Due to his immense sorrow, Osama was reminded of his dark past. When Osama believed that he had changed and become a better person, suddenly, all of his dreams of happiness vanished when Ammar arrived and destroyed Osama's peaceful life. Just when he began to feel that he was truly living, everything collapsed.
Osama began to remember his past.
Osama's Past:
When Osama was young, he endured indescribable injustice in his family. He grew up in an environment that showed no care for him, where his brother, Abdel Rahman, and his sister, Ahlam, treated him as a stranger and didn't consider him their sibling. His father, Ahmed, constantly beat him, and his mother, Halima, ignored him, leaving him without attention. He had no friends and was always alone, searching for a word of comfort or kindness.
During those days, he considered himself worthless. He felt isolated and hopeless, as if he were alone in this world. He found no one who would listen to his words or understand his feelings. His life was dark, like a starless night, and cold like winter without the sun.
His childhood days were an endless dilemma. He would go to school and find himself alone among his classmates. He didn't participate in activities or play with others. He felt like a failure, and there was no one to extend a hand to help him.
When he returned home, he faced the same injustice and neglect. His father would beat him, and his mother would ignore him. He was filled with anger and despair, with no one to hear his words. His life was dark, like a prison without light.
During those days, he saw himself as insignificant. He felt isolated and hopeless, like he didn't belong. His life was shrouded in darkness.
He never felt the warmth of a mother's love or a father's care. When he went to school and his grades were good, a girl approached him and began talking to him. Osama was overjoyed; finally, he had found someone to talk to who cared about him. The girl, Zainab, began to get closer to him and engage in conversation.
Then, Zainab said:
Zainab: "Osama, I want to tell you something. Would you listen for a moment?"
Osama: "Okay, what do you want to say?"
Zainab: "Do you have a girlfriend? If not, would you be willing to be my boyfriend?"
Osama: shocked "Wait, you want me to be your boyfriend?!"
Zainab: "Yes, why are you surprised? Am I not suitable for you?"
Osama: "No, no, that's not it. You're very beautiful. I'm just surprised you asked me that. Honestly, I've had feelings for you too, so I hope we can get along."
Zainab: "Oh! I didn't know that. Thank you for agreeing. Now that we're together, we should help each other. I need your help with assignments and tests. You're good at studying, and I'm really weak."
Osama: "Okay, I'll help you."
From that moment, Osama was happy. He felt his life was changing, and he now had a girlfriend. He messaged her every day, feeling content, and he helped her study.
Zainab would sit in front of Osama, and he would help her with her assignments. After finishing, Osama brought a gift, called out to Zainab, and said:
Osama: "Zainab, close your eyes."
Zainab closed her eyes, and Osama told her to open her hands. He gave her a gift, along with some chocolates and sweets.
Zainab opened her eyes and was surprised! She said, "Oh! Thank you so much for the gift. I'm sorry I didn't give you anything."
Osama: "It's okay. Next time, you can do it."
Osama was studying in his second year of middle school. With exams approaching, Osama studied hard to help his girlfriend, Zainab, and he was extremely happy.
By the end of the school year, Osama had met a girl, and he looked forward to spending an enjoyable time with her during the summer break. But little did he know what awaited him.
After the final exams and with the summer break approaching, Osama was walking through the hallways, eagerly anticipating seeing Zainab. He passed by a group of girls and overheard them talking.
Girl 1: "That poor guy, Zainab is just playing with him. He doesn't even know that she only got close to him for her own benefit. If he weren't good at studying, she wouldn't have even approached him. He thinks she loves him."
Osama was shocked. The girl he thought loved him didn't love him at all. She had just been using him.
Osama, devastated, walked away without saying a word. He went to an empty place, and he began to cry, saying:
"When I finally found someone who cared about me, when I thought my life was going to change, why is all this happening to me? What sin have I committed in my life for all of this to happen?"
His words vanished in silence, his heart was crushed like a flower struck by snow. When he thought his dreams were finally blooming and becoming more beautiful, they withered and fell in the autumn, just like his life now, as he tried to gather the pieces of his soul. In this dark night, he searched for a light to guide his life, but he couldn't find that light. Here he was, choking on sadness, burying his pain and sorrow in his heart.
"Am I really living? Why do I feel like a person who has a body but no soul? Ah, I understand now. This feeling—if I were with the dead, it would be better than this humiliating life. I now understand the meaning of the saying that death is a mercy for some people. I couldn't live like normal people do, or die and rest like the dead."
While Osama sat, consumed by his memories, his immense sorrow, and the darkness surrounding him, the pain and grief choking his heart, a light appeared in the middle of the darkness. He heard someone calling his name.
Osama looked up but saw no one. Then, he heard a strong voice say, "Get up, Osama. I'm here for you. Get up, Osama, wake up."
Osama cried, saying, "This is the first time in my life I've heard someone say those words," and he began to sob.
Osama awoke from the nightmare of his past and found that Mohamed had come for him. Osama said:
"Why did you come knowing this is a trap? Why are you throwing yourself into danger? There are too many of them; we can't do anything. Please, leave. I'm fine. I don't want you to get hurt because of me."