Adel stopped him.
"Calm down, I don't understand anything. What do you mean Hamed and his son died? How? Did one of the soldiers attack them, or were they attacked?"
Omar interrupted, continuing,
"No, no, I don't mean they just died like that. I'm telling you, when I arrived, Hamed had been mauled by a dog and died. But after I went to see what happened, I found out it was a dog. I went looking for the dog and to see who had seen Hamed before he died, but I found a dead woman standing there. As soon as we shouted at her, she ran after us."
Adel's face still bore a look of incomprehension and disbelief.
On the other side, the soldier had just showered and changed his clothes, but he was clutching his arm, which was scratched as if he had fallen on the asphalt.
His comrade asked him,
"What's going on? What happened? Where are Mako, Walid, and Adrian?"
The soldier, Nasser, sobbed,
"I don't know anything. All I saw there was hell walking on two legs.
People were dead." And they're running after us.
The soldier looked at his fellow soldier.
"What do you mean, 'dead'? Where are the rest of the men?
"
"Nasser stopped him, saying, "They're all dead, but don't tell anyone because I myself don't know if they're dead or alive."
He looked at him in astonishment. "What do you mean? How?"
Nasser continued, "I'm telling you, the guy was dead in front of me, and then he started running after me after he died.
Look, all I know is that you didn't eat breakfast, and I'm telling you to go home for a bit and then come back. Otherwise, go to sleep and see what's going on. Go on, and I'll excuse you."
Nasser's eyes were confused, and he understood that no one would believe him, so he felt that going back was the best solution.
He took the bag containing his blood-soaked clothes and knew he couldn't wash them because they were with the investigation and he would be questioned about them. But he took them in a panic and didn't say why he took them and went back home.
He went out quickly, trying not to look at anyone and not wanting anyone to ask him anything.
On his way He looked at the street, teeming with people busy with their daily lives, and at the elementary school, with its students' shouts and games. It was like a nightmare he didn't want to admit because of its harshness. What if the biggest question swirling in his mind as he walked was...? Suddenly, a car honked in front of him, and the driver hurled insults like, "Are you blind? Can't you see what's far away? Far away is blind!" He laughed a dark laugh, knowing that this day might be the last for some of these complainers about the crowds and noise.
They were lost in an old story, its ending unfolding before them, a new chapter yet to be written, a chapter whose ending hadn't been announced by the Angel of Death, walking on human legs, from whom the soul had departed. But he didn't utter a word. He avoided the road and walked until he reached an old building. The grocer called after him, but he didn't respond, continuing on his way. All he wanted was a peaceful night's sleep, just one more night.