breaks into the line and tells Marya the ambulance is getting close. She should be able to see it.

She peaks her head up enough to see out the broken glass. In the near distance is a pair of headlights.

“I think I see them.” She says into the phone. “They’re close.”

As the ambulance crew arrives, they report to dispatch: “arriving on scene. Making patient conta…”

Gunfire is heard on the radio briefly before the line goes dead.

Marya says “Someone is coming to the car” and a door is heard opening on the phone.

The gunfire heard on the radio is heard on the phone.

“Marya? Is the crew with you?” Asks the operator.

“….”

“Ambulance, do you have contact?”

There is no reply.

Azeena sits in horror as she listens on the phone.

“Marya, what do you see?” Asks the operator.

“……”

Azeena begins to speak, “Marya, baby. If you can hear me, I want you to know that we are proud of you. We love you beyond the moon and love every minute we spend with you. You are the light in our lives. I will wait for you. I will never stop looking for you. If you beat me to heaven..I’ll find you. Wait for me there, baby. I’ll miss you every day. Until we meet again. But I’m here at the shelter and I’m not leaving without you. As long as it takes baby. I love you.”

The line is quiet except for an occasional static pop.

About a minute after it goes quiet it disconnects.