English: A Syrian soldier aims an AK-47 assault rifle from his position in a foxhole during a firepower demonstration, part of Operation Desert Shield. The soldier is wearing a Soviet-made Model ShMS nuclear-biological-chemical warfare masks. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hamza ran blindly through the haze and dust, the only thought on his mind was the safety of his daughter. He had given up hope of ever finding his wife again but little Shafilea cannot save herself. He stopped briefly, turned, and saw the tank inching closer, the sound emanating from the massive weapon of destruction was akin to Leviathan, the indestructible beast of the sea.

Then there was a cry, he was now faced with a choice to either go back and face possible death or escape with his life. He chose his daughter. He went through the cloud of dust as cacophony of gunfire erupted from every side. Rebels and government forces were battling it out on the street of Aleppo and he was caught in the middle.

Aleppo was now like a  game of chess played by an obstinate ruler determined to crush every fledgling hope left for his people. He had vowed to trample on his own people like dust.

”Papa!” the voice of his three-year old daughter rang out shrilly from the rubble of their former home.

Hamza ran towards the sound and every step he took was a gamble, bullets whistled past his head but he kept on. Shortly before he got to her, there was a massive explosion which threw him about ten feet away. He landed with a hollow thud to the harsh ground soaked with blood of the innocent. Immediately, he stood up to his feet, his only mission, if it would be his last was to save his daughter.

Hamza’s face was blackened with blood and dust, his left eye was partially blind, but he trudged on. Miraculously, the sound of war ceased, he was blissfully unaware of it all. He had been shell-shocked by the sound of the blast and could not have heard a pin dropped.

He got to his house and with his bare hands, began to dig; tears rolled down his one good eye. One rebel saw it all and dropped his AK 47 assault rifle and joined him in the digging. Government soldiers’ also spotted the bold man whose only mission in life at that point was the safety of his beloved daughter and they stopped shooting as every pair of eyes focused on Hamza

”I am here,” he kept saying repeatedly, until they finally pulled his daughter out.

”Papa,” Shafilea rushed towards the badly wounded one-eyed man covered in blood and wept on his shoulder…

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Russia is the only country openly supporting the Syrian government while innocent people die daily. This short story is a tip of the iceberg, however,  I just want to force hope out of a  very disturbing situation. I’m writing this in the relative safety of my London home but I know several others are not so fortunate…

Thanks for reading my post.