59

Oh, Ziad Azzouz

From Republic Street, first Faisal

Between Sharif and Saudi Al-Sanadili Streets

Corona time, fireworks and firecrackers

and drugs

Oh, Ziad Azzouz

Azouz Abu Ziyad mixes with the mud of the sand in the rainy nights, and he calls out with all his might: Oh, O Ziyad Azouz!

All the inhabitants of Tell Ghajar Zitawi woke up, and Sheikh Fitaihi scolded him in front of the corner of the hill

Azouz Abu Ziyad did not pay any attention to anyone, and he was still clinging to the muddy sand calling out: “Oh, Ziyad Azouz,” until his ten-year-old son woke up to go out with his mother, Zahra bint Umm Sioufi, and embrace the man who was drowning in the sea of the sands of the path with great tenderness. No one forced her.

Azouz is still calling: Oh, Ziad Azouz, and Ziyad is next to him. He does not feel him, nor his wife, nor the men on the road who hastened to discover the secret of the state Azzouz has reached.

The little boy clung to his father's body in terror, and Azzouz saw some of his son's features, then he added:

- Oh, Ziad Azouz

- What, dad?

Cry for your father, Wade

- I'm crying, oh, dad

The tears of the little boy come out and increase his wetness and his father's wetness.

Azouz continued his call for his son and left his body to throw himself again in the heart of the muddy sands of the path. He started moving his hands and feet, swimming with all his might, repeating:

- Farewell, our coach.. Farewell, Ziad Azouz

- Farewell, Daddy

- Take care of your mother, Wade

- I'm empty, uh

- Take care of your sisters, girls

- I'm empty, uh

- The tent is patched up

- I'm going to break it, dad

- Don't forget the stallion's fodder

- I won't forget, father

- Put the sheep of the neighborhood in your eyes

- Come on, dad

Zahra bint Umm Sufi Zaidan follows the reactions of those gathered around her and her husband, son and five daughters, so she can only see sorrow and pity for the situation that Azouz Abu Ziyad Mashawerji has reached in the Zitawi hill, and shepherds their sheep, cattle and camels for more than twenty years ago, after he gave a farewell look to his mother Hanadi Shaqira, the midwife of the hill who I left him alone in the open without support.

Sheikh Fitaihi, the Imam of the Zawiya, felt sorry for Azouz, who is fifteen years old, and sought to marry him to Zahra, the only daughter of the blacksmith Ayushah, known in the hill as Umm Sioufi Zaidan.

Shuqair Afrawi, the most famous bandit of the hills of the central desert, deceived Azzuz, so he released a herd of his horses to mix with the horses of the tribal sheikhs that Azzouz sponsored, which led to the non-identification of the strange horses. Not inhabited by tents.

Tranquility passed through Azouz's arms, but he did not want the poppy piece that Shuqair Afrawi had given him. Shuqair insisted that he divide it into two halves, the first half in front of him and the other half when he met his wife at night. What Afroy wanted was for Azouz to fall unconscious in front of him from swallowing the first half, and when he woke up, he did not find horses, sheep or camels. So he swallowed the second half, which led to his current state.. This is what Sheikh Fitaihi said in front of the corner of the hill to Zahra bint Um Sioufi, and Azzouz Abu Ziyad was still swimming in the muddy sand until he passed away, as a whole, calling out to his only son, “Oh, O Ziyad Azouz.”

short story

For: Mahmoud Hassan Farghaly

Member of the Writers' Union

Member of the Syndicate of Film Professions

mahmoudhassanfarghaly@yahoo.com

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