THOSE AWAKE... 

By Tessa Harvey

    For a few minutes the man stared around the room, at the few nature seascapes and landscapes, the soft grey couch and matching armchairs, the warm patterned carpet.

He had no idea that a few months previously the whole house presented the appearance of a bleak modernistic office block. He had no idea that God, the real Creator transforms everything - even the hardest of people. 

    "Well, Imelda, I also was in that burning house," Vahid began, his deep voice breaking slightly as he spoke.

    Imelda gasped. "No, how can that be?" Vahid looked at her. "I am your brother!"

There were looks of astonishment and also disbelief.

    "Your parents were afraid to let you know. The terror-makers were not to be told. You see, your family were on the edge of escape. My family," he corrected himself.

    Everyone was silent. "The woman with your mother tried to get her out, but as she broke the window, men burst into the room and shot your mother. I am sorry," Vahid said as he saw his sister's face crumple in pain. "The neighbour was allowed to leave unharmed. No one noticed the tiny child she had pushed down her voluminous garments. Besides, there was much smoke. The woman took you to a safe place," he continued, "risking her own life to save me."

    "Your auntie waited until you were grown, and after much prayer, went back to find me."

    But why wasn't Imelda ever told," Gray interrupted, somewhat angrily.

"Because she knew her parents were dead. Why raise hope if I would not be alive?"

    Yvonne did not agree either, but motioned for the young man to continue his story.

"Please," he said, "I would like some water. It is many hours since I ate or drank."

"And I want to check on auntie," Imelda stated firmly.