Instead of studying Arabic, Sabreen coloured her toenails with crayola markers, blowing
circular, purpling prisms. One bubble floated across the narrow airstrip, the soapy circle like a magic ball,
capturing the contorting images of glinting turbines and black asphalt, floating across the military housing on
Bagram airbase, to the clothesline holding the bright white, blinding bed sheet with a torn, frayed peephole
hidden in the maroon stain, quietly flapping under the clear blue sky.
***
The swing creaked in rhythm to the final prayer.
Gabriel, Sabreen's father, exited the white, wooden building and solemnly shook the
hands of his colleagues. He turned towards Sabreen in the distance as she gingerly kicked the dirt below
the swing set with each descending arc. He took a deep breath before beginning his 30 yard walk to
Sabreen.
“It’s time to go, sweetie,” Gabriel said.
Sabreen quietly looked up from the swing, squinting to see her father beyond the
shinning sun, her muted swing protesting gently. Realizing the
discomfort he was causing his child, Gabriel, embarrassingly shifted out of the sun, crouched in, dusted off the
dirt that got onto her black dress, although her head piece was still intact, which he found quite surprising.
His hand paused at her face. Sabreen leaned her head into her father’s hands as if the weight of it all was too
much. With her father closer now, she played with the refracting
buttons, insignias and medals while her father whispered to her.
Sabreen paused upright in the swing, looking around and past Gabriel. He
paused, and turned slowly to greet whomever was approaching. Gabriel stood upright, his hand patting Sabreen’s
shoulder as he stood up.
The military officer stood with his head down until he was addressed by Gabriel. The
swing squeaked in the background.
"Commander, I am sorry to interrupt," he said.
"Please," Gabriel said, directing the officer away from
Sabreen.
"Commander, I am very sorry. If you could do your best," he said, looking at
Sabreen. "It’s no
longer safe."
"I understand."
Gabriel's eyes followed the departing officer as he walked towards the
congregation of colleagues near the white building who were now
dispersing. Gabriel studied the
military guards all around usher the patrons; the army snipers in the building, and the various road block that
stopped non-military traffic from all sides.
50 yards away, Military Police escorted an older gentleman to an armoured vehicle. One
officer supported the elder man at the elbow, helping him climb into the humvee. The old man pushed his arm
away, and climbed in.
"Sweetie, we should go," Gabriel said to Sabreen.
"Where’s Baba?" she said.
"They are taking him home sweetie."
"Can we
come back tomorrow?"
"We can come back."
Sabreen stood up and pushed the swing away. The two of them stood there holding
hands, watching the empty swing go back and forth. It continued squeaking as if an invisible weight
remained.