When u taste the death !!

[Safeena]

It's 2 o'clock .. afternoon
I was collecting my stuff .. and leaving .. 2 hours remain for the beginning of the curfew ..
I must hurry up .. before roads would be too crowded
I have to go for the school to take my 2 child .. back to home ..
And I have to buy some supplements ..
And also to walk for 20 min.s to catch the bus .. .
I'm getting out quickly .. and even didn't greet friends in my way ,, may be it would cost me sometime ….blab .. blab .. would make me more late ..
Oh .thanks God .. the bus just arrived ..I will by in the school just in time ..
Oh .. good .. 2 seats are not occupied .. I can set beside this young man..
I was looking to this tiny man .. he is almost 18 years old ..
He was looking from the window and he even didn't notice that I was there .. setting beside..him
He is whispering with something ..
Hmm ..
May be he is sing .. love song or something , I wondered
It's best to rest ..
I will try to sleep . still long time to pass from the next check point
Suddenly ..
The young man turned around to find me …
He glanced at me carefully ..
I try to smile ..
But he ignored my smile and remaining looking from his window ..
May be .. It's the 1st love .. for him , I said to myself ..
And I was almost about to laugh ..
But he stop my laugh .. by asking ..
"Did u ever taste the death , sir ??!" he said
I amazed by his question .. !!
"Taste .. what ?!! " .. I said
"The death ,sir " he repeated it .
I feel the word "strange" is really not enough to describe this strange young man ,,
But I decide to continue this strange conversation ..
And I said "so tell me .. how come young man like u know the mean of death .."
He said "I only know as much as u know about it .. but u tell me , what is death ?"
I confused .. "d d d… death .. death is death "
He smile and continue "do u see ,sir ..we don't know much about death .. and death also don't know much about us .. death don't made big difference between young or old , weak and strong .. human and death like 2 persons .. both of them get in 2 opposite-directions trains ,they never meet but for short time ,, can't be enough to make those 2 .. knows each others ".
"but ..but … u are too young to know what is death , son .." I said ..
"death is striking youngsters in this land more than it does with elderly.. " he said
"may be .." I said
I said the last word and I wished I've never involve in such philosophic conversation ..
The young man back to look from his window ..
He look at me again and said "you didn't answer me! ,sir"
"answer what ?!" I said
And he asked me again "did u ever taste the death?!"
"those who are alive never taste the death !! only dead ppl taste it !! " I said
"sir … dead ppl don't taste anything , they are dead ,do u understand .. dead" he said
"IF the dead ppl don't taste death why u asking me and I'm alive if I taste the death !" I said
"Because only those who live .. can taste and feel " he said
"hay .. Wait moment !! .. U just said we don't know what is death !! "I said
"May be we don't know it ,, but we can smell it and can taste it " he said
"Oh .God .. how come and we don't know it !" I said
"Sir, simply ..
When u pass the deadly chock point everyday , u taste it
When u travel from house to house in the days of curfew , u taste it
When u chase the tanks in the streets in ur tiny body .. u taste it
When u see look at the armed soldiers pointing their guns at u, u taste it ..
When u be back to ur home .. at the end of the day to find ur children .. u taste it ..
Sir .. u simply taste it .."

I was gazing at him doubtfully .. and while I feel his words .. I feel my self trembling ..
He must be crazy !! ..
What !! he is talking about death like he knows it !! .. is he ghost or something !! ..
"Oh damn !! . this young man's words make me trembling "
10s of ideas was occupying my mind ,after this conversation !!
I wished he continue !! I don't want to think ..
So asked him "where are u going now , son"
"My home.."
"U must be.. coming back from ur school ,aint u ? "
"No"
"Then what ?"
"I was on my house "
"oh .. wait moment .. u just said u are going to ur house "
"no I said I 'm going to my home "
"coming from ur house and goin to ur home !!! "
"yes ,sir , what is so strange on that !"
"nothing ..nothing .. son "
I feel I had to change my seat .. this young man must be crazy !!
I feel I should greet my friends .. may be I didn't catch this damn bus !
The young man .feel I wasn't feel comfortable ..
So he smile .. and said "do u have kids ..sir"
"yes I have 2 kids .. AbdAllah 10 years old .. Samera 8 years old"
"Allah bless them .. InshAllah" he said
"when ur children ask u about death .. tell them … how sweet is the death.."
And he suddenly yell to the bus driver "Stop here if u don't mind .."
He get out of the bus IN HURRY ..
Be4 he leave ,, he stop suddenly .. as if he forget to do something ..
He kissed the hands of the old lady just behind us .. and ask her to pray for him ..
They were looking to each others .. for a while ..
And he smile ..
And leave the bus ..
He was really strange young man ..
My curiousness .. made me gazed at this lady .. to understand what is going on ..
She was looking at him .with straight face .. almost like dead ..
After a moments ..
Cutting the silence .. A hug explosion ..
All people in the bus start looking around , what happen !! ..
armored vehicle was burning ..
silence again ..
suddenly .. in loud voice ..
the old lady utter trilling cries of joy …
She was his mother ..