Shroud Barrier

In war, identities are lost. You may acquire a new identity by choice, or an identity may be imposed on you because of a mere mistake.
A veiled woman, under the yoke of a male-dominated husband, a strict religious group, and an intolerant family, may be considered a rebel or a terrorist simply because an officer at a Daraa checkpoint suspected her of carrying a bag.
You may like the role and assume it for a moment, as happened with Saba. It frees you from your harsh repression, but then it throws you into the mouth of the dragon.
You may be a free, liberated, revolutionary hero like Shaza, and collapse in front of the machine of torture and killing after you are blackmailed with your honor and your family.
Whatever it is, and whoever you are, your choices will be taken away from you here, and you will be equal to everyone else at that barrier. Here is the end point of all choices and all identities. Here is the obvious, harsh end of a beginning that always denied you the ability to be who you are and to desire what you desire. Here is the bitter truth, without embellishment. Or perhaps it is the beginning of all endings. In war, identities are lost. You may acquire a new identity by choice, or an identity may be imposed upon you due to a simple mistake.

You could be a veiled woman oppressed under the authority of a patriarchal husband, an extremist religious association, and intolerant family members, and then be labeled as a rebel or terrorist simply because of a suspicious bag at a checkpoint.

You may find solace in the role and momentarily embody it, as happened with Siba. This liberates you from your harsh repression, but throws you into the dragon's mouth.

Or you could be a rebellious, liberated, freespirited hero like Shatha, only to collapse at the sight of the torture and killing machine after being blackmailed with your honor and your family.

Regardless of who you are, and whatever your circumstances, your choices will be stripped away here, and you will be equalized with others at that checkpoint. This is the endpoint for all choices and identities. This is the harsh, inevitable end to a beginning that has always deprived you of being who you are and desiring what you want. This is the unadorned truth, without embellishment. Or perhaps it is the beginning of all endings.