The Haj - Leon Uris [121]
I ordered Nada to take cover in a nearby shelter. She clung to me and begged me not to return to the house. I was forced to beat.her off me. It was the first time I had ever struck her, but the situation required me to act quickly.
I was small and I was fast and I slithered my way back, darting from cover to cover. I got as far as the adjoining street and stopped to study the situation. If I could only cross the street and get up on a rooftop, I could see what was taking place on our block and also work my way back to our hovel.
I sprinted over the street and for an instant I was frozen by the sight of bullets kicking up around my feet. I plunged into a house through its paneless window and scampered up to the roof before anyone was able to follow, then crawled on my belly down four houses and dared a look into our street.
The women had been rounded up with the children and were surrounded by a dozen soldiers who were herding them at bayonet point. I could tell by their uniforms and accents that they were Iraqis from Kaukji’s Irregulars. Other soldiers had shut off the ends of the street and others were going from house to house, kicking in doors. I looked desperately into the pack of women and children. Hagar, Ramiza, and Fatima were not there!
I worked my way down the rooftops very cautiously until I could get a look at our place. It was blocked off by soldiers. There was a small crawl space between our house and the adjacent one. I dropped down from the roof and froze on the ground until I was certain I had not been seen, then I slithered up to the window.
The sight inside was utter horror! There were eight or ten soldiers or more and an officer with a pistol. Hagar held her arms about Ramiza and Fatima, who cringed against her. The officer pointed to a ghastly burn scar on his face. ‘A present from Haj Ibrahim. I have waited for ten years! Where is he?’
‘I don’t know,’ my mother answered softly.
The officer fired the pistol at their feet. Hagar stood fast while the other two whimpered and clung more tightly to her. He fired again and again and taunted her by putting the pistol against her head. Fatima’s baby shrieked!
‘I don’t know ... I don’t know,’ my mother answered again and again.
‘On your knees, you old whore!’
The officer threw up his hand in disgust and his soldiers fired a dozen shots around them. The officer’s face became wet with perspiration and be began to pant and snarl, then opened the front of his trousers and took his prick out.
‘Take off your clothing, all of you!’
‘Do what he says,’ Hagar said to the other two. ‘Do not fight them.’
‘I am menstruating,’ Fatima whispered.
‘Never mind. Submit to them. If we are found bruised, it will be worse for us later.’
I slammed my eyes shut as my mother lifted her dress and I could hear the soldiers howl with delight. The women were being thrown on the floor. The soldiers were laughing and shooting, but no sounds came from the women. I felt myself the most terrible coward who ever lived, for I shook with fear. What could I do? Allah must understand! There was nothing I could do! Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!
I should not have looked again, but I could not help it. The three were spread out and naked. The soldiers did not even bother to take their pants off, but lowered them and plunged atop the women, grunting like animals, slapping flesh, slobbering kisses, pounding, dripping, staggering off as the others stood around with their pricks in their hands. Fatima was passing blood from her legs.
I doubled over and shut my eyes and clamped my hands over my ears. Coward! Coward! Coward! Allah! What can I do? Think, Ishmael, think! If Father returned, they would kill him after forcing him to look at the terrible sight! I had to get to him and warn him! No! I must not leave my mother! Go! Stay!
Would they never stop! Ibrahim, do