I'll be waiting for you in paradise

She tossed restlessly around her small bed as her eyes traveled to the beautiful golden sun, shining through her small, broken window. She couldn’t believe a year had passed since she last saw him. His smile still resided in her memory and occupied her thoughts. Alia took a slight look at the small clock that sat on her old nightstand. It was early morning, and she thought of nothing but the upcoming visit. Her heart fluttered as she recalled his perfect smile. She immediately jumped out and walked into the bathroom. She lit what was left of her melted candle and washed her long, brown hair in the old granite sink quickly, before the cold water stopped running, but nothing could have broken her spirits. She grabbed the small towel that hung on the door handle and wrapped it around her wet hair. As she flipped her head back up, she looked at her reflection in the cracked mirror and smiled at the thought of holding his hand once again. Her sleepless eyes sparkled while she stood still for a minute.

She opened the dusty, wooden closet and reached for her ironed, floral dress. She proceeded to fix her hair, and she unwrapped the towel as her wavy hair gently fell to her shoulders. She clipped her fringe back with the ocean blue hairpin he had gifted her. Alia then put on her favourite, pinkish-red lipstick, and she finished everything off with a spritz of jasmine scented perfume as she headed out the door.

The sun was shining brightly that morning as it was nearing the afternoon time. She looked up to the sky for the first time in a while as she attempted to protect her eyes from sunlight by placing her hand against her forehead. Her neighbors greeted her with warm smiles and invites to tea, for they all knew it was the big day. Others were equally prepared to head out in the same direction. Joy filled the neighborhood as people celebrated that special day.

Alia finally reached the bus stop and caught the loaded bus; She found a seat next to one of the old women who filled the bus, each one of them bearing a special tale. After an hour or so, the bus reached a checkpoint. All the passengers were ordered to step out and asked for their identification. The whole process, as usual, took about two hours before the bus was allowed to continue, but the women were not about to let that ruin their happiness. One of the old women suddenly broke out in a folkloric song, and the rest of the ladies soon followed. Alia, on the other hand, listened quietly as she admired the ruins that lay outside her window. Memories of what once stood in those places flooded her mind as she felt teardrops stream down her rosy cheeks, but she quickly wiped her tears away as the bus approached a second checkpoint. The same procedure was repeated, and the bus continued on its journey.

Hours later, the bus parked outside a huge building. Barbed wire surrounded the whole perimeter. Tall watch towers were positioned within, to prevent any intruders. The ladies made their way out of the bus and joined the large crowd of people waiting near the entrance. Armed guards stood at the entrance and checked everyone’s identification before pulling them to the side and searching them. After a long wait, it was finally Alia’s turn. The guard looked her down as he signaled for her ID. She reached for it and handed it to him. He stared at it with a mocking smile and threw it back as he opened the way to let her in to be searched. She felt humiliated as a male guard searched through her belongings, but moments later, the tensity and nervousness she had previously felt were met by an overwhelming sense of relief as she was being led by another guard down the dark hallways. She passed by the other visitors as she listened to their over joyous conversations with their loved ones. The guard was slowing down, and her heart began to beat faster as they neared the destination.

Alia stopped at an old cell. His caramel-colored skin seemed frail, but his long awaited smile greeted her as she touched his fragile hand with the tips of her soft fingers. His face showed signs of extreme fatigue, and his eyes seemed sleepless. She was shocked to see him in such a poor state, but she held back her tears as she gently stroke his black hair through the tiny holes. Her other hand was kept from the soft beating of his heart by the metal wiring, but she listened quietly to every breath and every beat. The eery silence was finally broke when he uttered his words of longing to his strong-spirited wife. She felt the warmth of his teardrops dangling down her face, but she quickly reached in with her fingers and wiped them away. She looked into his dark brown eyes and smiled to assure him that things will be just fine. She resumed by igniting the memories of their wedding night as she stopped to laugh at certain parts, which led him to smile wholeheartedly at the strength of his wife. Time passed quickly while they regaled in tales of their past, and the guards who stood nearby rudely interrupted to signal for time, and before she could let go of his delicate hand, he whispered lightly into her ear,

" I’ll be waiting for you in paradise

this is my one shot about "Solidarity With Palestinian Prisoners On Hunger Strike"