THOSE AWAKE... 

By Tessa Harvey

    Gray sat with his arm around Yvonne, his wife and, listening to the young stranger talk, wondered how much his father had known and how.

    Turning his focus back to his guest, he tried to pay closer attention to something that sounded so bizarre and unreal.

    The man's name was Vahid - he refused to give his surname. Imelda had kindly offered to check both children and entered the quiet room. Glancing at the somewhat tidier stranger, she gasped. He smiled wryly. "I look like your father, yes?" For the first time his expression softened. "Do you remember anything of what happened when the terror-makers came?"

    "Yes?" - Imelda hesitated, "my mother, she was in pain in the bedroom with a friend. My father tried to hold the door. He was...he was shot. There was fire, flames everywhere. The smoke was bad. I tried to find mama. Then auntie came and grabbed me away. She said...." tears pooled down Imelda's face....."my beautiful mother is dead, my brave father is dead. We cannot go back."

    "These people have helped me, given me a home. I lost my job, my room to live. When I look after the children, it makes me happy - but who are you? What has made my auntie so ill?"

    Grayson and Yvonne turned towards the young man, questioningly. "Imelda saved our young child from a bad accident," began Gray. "So she is our friend now," added Yvonne somewhat protectively, reaching out to touch and grasp Imelda's hand. "We are equals."