The Trials Of Allura

By Dina El Shammaa

Allura’s life is a testament to the strength and resilience of cross-cultural educated Middle Eastern women in the modern age, who are railing against a life that makes little sense, with all its twists and turns. Her compelling emotional journey is based on true stories of extraordinary women who are wrongly conceived by the outside world as “spoilt.” A tower of strength and energy, her enthusiasm to challenge life’s obstacles and temptations reflects some of the mind-blowing hardships some women experience. Bound by passion, linked by need – she is compelled to stand on her two feet early in life. Having a first-hand experience of the real world, Allura’s reclusive and vulnerable character turned into bold, courageous, resolute, fiery and tempestuous. Social constraints, family upheavals and unexpected tragedies are just among a few things that force Allura to make life changing choices of her own, which is when her whole world begins to unravel. Inspired by a true story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jan 28, 2021
• ISBN: 9789948253259

Dina El Shammaa

Dina El Shammaa is a seasoned author whose extensive writing background helps her uncover unexpected daily occurrences that affect the lives of millions of women in the region and beyond in her novel ‘The Trials of Allura’. Being a full-time hard-working mother of two does not stop Dina from continuing to write stories based on true events, regardless of what the genre may be. She follows her intuition, born of a realistic understanding of day-to-day circumstances surrounding the ordinary human being, without any type of fluff or exaggeration, which is why her next work is even more factual. Dina’s respected readers admire the honesty and simplicity in her writing, which is why she persists in conveying realistic messages, with hopes of creating a lasting legacy of ethical writing.

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About the Author

Dina El Shammaa is a seasoned author whose extensive writing background helps her uncover unexpected daily occurrences that affect the lives of millions of women in the region and beyond in her novel ‘The Trials of Allura’.

Being a full-time hard-working mother of two does not stop Dina from continuing to write stories based on true events, regardless of what the genre may be.

She follows her intuition, born of a realistic understanding of day-to-day circumstances surrounding the ordinary human being, without any type of fluff or exaggeration, which is why her next work is even more factual.

Dina’s respected readers admire the honesty and simplicity in her writing, which is why she persists in conveying realistic messages, with hopes of creating a lasting legacy of ethical writing.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my two beautiful angels, who give me strength and inspire me each and every single day.

From the moment you were born, I knew my life would change. You’ve given me all the courage I needed to write this book. I have to thank you for that:

I am grateful you are in my world. I hope that one day I will make you both proud. I love you both, with all my heart and till my last breath.

Copyright Information ©

Dina El Shammaa (2021)

The right of Dina El Shammaa to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with Federal Law No. (7) of UAE, Year 2002, Concerning Copyrights and Neighboring Rights.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to legal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

Austin Macauley is committed to publishing works of quality and integrity. In this spirit, we are proud to offer this book to our readers; however, the story, the experiences, and the words are the author’s alone.

ISBN – 9789948253266 – (Paperback)

ISBN – 9789948253259 – (E-Book)

Application Number: MC-10-01-3155402

Age Classification: 17+

First Published (2021)

AUSTIN MACAULEY PUBLISHERS FZE

Sharjah Publishing City

P.O Box [519201]

Sharjah, UAE

www.austinmacauley.ae

[phone]

Acknowledgement

I want to thank the special people in my life who have always believed in me, encouraged me and boosted my confidence, and to those who have stood by me while writing this book, whether personally or professionally. I am forever grateful. Your support will always be appreciated and never forgotten.

I would particularly like to thank my parents, Ms Ninette El Shammaa and Dr. Essam El Shammaa, who sacrificed a lot just to ensure I received the right type of education and upbringing.

Mum and Dad, thank you for helping me achieve my dream. It was you who discovered the writer within me at a very young age, and continue to encourage me to pursue what I love the most.

You have always been a source of strength and support, and without you I would not have been who I am today. Thank you for your ongoing reinforcement, patience and for believing in me all those years.

Preface

It wasn’t an easy decision to write this book. It needed a lot of inspiration, motivation, free time, multi-tasking and determination, especially with two young children and a full-time job.

I’ve been meaning to write a book for more than 20 years, but I wasn’t in what they call ‘the writer’s inspirational state of mind’. Deciding to write a novel, especially one that is real and inspired by true events, is a huge responsibility. It requires an enormous amount of imagination and inspiration. But when the time was right, I seized the opportunity to get started. Any person who considers themselves a talented writer will probably relate to that.

My first attempt to write anything was when I was six years old. I was curious to see what I could create with a pen and paper. The results were exciting, surprising and memorable. I ended up writing my first personalised poem, which was actually published by a reputable English daily newspaper. Family and friends were supportive at the time, recognising my talent and passion for writing, which I’ve worked hard to hone over the years.

My passion for writing encouraged me to study Media and Journalism at university. Strangely though, I ended up working in a lot of jobs that did not involve writing, because I was curious about trying different professions and wanted to experiment and figure out what I was good at. Eventually, I found myself yearning to write again and went back to media relations and writing. I truly believe that when you’re passionate about what you do, you thrive faster than you’d ever expect, so while I was anxious about starting a completely new career in the media field, I excelled faster than I expected; I jumped from being a Junior Writer to a Senior Reporter, Chief Reporter and then a Deputy Editor, which is when I left for a media related position in a reputable government entity.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing The Trials of Allura. I could see the incidents happening clearly in my mind, as though I was watching the events unfold in a movie. What helped me while writing this novel was that the incidents are all real. Everything that Allura has gone through happened to women I personally know, or know of.

I aspire that many women, whether from the Middle East or elsewhere, will relate to Allura’s character and the type of adverse incidents she had to experience.

It is unfortunate that plenty of educated Middle Eastern women still face some of the challenges that Allura went through, yet decide to remain silent about their situation. What’s even more despairing is that those particular women are the ones who are mostly misunderstood, sometimes by the people closest to them, and definitely by the outside world, who wrongly perceive them as vulnerable and spoilt. Quite the opposite, it is those exact women who are the toughest. They stand tall in times of despair and are indomitable during the roughest moments. They thrive to remain optimistic despite the different challenges they endure in life.

This compelling emotional story mimics some of the hardships women go through. As an example, despite the cultural constraints forced on a Middle Eastern woman to get married by a particular age, many choose to remain single and work hard to make ends meet. Those women are great at what they do and have fruitful career paths, yet are still underpaid and underappreciated in comparison to their male counterparts.

Others are single mothers and/or breadwinners who are expected to multi-task and keep up with life’s busy pace; they keep up with a demanding job, children, family obligations and cultural expectations, resulting in little or no break at all, and are not given as little as a ‘pat on the shoulder’.

Several women experience abuse, whether mentally, emotionally or physically. They are forced to tolerate how their partners/husbands treat them for the sake of their children, or in fear that society would be unkind to them.

The Trials of Allura is a testament to the talents and resilience of extraordinary women that echoes some of the difficulties and obligations women are forced to be a part of. This tempestuous character chose to rail against life’s challenges. It isn’t easy for Allura to move away from everything she had ever known, then be forced to become a part of a society she knows nothing about, despite her family heritage.

Readers may be shocked to hear that women in this part of the world go through many challenges of their own, if not worse. Bottom line is: ‘We are all more similar than one might expect.’

It’s important to consider a woman’s voice in the Middle East, and to reflect on some of the things she’s required to become a part of without her consent.

I truly hope you enjoy reading The Trials of Allura, as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Blessings, peace and love.

Dina El Shammaa

Prologue

Allura sat frozen in shock. Her body felt sore, and when she shifted slightly, a sharp pain rose from below her waist.

Throwing back the covers, she nearly let out a wail. She had no recollection of how she had ended up naked and alone in a bed. Panicking, Allura frantically began to look for her clothes and personal belongings, but they were nowhere to be found.

Spying a discarded mobile phone on the side table, she switched it on and let out a sigh of relief when it turned out to be unlocked. Allura tried to remember Moe’s number, since he was the last person she recalled spending time with at the party, but her trembling hands punched in the first number that came to mind. Raising the phone to her ear, she anxiously counted each ring until her former boss and confidant picked up the line.

Ahmed, luckily, answered right away. Allura was shaking with fear.

Dr Ahmed! Dr Ahmed, it’s me, Allura. P—please help me. I’m in danger. Allura sobbed, feebly attempting to whisper in the darkened room.

Once he started to reply, she felt reassured and couldn’t care less about how loud her voice was. The music was loud enough, and it occurred to her that things couldn’t get worse than they already were.

Allura? What’s going on? Where are you now? Whose number is this? Ahmed asked anxiously, his lips curled back from his teeth in a half-snarl as he dashed about his room looking for something to wear.

She then noticed that her thighs were covered with blood. She burst into tears, her body in spasms under her heavy sobs.

Her voice was shaky and broken in terror, and Ahmed’s heart froze at the sound of it. I was…I… was all she managed to spit out. Her words were shattered by fear and shock. I’m at a—a party, and… She broke down in frantic sobbing. I don’t know what to do! Please…I was…raped! She struggled to breathe, to think, to speak. Help me. Help me, please!

OK, listen to me, Allura, and try to answer briefly. I know you can hardly talk right now. What are you noticing around you, are there any landmarks or things that would give you an idea where you are?

I can’t focus. I can’t think! she wailed, tugging her hair frantically.

Yes, you can. Now get a hold of yourself. You must calm down and get out of there in one piece. Now!

Ahmed took a few breaths and decided to calm himself down too, realising that losing his temper would bring nothing but more harm.

OK, listen. Let’s both calm down. Let’s both take deep breaths together. Exhale and inhale. And please, Allura, stay focused on what I’m about to ask you. Now once again, where exactly are you right now?

It took a few deep breaths and tremendous effort to block the thought of being raped from her mind before she could answer.

I—I’m in a bedroom, at a beach house. I don’t know…it’s in Ain Al Sokhna somewhere. Rivulets of tears continued to run uncontrollably down her cheeks. Her heart was pounding, her body was shaking and her legs felt numb.

Do you see any windows or a way out of the room you’re in right now, some sort of exit? he asked as he slid the key in the ignition.

She looked around and spotted a balcony that led to the front yard garden and nodded distractedly. Yes, yes! I see a balcony. What do I do now?

Walk towards the balcony and describe what you see.

From the window, she spotted a nearby hotel in the area that Ahmed was familiar with. She explained that she could reach that hotel if he stayed with her on the line for emotional support.

Allura wiped a hand across her tearstained face, smudging an abundant amount of makeup in the process. She tried to concentrate on what Ahmed was saying and decided to get herself together.

OK, now, look for any suitable clothes around, and put them on. Is there a cupboard in the room you’re in?

Yes, there’s a cupboard here.

Open it. Grab anything appropriate and put it on, suggested Ahmed. He was already in his car driving towards where she was located.

Meanwhile, Allura decided to fight the feeling of numbness and tingling across her hands, feet, arms and legs and forced herself to move a bit faster.

My body really hurts, she complained tearfully, feeling sorry for herself.

You’re doing well. You need to be brave. Once you’re fully dressed, let me know.

Allura hesitated. Taking a deep breath, she finally opened the cupboard hastily, grabbed the first shirt and sweatpants she saw, and slipped her feet into a convenient pair of flip-flops.

She gasped for air as she stood in front of the cupboard for a few seconds, relieved that she had some clothes on her again.

I’m dressed. Now what? I’m completely lost. Please don’t leave me, Ahmed, please.

I need you to remain calm and focused. This is the hardest part now. Only listen to my voice, OK, Allura?

I’ll try. Just stay with me. I need you with me. Don’t hang up, OK?

I’m here, Allura. I’m not going anywhere. Just listen carefully. Go back to the balcony, and tell me where it leads to exactly? Is it on the top or bottom floor?

Allura took painful steps towards the veranda, which overlooked the front entrance of the house.

She peered in through the glass window as it slid open. The spacious veranda was at street level. The coast was clear.

It’s on the bottom floor. All the noise is coming from the backyard by the beach and pool area. I can still hear the crazy crowd partying. I can see an exit to the street outside! What do I do now? she mumbled anxiously.

Look around you again. Is there anyone in sight?

No, I can’t see anyone at all.

OK, you’re doing really well so far. I need you to calmly and slowly exit the house now, OK?

I can’t! He’ll see me! He’ll hurt me again!

Allura, I promise, whoever this punk is, he won’t hurt you again. Now, you need to stay strong, OK? Take one step at a time, start with the balcony and move ahead from there. I’m right here, I promise. Ahmed’s body was trembling in rage. Taking a deep breath, he focused on Allura’s soft breaths for a few seconds.

I’m at the veranda outside now; I’m going to run as fast as I can, OK?

Perfect, spot on! Now keep the phone on. Just place it in your pocket or anywhere safe and run towards the exit. Get the hell out of there as fast as you can. Head towards the nearby hotel we spoke about. Don’t say anything or attempt to speak to anyone in the meantime. I want you to focus on one thing and only one thing: getting there! The second you reach the hotel, put the phone back to your ear. If it disconnects, I’ll phone you back, and I’ll be at the lobby in less than two hours!

Despite the excruciating pain, Allura limped as fast as she could towards the hotel, praying she’d make it in one piece without being harmed even further.

How could have everything gone so wrong in just one year?

One Year Ago

Chapter 1

Allura’s Big Surprise

It was right after Haitham gifted Sawsan with the perfume called Allure that the idea came to mind. They were in Paris when their life-changing news arrived. The perfume was to celebrate their discovery that Sawsan was pregnant with a baby girl.

Why don’t we call her Allura? Let’s look at what the name means!

They learned that Allura meant ‘to entice or attract’. Even better, the name was originally French, so the decision to name her Allura was made even easier by the fact that they received the wonderful news whilst they were in Paris, the city of romance.

Their minds were made up. What better name could they have picked out for their miracle child? Allura it was! She was a product of love, the result of years of attempts, tears, frustrations and constant hope to conceive a child.

Even though she was an only child who was doted on and spoiled by her parents, Allura was raised with the strict values of a good and moral person. As she grew up, Sawsan and Haitham made sure to teach her about her roots, telling her about life in Egypt and Lebanon.

Allura was always encouraged to engage in sports, particularly swimming. She had a promising future, taking part in many competitions, including a regional one for swimmers under sixteen. There she won first prize and established a new speed record in the butterfly category. While it was something she was passionate about, Allura wasn’t sure swimming was something she wanted to dedicate her life to, despite constant encouragement from her coach and parents.

She was also popular at school, and had a large group of friends. A brunette, Allura was five-foot-seven, with beautiful wide blue eyes, shoulder-length black hair, and tanned skin. As a result, she had been offered modelling work on various occasions, but she always felt too shy to take it up. Her enticing personality was complex: she was timid yet brave, fragile yet strong, outspoken, and at times impulsive, but also intensely private.

Allura attended a private British school and had plenty of friends from various countries. She loved the diversity of her school and always looked forward to befriending people from different parts of the world. Her multicultural background confused her even more when her parents decided to change countries and move from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to Cairo, the capital of Egypt.

Allura, I need to speak with you. Do you have a few minutes? asked Sawsan.

What is it, Mum? I’m all sweaty. She had just returned from swim practice at school.

This won’t take much time. Sweetheart, your father has been asked to leave his company. It’s nothing personal, and he did nothing wrong. His contract just ended, and as much as we’d love to keep living in this beautiful country, we have to go back to Egypt.

Haitham had been working in an oil company in Abu Dhabi for fourteen years. When he first received the offer, the couple considered it a great opportunity to raise their child in a multi-ethnic yet Arab society, where their daughter could learn about and value different cultures while still maintaining a connection to her own roots.

Allura had been only two when the family left London to move to Abu Dhabi. Haitham was a talented engineer, but he worked with the company on a contractual basis; that was part of the original agreement. He had initially agreed to move to Abu Dhabi for two years, but his contract kept getting renewed due to his outstanding contributions. However, when he turned sixty, the company was forced to let him go.

Egypt?