After the bus reached Aden, the sea air was different; salty, humid, as if announcing the start of a new chapter of the journey. Everyone got out to rest for a bit, while Ahmed excused himself and went to a nearby store. He returned about an hour later carrying sturdy tents, fishing nets, and specialized tools for catching fish, crabs, and shrimp. His face was bright with excitement, as if the sea had awakened an old child within him.
Abu Ahmed said with a smile:
"Now remains the most beautiful part."
Abu Ahmed and Mr. Haruki moved to meet an old friend who lives near the sea, a man who knows the way to Socotra. Ahmed insisted on going with them, even though his father told him laughingly:
"Son, you don't understand Russian."
Ahmed simply replied:
"It doesn't matter, I just want to see the ship."
Abu Ahmed and Mr. Haruki laughed together and said almost in unison:
"It's not a ship... it's a yacht."
And when they arrived, they saw it from afar: a massive white yacht, shining under the sun, swaying gently on the surface of the water. Nearby was a man fishing quietly, and when he spotted Abu Ahmed and Mr. Haruki, he immediately left his fishing rod and came toward them. They exchanged hugs and laughter with words that Ahmed understood nothing of, but he felt the warmth of the meeting.
His father called out to him:
"Bring the bus here."
Ahmed drove the bus until it overlooked the sea directly. Then Abu Ahmed shouted loudly:
"Come on, little ones! Get on the yacht!"
The children rushed first, their voices mixing with their laughter, while Um Ahmed and Mrs. Sayuri stood for a moment contemplating the size and luxury of the yacht. Sayuri said with genuine wonder:
"I never imagined this."
Um Ahmed smiled and said:
"Praise be to God... a trip worthy of the fatigue."
Abu Ahmed said:
"This is an old friend; we will rest and sleep on the yacht until we reach Socotra."
Everyone began moving the luggage from the bus to the yacht. Ahmed, Mr. Haruki, and Abu Ahmed worked in harmonious silence until everything was finished. With the quiet of the night, sleep overcame everyone, and no one remained awake except Ahmed, his father, and Mr. Haruki.
At that moment, a beautiful woman approached; her features were European, her smile calm. She greeted Abu Ahmed and Mr. Haruki, then Abu Ahmed turned to Ahmed and said:
"Come here, Ahmed."
Ahmed approached, and his father said, pointing to the man:
"This is a very old friend. He was on the verge of death once; I and his wife saved him."
Ahmed asked in surprise:
"From what?"
Abu Ahmed said calmly:
"A gang war. I bought him a house here in Aden. He no longer wants to go back to Russia."
The woman greeted Ahmed and spoke Arabic with a broken accent, but he understood her. They sat chatting for a long time, conversations mixing with the sea breeze, until exhaustion crept up on them one by one.
And when morning came, the light was creeping in gently, and the sound of the sea was closer. Suddenly, shouts of joy broke out from the children. Ahmed ran to the deck and saw the island looming on the horizon—green, peaceful, as if a dream were approaching.
The little ones shouted with unmistakable joy:
"Socotra! Socotra!"
Ahmed smiled silently, feeling that the trip wasn't just travel... but the beginning of something much bigger.