The Hour of the Oryx

by Farah Zaman

  “You dirty swines,” Haysam hissed, his face a blotchy red. “You couldn’t keep your mouths shut, could you? You had to go blab about us.”

  “If you meant we reported your bullying, yes we did,” Adam said.

  “Are you happy now we’re not being allowed to attend the Orphans Evening Out?” Luay’s eyes shot daggers at them.

  “Our only decent outing for the year and you sabotaged it,” Fadi said bitterly.

  “Listen, we didn’t choose your punishment,” Zaid said. “We’re sorry you’re not being allowed to attend the dinner. But you shouldn’t have bullied Mahmood. He’s had enough trauma in his life without you adding to it.”

  “Trauma?” Luay said. “What do you know about it? Trauma is when your family is killed in front of you and you think you’re going to be next.”

  “When your home collapses and you have to claw your way out or be buried in the dust,” Fadi said.

  “When your belly is burning with hunger and you know you’re going to die because there’s nothing to eat,” Haysam said. “You don’t know anything about that, living in your big mansions and driving around in cushy cars.”

  “Look, we know you’ve suffered a lot,” Adam said, his voice softening. “But that’s no excuse for hurting a boy who did nothing to you. Most of the students here have lived through terrifying things. If you took it out on each other, this place would be no better than the war zones you came from.”

  “Don’t preach to us,” Haysam snarled. “What you did was an act of war. And we’re going to fight back.”

  Chapter Fifteen:

  Orphans Evening Out

  As Adam dressed for the Orphans Evening out the next afternoon, Haysam’s words came back to him. What you did was an act of war. And we’re going to fight back.

  He had dismissed the bully’s warning as an empty bluster. But he could not help feeling a flicker of unease. The Troublesome Trio would be frothing at the mouth today to see the students dressed in their best outfits, leaving for Villa Hazni. There was no knowing what they might do to Mahmood in retaliation.

  Banishing the worrying thought, Adam studied himself in the mirror. He wore the dark-blue suit he had brought on the trip, teaming it with a white dress shirt and a blue striped tie. Satisfied that his tie was straight, he ran a brush over his hair. His locks had a tendency to be wayward, refusing to be tamed unless he slathered on gobs of hair gel. As he spritzed a drop of oud behind each ear, Zaid knocked and came in. He was wearing a black suit with a black and gray striped tie.

  “Ready?” he asked Adam.

  “Yes.” Adam swiped his hair one last time with the brush. “You have the sketch?”

  “Yes, right here.” Zaid patted his pocket. “I’ve memorized the layout, but I’ll walk with it just in case we hit a snag and can’t find our way.” Adam gave his friend a fond look. Zaid could always be relied upon for his common sense and steadiness.

  Since Dr. and Mrs. Horani and the twins were not attending the event, the teenagers were catching a ride with the students. When they arrived at the parking lot at the orphanage, everyone was milling around three gray buses. Mahmood came up to them, wearing a beige robe with an embroidered vest of brown. Clearly a hand-me-down from another student, it swallowed up his small frame. He smiled at them before dropping his head shyly. Muk-Muk was not with him. The monkey was no doubt securely sequestered in Mahmood’s room.

  Heba stood with a group of friends. Dressed in a yellow ensemble, she was like a flamingo among a flock of pigeons. The color made her striking silvery eyes look like the sky on a stormy day. “Salaams,” she said, catching sight of them. “You all look very nice.”

  “So do you,” Layla said. She wore a peacock-blue gown with a fringed white scarf. “It feels strange to see everyone out of uniform.”

  Heba smiled. “Yes, the girls feel like Cinderella going to the ball.”

  Zahra, who had on a cream dress and a brown sparkly scarf, said, “And what do the boys feel like, I wonder?”

  “Probably like Muk-Muk in their monkey suits,” Adam said. “It’s good of Mrs. Hazni to do this once a year. The students deserve a good treat.”

  “It’s too bad the Troublesome Trio are missing out,” Zaid said.

  “Save your sympathy for Mr. Rakin,” Heba said. “He had to stay behind with them.”

  The signal was given to board the buses. The children from the nursery and the childminders boarded first, accompanied by Mr. Mazin and Ms. Tubaa. The girls went next, with Ms. Yusra and Ms. Rima. The boys boarded last, with Ms. Mahveen and Mr. Talish as their chaperones.

  Ms. Mahveen, who was dressed in a burgundy gown and white scarf, bantered good-naturedly with the students. Mr. Talish, clad in a beige robe, was content to let her carry on the conversation. Adam enjoyed the ride. In between the conversations, the boys cracked jokes and sang songs as the bus bumped and groaned its way to Gilad.

  An hour later, they pulled up in front of a sprawling mansion with arched windows and a covered balcony. Its color reminded Adam of the flesh of a ripe mango. They were shepherded through the wide iron gates and into a tiled courtyard shaded by date palms and decorated with troughs of flowers and shrubs.

  “This way, please.” Uniformed ushers led them past a gurgling water fountain, towards the banquet hall which adjoined the house.

  A petite woman wearing a black and gold ensemble and a man dressed in a gray suit stood at the door welcoming the guests. Adam took a deep breath. He was about to come face to face with Danyal’s mother and stepfather. Plastering a polite smile on his face, he moved forward until he was standing right in front of them. He knew his resemblance to Danyal was going to give them a shock. Short of hiding his face, he could not avoid it.

  When Mrs. Hazni saw him, her dark eyes turned wide and the slight smile on her triangular face faltered. Adam looked away from her and met the narrow-eyed gaze of Danyal’s stepfather. Nidal Alawad towered over his wife, the afternoon sunlight highlighting the angles of his smooth-shaven face. It was hard to believe he was a monster beneath the designer suit and salon-styled hair.

  Wishing to bring back the smile to Mrs. Hazni’s face, Adam said in English, “Thank you for having us, Mrs. Hazni. My parents are working in the clinic at the orphanage this summer. We’re lucky to be able to attend this event.”

  His words and his distinctly American accent did bring the smile back to her face. With a gracious inclination of her head, she said, “It’s our pleasure to welcome you here.”

  Adam stepped through the door and into a banquet hall with cathedral ceilings and glistening chandeliers. The guests were ushered to tables covered by white damask and holding vases of fresh flowers. Adam, Zaid and Mahmood sat together, along with some other boys.

  The food stations stirred to life and appetizers and beverages were served by uniformed men and women. Adam helped himself to spicy chicken wings, a meat pie and a Pepsi. He had not drunk Pepsi in ages. Soda was usually not on his parents’ grocery list. Taking a bite of the crumbly pie, he studied the program on the table.

  “During the gifts presentation will be the best time to make our move,” he whispered to Zaid. His friend nodded, his face clouding over with the same apprehension Adam felt.

  The emcee mounted the stage and the program commenced. After the opening formalities, a guest speaker spoke about society’s obligation to take care of its orphans and the divine rewards of doing so. During the speech, there was a faint stir as a man and a woman entered. They were escorted to Mrs. Hazni’s and her husband’s table.

  After the speech, the students performed a few songs and skits. Then Mrs. Hazni took the stage. After greeting her guests, she said, “I’m happy to see you all today even though I stand before you, a mother anxious and afraid for her son. By now, you all know the circumstances of Danyal’s disappearance. You can understand my sorrow that he’s still in the hands of
the kidnappers. I pray every day for his safe return, and I know many of you join me in this. Please continue praying for Danyal.” Her lips trembled and her eyes filled with tears.

  Blinking them away, she continued, “The Orphans Evening Out has been an annual event my late husband and I started some years ago. As orphans ourselves, we know firsthand what it’s like to grow up without parents, siblings and other family. Our teachers and fellow students at Dar-as-Sakinah became our families. To this day, I continue to hold them in my heart even though we’ve all found different places in the world.”

  The crowd applauded and Mrs. Hazni gave a watery smile and went on, “This evening, I’m going to tell you a story. A story that began in a village in a war-torn country. And in a house where a mother, a father and three children lived. One terrible night, their home was shelled, and the entire family killed. Or so everyone thought. By a miracle of Allah, the baby was found alive in the ruins. There was no one to claim her or say what her name was…” Mrs. Hazni’s voice broke.

  Fighting for composure, she continued, “She ended up at Dar-as-Sakinah, just like those of you who have found a home there. You know her as Baby Lina. From what I hear, she has won the hearts of everyone who’s met her. Fortunately, we have learned that Baby Lina is not without family in the world.” A murmur swept through the crowd.

  Mrs. Hazni went on, “Her mother has a cousin who lives in Germany. Upon making inquiries, the cousin was devastated to learn of the death of Lina’s family but thankful that the little girl had survived. When she heard that Lina was living in an orphanage, blood called out to blood. She wanted to come as soon as possible to claim Lina. We were hoping she would be able to make it for this special day and Alhamdulilah, she did. Sumaiya, please bring Lina to her aunt.”

  The childminder rose from one of the tables, tears shining in her eyes as she clasped a purple-clad Lina to her bosom. There was a hushed silence as the couple who had arrived late, stood up. Tears were flowing down the woman’s face but she smiled as she gazed at Lina’s pink cheeks and bright eyes. Sumaiya handed her the little girl. The woman clasped Lina to her bosom tenderly. Adam swallowed the lump in his throat. The little cherub had found a home and he could not be happier for her.

  The sun dipped low and disappeared, filling the courtyard with dappling shadows. The guests offered the sunset prayer on rugs there, the fountain gurgling gently in the background. After that it was dinner. Adam’s stomach became a tight knot of dread as he waited in line for his food. Soon it would be time for him and Zaid to carry out their cloak and dagger task. When he sat down to eat, he could not help recalling the famous anecdote, the Sword of Damocles.

  In the story, the courtier Damocles had exclaimed at the good fortune of Dionysius, a tyrant of Sicily, for being a man of power and authority. In order to give Damocles a taste of the constant threat he lived under, the tyrant switched places with Damocles for the day. At a banquet that evening, Damocles was enjoying being waited upon like a king until he saw the sword hanging by a single horsehair above his head. He immediately lost his taste for the festivities and left.

  Despite feeling a bit like Damocles, Adam enjoyed the meal. He had gotten mixed kebabs served with bread, rice and vegetables. For dessert, he ate a slice of delicious cheesecake topped with a red cherry syrup. After finishing the rest of his Pepsi, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and whispered to Zaid, “Time to go now.”

  Mahmood, who had cherry syrup smeared over his lips, looked anxiously at them. Patting him on the arm, Adam said, “We’ll see you when we get back, kiddo.”

  Guests were moving back and forth between the tables and the restrooms. No one paid any attention to the youths as they headed to the back. In no time, they located the connecting door in the passageway behind the restrooms. Sidling through it quickly, they closed it behind them and gazed at their surroundings. They were standing in the tiled foyer of the house.

  “We’ll have to keep our shoes on in case we need to make a fast getaway,” Zaid said.

  “Yeah,” Adam agreed. “I’m sure Mrs. Hazni will excuse us if she knows we’re trying to help her and Danyal.”

  In the living room, an enormous crystal chandelier emitted a dim glow over coffee colored floors and ivory couches. The youths scurried to the curving stairway on the left and climbed it hurriedly to the second floor.

  Zaid turned on his cell phone flashlight and led the way down several hallways. He stopped before a polished door. “This is it.”

  Adam turned the handle and the door swung open. “That’s one hurdle down.”

  “Let’s find a place to hide in case anyone comes.”

  Right next to the office was a walk-in cupboard filled with boxes. “This will do nicely,” Adam said. “I’ll search the office while you keep watch.”

  “I’ll stand at the top of the stairway,” Zaid said. “If I hear anyone coming, I’ll come warn you.” He hurried away, his flashlight bobbing in the dark.

  Taking a deep breath, Adam entered the snake’s lair and turned on the light. The beige carpet felt soft and deep beneath his shoes as he moved to the window and pushed the thick brown drapes aside. He gazed down into a landscaped garden lit by solar path lights. Almost shadowed by the trees, the clear blue waters of a swimming pool glowed as if diamonds floated atop it. Far in the distance, the lights of the city twinkled like earthbound stars.

  Time to get to work now.

  Adam went first to the file cabinet pushed up against the light-blue walls. They held household bills and health-related documents. “Nothing here,” he murmured. Seating himself in the brown leather chair at the oversized desk, he wiggled the computer mouse. The screen lit up and a password log box popped up. “Since I have no idea what the password is and I’m no hacker, I guess it’s the drawers now.”

  All the drawers were locked except for a long, narrow one in the middle. Adam pulled on the handle and it opened an inch. From the scrunching sound, he inferred that there must be papers stuck at the back of it. He inserted his fingers as far as they could reach and touched an object. It felt like a stapler.

  “That’s what’s causing the obstruction,” he muttered. Closing the drawer, he opened it with more force, but the stapler was still stuck fast. After another yank, the drawer shivered as though it would break off the hinges. But it had opened a smidgen wider. When he pushed his fingers in, he touched paper this time.

  “Oh yes, come to papa now.” He tugged on the stubborn parchment. Then froze as stealthy footsteps ran towards him.

  Zaid burst into the office. “Someone’s coming up the stairs! We’ve got to hide!”

  Chapter Sixteen:

  The Clippings Connection

  With desperate fingers, Adam clutched the paper, willing it to come out. He knew every second of delay increased the danger of them being discovered. But he had to get those papers out. He refused to leave empty-handed. Gritting his teeth, he flexed his fingers and shoved them in as far as they could go. His tendons burned with the strain and the top of the drawer scraped his tender flesh. He ignored the pain and kept going. He was too close to give up now.

  “Come on,” Zaid hissed, “or we’ll be caught.”

  Adam’s fingers fastened on the paper, pulling it inch by agonizing inch so it would not get torn.

  “What are you doing?” Zaid’s whisper was frantic. “Come on, let’s go!”

  Adam finally unfurled the tangle and tugged it. A bunch of what looked like newspaper clippings slid free. Grabbing them, he stuffed them into his pocket and closed the drawer. Rushing to the door, he turned off the light and sprinted with Zaid to the closet. Moments later, footsteps shuffled down the corridor.

  “That was too close for comfort,” Adam whispered, his heart still hammering.

  “No thanks to you,” Zaid said.

  Adam squeezed his friend’s hand. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  The footstep
s stopped. A door opened and then clicked closed. There was silence.

  “Whoever it was went into the office,” Zaid said.

  “It must be Danyal’s stepfather. I guess we won’t get a chance to go back there again. I’m glad I got those papers out.”

  “Why did it take so long?”

  “The drawer was stuck. It was the only one that was open.”

  “What about the file cabinet?”

  “Nothing suspicious in it.”

  “Let’s hope those papers you found are of some help. I’d hate to think we risked our necks for nothing.”

  “We’ll look at them when we get home.”

  “I think we should make a run for it now. We don’t want to be missed downstairs.”

  They crept out into the hallway with bated breath, hoping the door to the office would not open during their escape. As they tiptoed past the door, a garbled voice came to their ears. Adam would have liked to press his ear against the door and listen, but it was too risky. It was best they retreat now before their lucky streak ran out.

  At Villa Wadha that night, the teenagers gathered in the boys’ sitting room, eager to examine the clippings. They were a total of four, all from the Gilad Gazette.

  Layla arranged them in chronological order. “I’ll read the first one. It’s dated January 13, three years ago. The headline is, Robbery at Well-Known Jewelry Store. On the night of January 13, a daring and shocking robbery took place at the high-end jewelry store, Zuleikha’s. The robbers managed to disable the sophisticated alarm system and steal millions of dirhams worth of jewelry, practically cleaning out the store. The owner and employees are still reeling from the shock. Police have questioned everyone concerned but so far, the identities of the robbers remain unknown. This writer was granted an interview at the premises by Mr. Maniyar, the owner. In the deserted store, he showed me the empty glass cases which had previously been brimming with expensive jewelry. Mr. Maniyar said he was shocked and saddened by the robbery. It was his family’s livelihood and the inheritance he had hoped to pass on to his children and grandchildren one day. With tears in his eyes, he told me his family was now cheated of their inheritance and he has no choice but to close the store. When I asked him if he had any idea who could have done the deed, he said it must be a professional thief who’s familiar with alarm systems. I asked him if he suspected any of his employees of being involved. He told me no, that everyone working there had been a trusted employee for several years. The case is now in the hands of the Tri-Country Bureau of Inquiries.”