Sami, despite apologizing to the seagulls that had been circling over the market for the disturbance he had caused them, found that they continued their sharp cries, piercing the tranquility of the place.
Simultaneous with their incessant screeching, their white feathers fell, appearing stained with patches of blackness, drifting down quietly to land in scattered spots. It was as if they were pieces of contaminated cotton trying to find a place for themselves amidst this chaos.
Some passersby who happened by stopped for a few moments, staring at the birds whose raucous cries had drawn their attention.
These birds, which seemed to be wrestling noisily with the wind, were soon ignored as the people continued on their way, covering their ears and shaking their heads in displeasure.
Sami, standing a few steps away from his grandfather's shop, lowered his gaze from the annoying birds, trying to block out their noise, and redirected his attention towards Haj Khaled, who stood steadfastly in front of his closed shop.
Haj Khaled, despite his advanced age, stood straight and tall, waiting for him impatiently, as if the long years of work had not weighed him down.
With a smile emerging on his wrinkled, shrunken face, the Haj looked towards his grandson Sami with interest, his dark eyes full of care.
"Hello, Grandpa."
With a broad smile,Sami stepped forward to greet him, extending his hand to take the wooden box that seemed heavy for his grandfather. His voice was warm, carrying great respect for the old man.
Grandpa Khaled, with a slight smile that seemed to hide within the wrinkles of his face, extended his hand and handed the box to his grandson, replying in a monotone voice: "Praise be to God, my boy."
His calm voice, which seemed to carry the wisdom of long years, made Sami smile softly this time.
"And now, let's go, boy!"
With the same smile,Haj Khaled moved, signaling for his grandson to follow.
Obediently, Sami carried the wooden box quietly and began to follow his grandfather with slow yet steady steps. The two began walking side by side, chatting together.
Sami asked his grandfather about his well-being and health, while the grandfather in turn asked about his grandson's work and how his day had been. The conversation between them was like any between a grandfather and his grandson, yet filled with peace and warmth.
And as they moved away, about to leave the market area, the seagulls that had circled over their heads for a long time began to gradually descend towards the ground.
As soon as they sensed that the grandfather and grandson had left the spot rich with fish remnants, they swiftly swooped down, competing amongst themselves.
The sound of their raucous cries filled the sky once more, but this time less annoyingly, as if they were a natural part of this place, now empty of people.
…
…
…
…
Near the rural house, which seemed to hold long stories within its worn wooden walls, surrounded by the magic of green nature with its tall trees enclosing it from all sides.
Rustle
Their leaves drifted down with the gentle breezes, while some of their branches drooped near the slanted roof, almost touching it.
The wooden front door, which had witnessed years of long use, was partially open, as if its owner had intentionally left it ajar to let the refreshing breezes sneak inside, renewing its cool and damp atmosphere.
Inside, the place was relatively dark, with faint threads of light seeping through the glass windows. These natural lights drew golden lines on the worn wooden floor.
And cast their shadows on the ancient walls of the house. The smell of old wood, mingled with the scent of wild herbs carried by the incoming breezes, filled the place, perfuming it.
"Here we are…!"
Sam spoke quietly as he placed the heavy wooden box aside on the ground,a look of satisfaction appearing on his features after completing his task.
He then turned towards his grandfather, who seemed to be lying down on a nearby couch. The couch, which looked well-used over the years and was covered with a simple woolen blanket, hinted at a life of simplicity.
Haj Khaled was lying on his couch, trying to get some rest to relieve the burdens of his strenuous work, while simultaneously feeling the coolness of his house after spending hours working under the scorching sun.
Seeing his grandfather taking a comfortable nap, Sami crept slowly towards the house door, feeling the cool breezes that touched his skin.
"Have a good rest, Gr---andpa."
In a soft voice filled with love and respect for this old man,Sami spoke as he carefully closed the door with his hand.
Outside, the warm sun was still casting its light on the green grass surrounded by fragrant flowers, while the tree leaves continued to sway in the open air.
Sound of footsteps
With quiet steps, he moved thirty steps away from his house until he reached a nearby tree, aiming not to wake Haj Khaled.
"Since he's still late…"
In a quiet voice,he moved his lips, speaking in a calm tone as he stood near one of the dense trees, his eyes fixed intently on its trunk.
He prepared himself, tightening the muscles of his arms, then clenched his fists tightly as if he were about to engage in a fierce battle, adding in a tone full of determination and enthusiasm: "Why not have another extra training session!"
Sway!
The moment he finished his words, that same energy erupted powerfully from his body and surrounded him completely, forming the shape of a semi-transparent cloak shimmering with a faint light.
Although it was invisible to the naked eye, it was palpable in the air, creating an aura of pressure around him.
Calmly, he raised his right fist, which was coated with energy, and with a light hand, sent a powerful punch towards the tree trunk. The sound that followed was resounding, as if a crack had occurred in the air itself.
Crack!
The trunk shook violently from the punch, causing a piece of bark to fall to the ground, leaving behind a clear mark of his strike.
He wasn't satisfied with just that; he swung his left fist, also coated with the same energy, to strike it, producing a sound even louder than the previous one, revealing several cracks beginning to appear on the trunk.
With a bright smile appearing on his lips, Sami tightened his muscles again and this time sent a barrage of consecutive punches targeting various spots on the tree.
It shook powerfully from this huge quantity of blows, and its leaves began to fall one after another onto the ground. The upper branches weren't spared from the continuous shaking either.
The sounds of his fists hitting the tree echoed repeatedly in the air, like a rhythmic pattern reflecting a one-sided struggle. As for the tree, the rate of falling bark and cracks increased, leaving it in a bad state.
A situation that made the tree look pitiful, overwhelmed by the sounds of shattering from his punches, which never stopped.
Sami, who was in a state of intense concentration, with the sounds of his deep breaths audible, while sweat beads dripped abundantly on his forehead, nevertheless took it upon himself to continue sending this wave of punches.
"I won't leave this spot until I destroy you!"
Continuing to send this cannonade of punches,he declared loudly, showing his intent to shatter it.
The energy enveloping his body stirred powerfully as if endorsing his words. Despite the increasing sweat drops drenching his face, and despite his increasingly ravenous gasps for air,
Sami remained like a living storm, surrounded by that energy which made him seem like a natural force that could not be stopped. He seemed to be in a state of ecstasy, oblivious to his surroundings, his entire focus directed solely on this tree whose trunk began to bend under the weight of these blows.
Finally, after a series that seemed endless, he heard another resounding sound, but this time it was different; it sounded like the shattering of a vessel.
The tree that had previously stood proudly now had its trunk broken, and it fell forcefully, hitting the ground under Sami's astonished gaze.
"Ah!... I did it!!"
With overwhelming happiness,he himself fell to the ground, feeling the delicate blades of grass, and closed his eyes after this hard work.
Feeling even the coolness of the air that suddenly passed, touching his hot skin, as he exhaled warm, steamy breaths.
After a short while, he opened his eyelids and stared at the sky in wonder. The sky where the sun seemed to be on the verge of setting, as its lights began to gradually fade, while shadows intensely dominated some areas.
Sami, his eyes unbelieving, let out a slight sigh: "Oh!... It seems—it seems I got immersed in training again, hehe!"
Then he closed his eyes again, trying to enjoy this peaceful moment.
Touch!
Sami, who seemed comfortable on the soft carpet of grass, accompanied by the refreshing touches of the wind, didn't feel that hand which touched the shattered tree trunk.
"Masha'Allah, you've shattered it!"
In a surprised tone,the stranger spoke, his hand carefully examining the ruined trunk.
Sami, who was lying on the ground, began to open his eyes upon hearing the words he had just heard, speaking as he slowly opened his eyelids: "Excuse me!"
Slowly, he opened them and cast his gaze towards the stranger, whom he sought to identify out of curiosity, and as soon as he glimpsed his appearance, his eyes widened as he exclaimed: "This is... my Unnnnnncle!!!!"
It was none other than a man with black hair and black eyes, with a youthful appearance and a well-proportioned, muscular body that was prominent despite his black-and-white striped shirt.
With a face showing a faint smile as he examined Sami with interest, he spoke, replying to him in a loving and respectful voice: "It's been a few months! How are you, my nephew!?"