Alifa's Doll

                                       

                                                       

                             Alifa’s Doll

                                                                                  By Saif Al Sohad

                                                            One

                                               “  Honey, Honey,  what is happening? Wake up!!! Why

are you screaming ?!!”  Mrs. Elita is trying  to make awake his husband Colonel

 Robert james!  James is a medal  winning  soldier. He was deployed in

 Afganisthan for 2 years total. He showed courage in Battlefield. That’s why when

 he got back USA he was awarded many medals. But After coming back he was

not the same as before. Something happened to him. But he never talked about it

. His wife asked it many times. But he somehow avoided the topic. Recently  he

was given new job by USA govt. He is now in charge of Drone Air strike on

Afganisthan.  After having this job  things got more serious. James is having

nightmare , not normal nightmare. He started  to scream loudly in  sleep in almost

 every week .

“ Honey!   wake up”

“ what ?Was I screaming again dear?!”  asked by colonel james after he woke up.

“ yes You were! This time it was more scary!” What is happening with you?”  Asked Elita.

“Nothing dear!  Just a normal nightmare .do not worry!!” replied james.

“ What time  it is elita?” James asked his wife.  

“ it is 5:05 am” ! james are you really alright? Why don’t you talk with me?  I am really worried about you!! “  Elita says to james  with tear in her eyes!

“Are you crying dear!! Please don’t. I am fine. Come here dear!” james hugged elita and kissed her.

                                                      Two

                      “Hey wake up! Why are you taking nap in this odd

 time” Mrs Asmani asked this husband Mister Abdul. Abdul is a food

 seller in Helmond province,Afganisthan. Afganisthan’s economy was

almost destroyed in long wars. Before starting war, abdul had a food shop. His business was going good. But the war destroyed it. Now after

 so many years he is trying to start his new chapter. He is trying to

decorate his life agian. This time he has a family . He has a daughter

and a wife. They  mean everything to him. As he is the only income

source of the family he is tryng his best to provide the best for his family.

“ oh!  i was not taking nap. i was just taking rest!” replied abdul.

“Are you going out again? “asked Asmani.

“Yeah! i have to. I have to sell the rest of the bread today! otherwise we will be in trouble “

“ Is it really necessary? you look sick!! please get rest. We will manage somehow! “

“No dear! i am fine. how is my Afia?  asked Abdul.

  Afia is the only daughter they have. Afia is almost 8 years old. Abdul loves Afia more than his own life. Afia is suffering from fever for few days. Thats why Abdul is always worried about her.

“ she is lying in bed. She wanted to see you! replied Asmani.

Abdul is working hard for her family. So he has a very little time to

spend with his daughter. So when he heard afia was looking for him,

he rushed to Afia’s room. Afia was lying in bed. Abdul silently stands besides her. Her eyes were closed.  Abdul kissed Afia in forehead.Afia opens her eyes.

“Dad! where were you! i was missing you! “

“ i am here baby! “ Abdul sits beside her.

“Dad! Can i have that beautiful doll which we saw yesterday?”

“ of course! i will bring the doll for you. But now you have to eat and then you will take the medicine,ok?

“ OK dad!”

Abdul was thinking he would take the day off as his wife said. But now

he has to go. Because Afia wanted a doll which is not cheap.  To buy

that Abdul has to sell the rest of the breads today. Abdul has to go..he wants to see her daughter happy.

            

                          Three

 colonel james  in charge of USA drone strike in Afganisthan . So

usually he has to go to his office anytime ha has an emergency. But

 today still he has not gotten any emergency call.  So he starts his day

slowly. After leaving bed, he goes to washroom. After getting fresh he starts to make breakfast for his family. James has only one daughter.

her name is Eliza. she is 7 years old. tomorrow is her birthday. so

james and his wife is planning a birthday party for her.

“Is my little princess still sleeping” James asked his daughter when he enters eliza’s room in morning.

“No dad!  i was playing with my doll.! “

“ oh really!! what is her name?”

“ Her name is “Baby girl”

“Baby girl ? hahah. “

“Dad can i have a new doll’’?

“ yes you can dear! but before that you have to take breakfast with me “ replied   James.

“ ok dad!” Eliza jumped to her fathers lap. james kissed her daughter in forehead and takes her to the dinning room.

 As they are having breakfast, jame’s emergency phone starts ringing.

“GOd damn it emegency phone!” james answered the call. After few seconds he dropped the call. he looks so cold.

“Sorry ! i have to go now! its emergency! “ said james to his daughter and wife.

“ yeah as always!  said his wife.

“Daddy, bring me doll,ok? asked Eliza.

“ yes my princess! now give me good bye kiss”

As james were wearning pant and shirt he did not spend more time. he

 starts for his ofice straight from dinning table.

                                      four

Abdul usually sells his bread in city area.  The helmond province faced

a lot destruction during the war.  But everything is changing day by

day. Still there are some violence in the city. Abdul was not getting any

more customer in the place where he usually sells his breads. So he decided to go somewhere else. He has to sell rest of the breads today no matter what!  so he decided  to go  south parts of the city.

After some times he found a large house,there were some men infront

of the house. He stopped by them.  one of the men asked Abdul “How much is per piece bread?”

“20 afgani per piece brother! “ abdul replied.

“ ok give me 10 piece”  the man tells Abdul.

Abdul becomes quite happy. He thinks this is the place. he can sell rest

 of the breads here. so he has decided to stay beside that big building.

                    Five

james’s office is in Maryland Air force command center. From here they

 controll all the drone activity in Afganisthan. As soon as james got the

emercency call he rushed to his office. His office is the Drone

command center. He enters the command center almost running.

Junior officers salutes him but he does not notice that. He enters the command room.

“simon, Give me the status report! “ james ordered simon. Simon is the intelligence officer.

“Sir,  We have located the position of Ahmed hanif.  It is in helmond province Afganisthan.” Replied simon.

Ahmed hanif is a top most terrorist. Govt is trying to find him for many years. Basically James kind of took it personal level to find this guy.

“ ok give me a real time satellite view now ”  james ordered.

The   crews Shows the satellite view in the big screen. It is a big building in south part of Helmond city.

“Sir, we are sure Ahmed hanif is in the building now” simon tells james.

“ok. tell me where is the nearest location from this place where we have our special force !”’

“Sir ,from nearest camp it will take almost 2 hour a initiate an operation here! This is too much risky. Ahmed hanif will not be staying  that long!”

James is searching for Ahmed hanif for months. This is the chance. He does not want to lose him now. Even if he has to kill him.

James takes his decision. James ordered the drone pilot to get prepare to hit that building with missile.

“Pilot,how many times it will take to hit the building?”asked james

“sir, my drone is on the way.it will take only five more minutes.”

James is so excited. After so many month he has finally found Ahmed hanif.

“Sir, target locked. Ready to fire at your order!”  the pilot says to james.

“Ok ready to fire”

“sir we have situation!” the pilot sounds confused.

James got angry. “ what situation? He asked.

“Sir, we got a Civilian in the blast zone. Seems like Some one is selling breads there! If we hit the man will die for sure!

James looks at the screen and he can see the man. The man is selling something

like breads.  James can not abort his operation for only one man. He decides his mind.

“Fuck this man! We have to kill Ahmed Hanif!” This man is in the wrong place in

the wrong time! We can not let Ahmed hanif go free. Pilot take the shot.”

“Are you sure sir? The pilot sounds confused.

“Yes . do what I say .Dont ask any question!

“Yes sir!”

“three ,two ,one,zero ,Misile fired! Missile fired!”

James was looking at the screen.  It happened  so fast that he could not  see the

missile. One second before it was  a huge building now it is nothing but dust.

                     Six

Alifa is feeling good now. she is also looking happy now.

“Alifa why are you so happy dear? Asked his mother!

“mom, Father will bring me that beautiful doll today!! thats why i am so happy!  but where is dad, mom? it is night.”

“He will come soon. Now go to bed. you are sick . you have to sleep early.”

“Ok mom” . Alifa goes to bed. She is so happy. Because she is thinking when she will wake up tomorrow she can see that her dad  brings her that doll. But She does not know that she will never see her fathe again.