Where is Manar?
Book One: The Twin Star
Chapter 11: The Weight of Small Things
—
Kamil walked home, bread in hand.
Hot bread was one of the non-negotiable laws of breakfast in his household. And Manar had appointed herself the "exit visa" from the house. He hadn't planned to take her, but who could resist that look? The one that made you feel like you'd personally crucified Christ.
"Daddy, want thweeties." Manar pointed at something as they passed one of the small shops near the house. He didn't understand exactly what she wanted, but he knew it was some kind of sweets.
"Daddy, not there. That wun." She pointed at the shop across the street.
"Okay, sweetheart." He took her to the other shop.
Kamil wondered for a moment why the two shop owners had opened their stores directly across from each other. Then he remembered — Sami had told him a month ago there was an old feud between them. One broke an agreement, so the other opened a shop right in front of his. The small wars of Basra. He didn't care. He went in.
"Peace be upon you." Kamil entered, carrying Manar.
"Upon you be peace, Abu Sami. Hello, Manar. How are you, little flower?" A young man with a cheerful face greeted them. He knew them by name — probably one of Sami's friends. But the air felt heavier than usual. Every sound seemed slightly louder than it should be. Manar didn't acknowledge him. Her world had different priorities.
"A pack of cigarettes, son." Kamil pointed at the brand.
"Here you go, uncle." The young man handed them over.
"Thanks. Manar, choose what you want."
"Daddy, that wun." She pointed at the sweets corner.
Kamil took her to choose. The display lights flickered slightly, like an unclear voice whispering in the background. She pointed at some dried fruit. He took two packs — one for her, one for Alaa so he wouldn't get jealous — and went back to pay.
"How much, son?"
"On me, uncle."
"No, son. That's not right." Kamil refused quietly. Business is business.
"Fifteen hundred, uncle."
"Here you go. Thanks."
He stepped out and took a few steps. But his gaze caught something for a moment — a thin shadow writhing at the edge of the sidewalk. Not a clear apparition... but not ordinary either. He heard a voice behind him.
"Abu Sami, wait." The young man ran after him, holding the bread Kamil had forgotten when paying.
"Daddy, bwed!" Manar pointed.
"I know, sweetheart."
"Sorry to trouble you, son."
"No need to thank me, uncle." The young man smiled and went back. But in that moment, the air suddenly cooled for no apparent reason. As Kamil continued walking, he felt a light presence watching him — though no one was actually there.
Manar gripped him tightly and hugged him in a way she wasn't used to.
"What's wrong, my soul? Why are you clinging so hard?" Kamil turned to her and saw her looking nervously toward one of the street corners — as if she saw something hiding in the shadows.
"Daddy, there... ick." She pointed.
Manar held him with a grip he'd never felt from her before, staring anxiously at the street corner. Kamil saw nothing, but the emptiness of that corner seemed deeper than it should be.
He felt a sudden coldness in Manar's small hand — as if something had been pulled from her.
"It's okay, sweetheart." He tried to comfort her, but... the air in that place felt charged with waiting. As if a moment was about to happen, though nothing was clear.
Kamil approached the house and entered the alley. The echo of their footsteps seemed farther away than it should be — like it wasn't just their footsteps, but something else accompanying them.
After moving away, Kamil pushed the thought to the back of his mind and neared the house. Then he heard Manar say:
"Daddy, there's Lonely."
Kamil looked up. Sami was hanging on the wall outside the window, and Mona was waiting for him with a bat.
"I told you not to come back," he muttered quietly.
"Who's Lonely?"
"Lonely — ptoo — Thami." She pointed at him.
"Sweetheart, don't spit," he said, already resigned.
"Okay, Daddy." She answered, her eyes fixed on the dangling Sami.
Creak. The door opened. He went inside.
"Mama, Thami Lonely!" Manar called from the window.
"Yes, sweetheart. He'll be lonely today." Mona replied, not knowing who "Lonely" was, but unconsciously confirming that Sami would sleep outside tonight.
Hearing Kamil and Manar enter, she quickly hid the bat behind her back.
As for Sami — his face turned red when he heard Manar compare him to Lonely.
"Mona, what's going on? Your voices reached the street."
"Nothing, dear. Go inside before the food gets cold." She smiled at Manar, her other hand still behind her back.
Slam.
She closed the window and left him hanging.
"Bye bye, Thami." Manar waved. Kamil said nothing.
—
[Sami's Perspective]
Finally. She left me. I almost died.
Damn all feminists on the entire planet.
I didn't get enough sleep, and she attacked me at dawn. In the moment of fear, adrenaline protected me. But now, all the energy left my body at once. I tried to climb down, but my foot slipped.
"Aghhh. Damn."
The fall hurt. If I weren't a professional, I'd have broken my leg. I'll stay on the ground for a minute to rest.
A quarter of an hour later, I stood up. Some bruises and scratches, but nothing serious.
As for anyone suggesting I use the door — allow me to give you that honor.
Tsk. This is getting annoying. Climbing is hard after the injury. Come on, almost there.
Where's that damn piece of wire? I swear I left it here to open the window from outside. She must have found it — I used it last night to open the window.
Well, as they say: misfortunes never come alone. I need to climb down first and find something else to open the window.
—
"Look who's hanging on walls early in the morning. What are you leaving for the monkeys? Ever think about growing up, Sami?"
As I tried to climb down, an annoying mocking voice pulled me from my concentration. Who else but that damn bastard Hadi — leader of the dogs, fishing in troubled waters.
"Since when are dogs mature? Studies show they have a tendency toward deviancy. Shoo shoo. I don't have a bone for you. Go wag your tail somewhere else. Shoo."
I replied loudly without turning. Climbing down had become harder after the fall.
Thud. Suddenly something hit the wall beside me and fell to the ground. Damn, that dog is seizing opportunities. I need to get down fast.
Thud.
"Damn you, you deviant. You dare hit me from behind? Wait for me — I'll smash your head."
As I slowly descended, something small hit my back and fell to the ground. I noticed it was a cherry.
"Hahaha. Look, sweetheart, how I hit the monkey. I haven't lost my touch." Hadi said to his daughter, holding her.
"Damn you. A pissing dog is still just a dog. Don't flex your muscles. When I get down, I'll train you like always."
I was genuinely angry this time. On top of everything I'm going through, Hadi comes to make it worse. Seems like everyone agreed against me today.
And anyway — since when do dogs eat cherries?
—
[Morocco - Casablanca]
A young man in a red shirt, a red mid-length coat, black fabric pants, a brown leather belt, matching shoes, sunglasses, and in his hand — an old square metal lighter.
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
Walking down the street. Opening and closing the lighter. Watching people from behind his sunglasses. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth lifted in a smile. He was watching a man in a black suit with a long coat and the kind of hat rabbis usually wear.
"Found you. Good, good. Hahaha. What do you think, Gigi?" The young man was talking to someone — but he was alone. Anyone watching would think he was on the phone.
He followed the rabbi from a distance.
Suddenly, the rabbi turned around. He scanned the area where the young man stood. Saw nothing. Continued walking — but more cautiously.
The young man had hidden in an alley, watching discreetly.
"You little fool — he almost caught you if not for my help." "Gigi gigi gigi gigi."
The young man heard an old woman's voice beside him. Without turning, he smiled and kept opening and closing the lighter.
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
"Gigi, didn't I tell you I could find him?" He watched the man from a distance.
"I know, child. How could you find him without me?"
"Gigi, since he's appeared — let's follow him."
Gigi was an old woman with a child's hairstyle — two side pigtails tied with colorful ball-shaped hair bands that children usually wear. Heavy makeup, lots of colors. Prominent lipstick with something sparkling like stars. She wore a princess-like dress. What stood out most was the short skirt that floated, unaffected by gravity.
Gigi looked completely out of time. You couldn't tell if she was an old woman, a child, or something in between. The sight was terrifying in its strangeness.
"Don't rush, little Ahmed. You know... the party hasn't started yet. Don't rush. Gigi gigi gigi gigi." A terrifying laugh.
"Right, Gigi. So what do we do now? Being idle is boring."
"I'll tell you. But first, little one, you must answer a question. Am I beautiful? Gigi gigi gigi gigi." The same terrifying laugh.
"Hahahahaha. You're foolish, Gigi. You're just a child trying to flirt with me? You need a hundred years to succeed."
"Tsk." Gigi clicked her tongue and changed the subject. "Let's go. I know what they're planning."
"Okay, Gigi. A smart child after all." Ahmed decided to go with her.
"Mama, that man is crazy. Why is he talking to himself?"
"Sweetheart, don't go near him. Come on, let's leave."
Ahmed heard the mother and daughter calling him crazy. He didn't care. After all, people are the crazy ones. How can people not be crazy — when they can't see a beautiful child like Gigi?
"Look, child. They're laughing at you. You must be crazy? Gigi gigi gigi gigi."
"Listen, Gigi. Those we see dancing are thought crazy by those who can't hear the music." Wisdom in his eyes that didn't match his face.
"Yes, child. I love children and... crazy people only." In her mind, she finished the sentence: especially a crazy child like you.
Tick tock. Tick tock. Tick tock.
As Ahmed left, only the sound of the lighter opening and closing remained. And Gigi, appearing and disappearing as she moved around him — like a candle flickering on and off. If you watched closely, you'd notice her disappearances and appearances matched the sound of the lighter.
—
[The Cave of Daniel]*
The rabbi arrived, walking with extreme caution. He felt followed. He kept checking, afraid someone was behind him. He'd developed this instinct through many experiences. He trusted it completely.
Finding nothing, and after ensuring his surroundings were safe, he began reciting incantations in Syriac.
"...Tmmmmmm... Tshhhhhhhshmmm..."
Suddenly, the earth trembled and shifted. A boulder over five meters in diameter moved, revealing a cave behind it — large enough for a person to enter comfortably.
He stepped forward and entered. After he went inside, the boulder moved back into place.
—
From a distance, in the middle of rocky valleys.
Tick.
The sound of a lighter opening. The empty space began to ripple and move like waves in water. A shape appeared until it clarified — Ahmed emerged from the void.
"He's truly cautious. Even with concealment, he has terrifying perception. If I'd gotten closer, he could easily detect the light bending around me. If you hadn't tracked him, I wouldn't have been able to follow."
"Child, he's an experienced rabbi. Not like some charlatans. If he discovered us, you'd die without knowing what hit you." Gigi smiled. Anyone hearing her would think she was discussing the weather, not death.
"So what do we do now? Staying here is boring. Don't tell me to wait in this desolate place."
"No, child. We'll follow the smoke. What they're doing is huge. It'll be as clear as fire in the night. We'll follow the direction of their thick smoke and go to a truly entertaining place. Gigi gigi gigi gigi."
—
Ten minutes later. About a kilometer from the cave entrance. Ahmed advanced, watching the horizon.
Suddenly — the universe collapsed on him.
It wasn't a visible attack. It was a wave of raw death erupting from deep within the earth.
Pressure struck him suddenly — like the air itself stopped breathing around him. Ahmed's features distorted at incredible speed. His skin turned pale gray. Veins lost their natural color. As if time had passed over him for years in moments.
Instantly, his body ignited with brief blue flame. Engulfed him completely. Clothed him in melting black smoke. Then vanished into the air.
Tick.
About two thousand meters away, in a safer spot, the metal lid of the lighter closed in the real Ahmed's hand.
"Child... if I hadn't advised you to send a 'flame' instead of going yourself, your fate would be that wind scattering smoke. Gigi gigi gigi gigi." Gigi said with mockery and delight, moving around him in her flickering motions.
Ahmed took a deep breath. His hand holding the lighter trembled almost imperceptibly. Cold sweat covered his forehead despite the cold weather. He wiped his face with a napkin and said with unusual seriousness:
"I know... It was truly terrifying. I felt the copy's scream inside my mind. But if they discovered us, why didn't they pursue?"
Gigi stopped spinning. Looked at him with her colored eyes and heavy makeup — more terrifying in the darkness. She said with biting sarcasm:
"You arrogant fool! Tell me — does the rat that eats from street garbage ever enter your house?"
Ahmed replied instinctively, trying to regain composure: "Yes, often!"
Gigi laughed her roaring laugh: "Then thank whoever you worship that you're not like that rat. They see you as even lower than it. They just... prefer chasing underage girls with some blond guy."
— End of Chapter 11 —
—
Author's Notes:
* The Cave of Daniel:
A strange cave in Morocco. People from all over the world visit it to learn magic. The cave entrance is sealed by a massive boulder that opens only one day a year.