My Ship Drowned Me

By Afnan Awad

An hour before I went to bed, I recognized the smell of death inside the house. Yes, I'm recognizing the smell of death penetrating my heart before my nose. I took a look at everyone and went to my room, and I was abstracted.

I was in the desert while the storms ravaged it as war armor and while the sand is flying, scattering and spread over at the atmosphere as the winds getting increased and the sun is getting too hot that the cactus burns.

I saw from a distance a camel carrying someone above his hump. Who is this man?! The contours of his face seemed familiar but seemed desperate. Is he looking for water? Otherwise, what is he doing in this barren desert? Is he lost? The more the camels approached me, the more I felt that he moves away. It looked as if it was raining as he sheds tears.

The smell of death was heard over and over again in my mind. I tried to approach him but to no avail. He was wearing clothes like Ihram garment (as he performs Hajj)! No, no, like a shroud. Yes, just like a shroud. The clouds blackened the sky with the rain increases!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Afnan Awadh
• Release date: Jan 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393106111

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Afnan Awad

Dedication

To the most influential and prudent man (Dad), whose eyes overflow for fear of losing something we see with others; to that woman (Mom) who supports my ambitions, who refrains from what she likes for our sake, who bears the double of our disquiet when we are just bored; to the bright stars in the dark sky (My sisters); to whom I say I wish and he would say I do not finish my day until I make the dreams real (My brother), and to my inspiring people ever who call me their nice writer (my friends).

An hour before I went to bed, I recognized the smell of death inside the house. Yes, I’m recognizing the smell of death penetrating my heart before my nose. I took a look at everyone and went to my room, and I was abstracted.

I was in the desert while the storms ravaged it as war armor and while the sand is flying, scattering and spread over at the atmosphere as the winds getting increased and the sun is getting too hot that the cactus burns.

I saw from a distance a camel carrying someone above his hump. Who is this man?! The contours of his face seemed familiar but seemed desperate. Is he looking for water? Otherwise, what is he doing in this barren desert? Is he lost? The more the camels approached me, the more I felt that he moves away. It looked as if it was raining as he sheds tears.

The smell of death was heard over and over again in my mind. I tried to approach him but to no avail. He was wearing clothes like Ihram garment (as he performs Hajj)! No, no, like a shroud. Yes, just like a shroud. The clouds blackened the sky with the rain increases! His lineaments started to become clear to my mind. But, I felt distracted and balanced, though, between a dream and reality. The rain flowed profusely.

The sky was still wholly blackened as the darkness of the night. The camels approached me, finally. Yes, I looked up these lineaments in my mental dictionary of faces and characters: A long, sharp nose; wide, brown, intelligent eyes; a broad forehead; and a jet-black hair! Yes, they are the features of my dad! I realized this when, while looking at me, he said to me: What has brought you here?! But, I preceded him with questioning: What has brought you to this remote desert? He did not answer. He turned his back away. A group of big cats, as a huge man and light-weighted birds, suddenly showed up. I went towards my dad and repeated the question;

Then, do you want water? Did you not find it?! Or, are you looking for a treasure in this arid desert?

He looked at me and reiterated the words: (Causes of death may vary, but death is death), (Causes of death may vary, but death is death). Dad, I have asked you why you came here! I did not ask about the causes of death! Go to your mother. She needs you. Then, the rain became much heavier, the cats started running fast, and the camels began to leave. I then called him: Dad, don't