Socotra

Author's name: Hanan Lashin

Why does she feel so old now even though she is only twenty-one years old! She heard the sound of approaching footsteps. She sat up straight and her heartbeat quickened as she wandered towards the door. The closer those footsteps got to her room's door, the faster her heartbeats became. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling swayed crazily. The lighting trembled as if it would dim, then intensified and flooded the place with force again, as if an invisible hand was manipulating it. Someone knocked on the door three times forcefully, then waited a little and knocked again with great determination when she did not answer him. She was praying to God that this knocker would leave, as she feared that her tongue would loosen and she would reveal everything. The door opened slowly with a frightening hiss, and her guest entered. He approached, his eyes shining with passion and curiosity. He sat quietly, waiting for her to reveal all the secrets. She kept staring at his face until he thought that she would not speak. Finally, she swallowed her saliva and returned in her memory to ten years ago, and began to extract what she had in her bag. There are strange stories to be told here.