You have to cross kilometers to reach the shore. You take the life vests from your back pack and give them to your children to wear. You know that they will not rescue them from the angry sea. Yet seeing them on your children’s body, somehow, calms your heart.
More than ever before, fear grips your pounding heart, the terrible fear of losing your children. Yet, you still want to get your children on the boat. You know they may lose their lives in the sea, but even that death in the sea is much better than to dying under the daily blasts of bombs and gunfire.
The boat is ready to move towards the island and, in there, there is you, with your family, with many others. It is hard to even find a place to sit. Your shelter is the sky and your floor is the boat.
Everybody is crying, your son is pleading to go back home. You just hug him.
Waves are beating onto the boat. Anxiety grips you. It was you that had to put your children in the boat where death might be waiting. Many of the children around you are at the brink of tears, but their mothers silence them. You avoid looking at the angry sea, trying not to lose your courage, to help your friends and your family feel strong and hopeful.
The waves are getting higher and higher. The emergency lamp in your heart turns on! Everybody is shouting and you just pray the boat moves on further so that no coast guard can arrest you or turn you back. For there is no way back for you.
The weather is cold and the moon seems so sad against the dark sky. The children are counting the stars to pass the time. But the time does not pass, even the seconds becomes long. You keep your eyes upon the island`s lights, in the distance, where you think you can find hope, safety and be granted your right!
It becomes more and more scary as the waves are getting higher and higher. Everyone is shouting. It has been five hours that you are in the sea and no one knows what can happen to the boat. Its engine sounds bad and everybody`s life is in danger. The boat is out of control and is losing the way. The shore seemed so close, you just want to arrive.
The water is coming into the boat and everybody`s clothes get wet.
Women are crying and men are trying to empty the water from the boat.
There is nothing to empty the water with and they are trying with their shoes.
The waves are getting bigger and bigger and the water keeps pouring in. No way to stop it. Everyone is crying for help. “Does anyone know the emergency number to call?” you ask. But there is no phone on.
-Please hurry up! Turn your phones on!
-We cannot wait more than half hour!
-We are lost!
-Mine is on now, whom should I call? Anyone can tell me whom I should call?
-Please call 112!
Parwana Amiri.
Parwana Amiri.
