Mother sobbed as Grandfather reminded her of my father, but he went on talking to me as if she wasn't there. “Meehal sacrificed himself so we can live. They wanted him to be their king, but he refused. They threatened and tortured him to give us up, but he stood to them until they killed him… Hawjan…”
“Command me, Grandpa.”
“Take care of your mother.”
“Grandpa!”
“And take care of yourself. And those kind Humans. Two Marids have been circling the house for some time now. I know what they want…”
I wondered if he knew what had transpired between Xanam and me. Did Grandfather know of the shameful position I had put him and Mother in? Did he know that his life was in danger because of my foolish relationship with Sawsan?
“I do not have many days to live,” he continued. “What would they gain from an old man waiting for his time? They are here for you, Hawjan! Do you remember your father?”
Grandfather felt my face with his shaking fingers and smiled. “It is as if I see Meehal in front of me. You got everything from your father—a spitting image! You have no idea how much they’re hoping you will go back to them so they can gain back what they lost with your father. Allah gave him powers their strongest Marids would not even dream of. They want to marry you to your cousin so your father’s offspring will remain amongst them! Beware, Hawjan, of going back to them. Beware!”
His last statement was heavier on my heart than a mountain: “I took this responsibility from your father, and today I hand it over to you, Hawjan.”
He coughed violently, as if he were throwing out the last burdens from his chest. I lay him down in his bed gently. Mother and I did not leave. I slept next to his bed, and every time I opened my eyes I saw her gazing on his face or wiping his forehead, her tears flowing in silence.
As I lay there waiting for the inevitable, I thought about my job. I would probably lose it due to my repeated absences. Once they had offered me a house near my workplace, far from Humans. I now wished I had accepted the offer before things had gotten so complicated.
Grandfather did not ask me to take care of Dr. Abdulraheem’s family for nothing. I wondered what Grandfather was hiding. And who were the Marids circling the house?
The house’s vibe had changed in the following days with Grandfather’s illness worsening and Doctor Abdulraheem was always preoccupied with his worries, especially with the illness of his life’s flower, Sawsan. In such circumstances, one should ascend his trust and connection to God alone while taking real steps for a cure, and one must be aware of any impostors! Such was the dark path that Sawsan’s father had slipped into, his despair had pushed him towards hopelessness. Without any suspicion on his side, it only took him further away from God and complete trust in God’s wisdom, kindness and mercy. This only made Dr. Abdulraheem and his family an easier prey for impostors and devils.
At one point a car stopped out front; it was Abu Attiyah, Dr. Abdulraheem’s friend, and with him was Shaikh Mussa Takkaw, an African sorcerer who claimed to be religious but his marked rings give him away. Xanam followed, and another Marid who never left Mussa’s side. Now I knew why Dr. Abdulraheem had not gone to work this day!
I quickly went down without anyone noticing me. I slipped in through the kitchen window and went into the dining room, which was separated from the living room by a shade. I held my breath and listened to what was going on without anyone knowing I was there.
Abu Attiyah spoke. “Abu Hattan, I swear to God, I only insisted on bringing Shaikh Mussa because I cherish you. He is a blessing and can see the unseen.”
In Arabian culture a man is usually called by a reference to his elder son, such as Abu (which means “father of”) Hattan in the case of Dr. Abdulraheem.
Shaikh Mussa clearly could not contain his vain smile. He was uttering sounds that would make those around him believe he was engulfed in prayers to Allah.
Abu Attiyah went on. “Ever since the day you told me about what happened in your house, he immediately knew: your house is haunted with protector Marids.”
Dr. Abdulraheem cut him off. “But this event had happened months ago, and nothing has come of it. We say our protection prayers every day and verses of the Quran.”
“You must know this entire real-estate project was built on a Jinn village! And their king’s treasure is directly beneath your house!”
Making sure not to give Dr. Abdulraheem a chance to denounce that thought, Mussa talked for the first time. He had an African accent. “These are treasures God brought to you from above seven skies. Who would reject what God brings to their doorstep?”
Abu Attiyah tried to play on Dr. Abdulraheem’s weaknesses. “Abu Hattan, Shaikh Mussa, God willing, can convince the Marids to leave the house and reveal the treasure that has been legally yours since the day you bought the house and the land it is on. This is not an easy matter! But seriously, why would you reject such opportunity? Can you tell me what you’re leaving your kids with after your time here has passed?”
Abu Attiyah, knowing he had successfully manipulating Dr. Abdulraheem’s emotions, went on enthusiastically. “Will you leave them with the mortgage payments? How will you pay for Hattan’s wedding? How will you provide them with housing? Do you want them to go through the hardships you went through? Life is not as easy as it used to be, Doctor! This is a chance God has given you! And your kids are a responsibility you must take seriously. God will not forgive you if you take this chance away from them.”
Mussa saw how Dr. Abdulraheem reacted to this and went in for the kill. “As God my witness, Doctor, I only seek His favor. I only came because Abu Attiyah, who is very dear to me, has praised you and asked me to help. I do not like to unveil these things. It takes a lot of effort and involves huge risks. But we will ask God for strength, and no Marid or Devil will stand in our way if it is God’s will! I’m willing to prove to you that we will rely only on the Quran and righteous Jinn servants. If you give me a chance I can find out the size of the treasure and get the Marids to show it to us so you will see it for yourself. In the end the decision is up to you.”
Xanam and a second marid -Shnan- clearly looked bored, as if they were so fed up with this repeated scenario and were just waiting their part of the show. Mussa went on to pull a red, velvet cloth out of his pocket that held an incense paste with a strong scent.
“This, Doctor,” he said, “is a paste over which we have read versus of the Quran. I will now ask the righteous servant Mekayel to appear in front of you so you will believe me.”
Mussa put some of the paste in an ashtray and lit it, and thick, white smoke came out of it. Abu Attiyah whispered into Dr. Abdulraheem’s ear: “Righteous servants always produce white smoke. You will now hear him yourself. Don’t get nervous.”
The smoke was getting thicker, and Mussa’s uttering got faster. His eyes were closed and he waved his hands above the smoke.
Shnan sat in front of the ashtray and said in a theatrical voice, “Peace be upon you, owner of the house.”
Dr. Abdulraheem trembled. He did not really comprehend what was going on, so he responded, “Peace be upon you.”
“It saddens us that you do not want the help of your righteous Jinn brothers,” Shnan went on. “Your house is haunted by a family of protector Marids who watch over a treasure of a Jinn King. By God’s will we can convince them to hand over your treasure, or at least to move it away and go from—”
A lightning-fast shadow flew toward Shnan, throwing him away and shutting him up. It was Grandfather! That ill old man who could barely move or talk was now squeezing this Marid with his two hands as if he were a hundred years young! Mother followed, and Xanam hesitantly attacked her. I intercepted him without thinking, and he slammed into me. I held him by the throat, almost snapping it in my hand before I threw him across the room. I do not know where I got that strength!
I turned to Grandfather and saw Shnan frantically fighting to get out of his grip. Shnan noticed me,
and I could see the terror in his eyes. I also saw Grandfather’s injuries from the battle, I wash shocked and angry, I rushed towards him as I was screaming! A scream that would only stop when I hold that damned’s heart in my hands! I can’t remember what happened at that moment, all I could remember was that the white smoke dissipated and the houses electricity flickered; and Xanam picked up what was left of Shnan and fled for his life. Although they did not see the details of our fierce battle, tension between Dr. Abdulraheem and his guests was building. The sudden silence of the alleged righteous servant and the dissipation of the smoke caused clear confusion on Mussa’s face.
He went on, “Did you hear that, Doctor? The treasure’s protectors clearly did not like the presence of our righteous servant. But do not concern yourself. God is on our side!”
Abu Attiyah noticed that even the sorcerer looked confused, and decided to end the visit. “As you have seen for yourself, Abdulraheem, if we do not act quickly, they might harm you and your family. Let me take Shaikh Mussa back to his place, and I will talk to you later.”
Dr. Abdulraheem saw them to their car looking puzzled and worried. He came back into the house saying some prayers, and went to read the Quran. Mother and I carried Grandfather, who had exhausted what remained of his strength, back to his bed. As we lay him down, he smiled contentedly, as if he had completed his mission with excellence—his mission that had taken only four hundred and twenty years to complete!
(9)
Death
God bless your soul, Grandfather. I buried him in Baqee Alghraqad, next to the rest of the Nafar and the companions of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him. Grandfather’s final request was for Mother to stay in Yatmah, near Madina, in the protection of what remained of the Nafar, who, despite their disagreement with Grandfather over mother’s marrying a Marid, still welcomed her and respected Grandfather’s wishes. I stayed with her for a month there although the Nafar did not appreciate my living among them; they made me feel like a meddlesome Marid. Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, said the only differentiator is one’s righteousness, but unfortunately the Nafar gave more value to lineage than to righteousness. I think differentiation based on righteousness has disappeared for us Jinn as well as for you Humans. It is now based on lineage and interests!
Had it not been for Mother, I would not have stayed a single day in Yatmah. I decided to spare the Nafar the discomfort of kicking me out, and I left after I was confident that Mother was okay. I went back to carry out Grandfather’s wish of protecting Dr. Abdulraheem and his family. To protect Sawsan! I had been away from her for one full month. I hadn’t even told her goodbye. I wondered if she missed me as much as I missed her. But how could I let her know I had come back? I would wait until she opened her tablet, and try to move her fingers with mine. I wanted to see her so badly, I went directly to her window. However, she wasn’t there. No one was at the house other than the maid, and everything seemed bleak, as if the place had been abandoned for days. I wondered what had happened in my absence.
My worry grew as I searched for anything that would hint at where they were. The house phone rang, and the maid, who was watching TV in her room, did not hear it. The caller might have been a family member. The maid had to answer! I tried to push her TV over, my hand would slam into it but it wouldn’t budge. I tried to unplug it without success. The phone stopped ringing, then started again, and in my anxious effort to unplug the TV, it suddenly fell to the ground. Both the maid and I were frightened. The phone’s ringing pulled her out of her daze, and she moved to answer it.
Hurry up, for God’s sake! I thought. She picked it up, and her words tore my heart.
“Yes… Mister, Madam everyone went to hospital for Sawsan… Very ill… Room 307, specialty hospital.”
I didn’t wait to hear the rest of the conversation. I had all the information I needed to be next to Sawsan in just a few short moments.
***
Hattan tried to take the burden of talking with the doctors and visitors off of his father’s shoulders. Dr. Abdulraheem was quite frozen, with tears in his eyes and his arms around Mrs. Raja. She cried too as she recited versus of the Quran. This sight was enough to make me collapse, but I got a hold of myself and went to Sawsan. She lay alone in a room, behind a glass window through which visitors could look at her. I went right through. Her body showed no signs of life other than her chest’s slow movement. Tubes went into her veins and her lungs; her life would end if these machines stopped. Her breathing, pulse, and eyes, which were open but without life, all showed that Sawsan was in a deep coma—one from which she might never get out of, only to go to her grave.
It seemed the tumor had caused pressure on a vital area of her brain, causing the coma. The cross-section images of her brain and the chatter of her doctors and consultants all pointed to the fact that Sawsan, if she were lucky, would live this way forever, or might regain consciousness but with major damage to her brain that could hinder her capabilities for the rest of her life.
“You have my condolences for your grandfather, cousin!” Xanam said behind me. Fortunately for him, my sadness curbed my anger. I didn’t even turn to face him; I just kept watching Sawsan. Although, I was sure, he had something to do with her current situation, he continued to pretend to be sympathetic.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it to the funeral. But if you need anything, I’m at your command. As for your sweetheart…”
I turned to him now, and was about to cure my sad heart and anger by breaking his neck.
But he quickly responded, “Any rash actions from you and she’s gone. You will have finished off both your grandfather and your love! Stay calm and listen to what I have to say so we can both benefit.”
This meant Sawsan was somehow under his control, and he might have harmed her or even killed her. I could hardly control myself, and could not hold back my tears of sorrow.
“Damn you,” I said. “What have you done to Sawsan?!”
“First of all I’ve come to you with full respect and good intentions, but if you misbehave you will force me to—”
Sawsan’s vital signs fluctuated, and two nurses rushed over to check her. A doctor entered the room and monitored her. He looked anxious. Xanam was serious and meant what he said; unfortunately I had no choice but to listen to his demands.
He went on with his profanity as Sawsan’s vitals return to normal. “While you were busy with funeral arrangements, I took care of Dr. Abdulraheem’s family. What are cousins for? But unfortunately Dr. Abdulraheem got a bit greedy and was pulled into some nonsense about a treasure and servants. He also asked the Marids for help, and as you know we cannot refuse anyone who asks for our help. But as you also know, everything has a price! And the doctor did not have enough. So he was forced to take out a loan and put down the house as collateral. Damn greed! In the end he wasted his life’s savings running after delusions. I truly tried everything I could to get them to forgive the remaining balance. I even pitched in my efforts for free and lived in the doctor’s house so they would not send another evil Marid who might hurt him and his family. I even had to impersonate you to talk with Sawsan and entertain her while you were gone. I mean, I couldn’t stand how worried she was about you. She would cry every night on her tablet, calling out your name, so I thought I should answer.”
Each word coming out of Xanam’s mouth cut me with sadness and anger. For a moment I thought about attacking him to avenge Grandfather and Sawsan, but I also wanted to hold on to any chance of saving her life.
Xanam went on. “I tried to play with her, but her soul ignored my existence at the start. But it had to give in to my charm at the end. By the way Sawsan is very boring. I tried to entertain myself with her a bit, but she acted like a sensitive prude. So I was forced to take shape in front of her—to show her what her beloved Hawjan looks like. If she ever asks you if your eyes are vertical and come down below your nose, and if your head is shaped like a pear, please say yes, otherwise she will think you
are a liar. Anyway, I showed her a form that was way more handsome than you, and she could not contain herself, so she collapsed and went into a coma.”
I knew he was enjoying pinching my nerves, so I decided to put an end to his disgusting theatrics. “What do you want from me, Xanam?”
“I want what’s best for both of us! By the way, I saved your life—otherwise the Marids would have torn you to shreds in revenge for Shnan’s death.”
“Shnan died?”
“Yes, Shnan died. Not from his battle with your pathetic grandfather, but from your scream. I fixed up the scenario to benefit the two of us, but you must help me out.”
And he started to explain his devilish plan—the one he had used to trick the most powerful Marids and Devils.
“I told them you’ve been working with me from the start, and you swore to defy the Nafar after you found out they had cast out your father and denounced your mother. I said you had decided to set a trap for your grandfather with my help, to win over Sawsan, your love. But we were surprised that Elyaseen still had some oomph in him and was able to kill Shnan before we killed Elyaseen, and you lied to your mother and the Nafar, and convinced them that you were trying to defend him.”
“God damn you, Xanam!”
“You’re welcome, dear cousin. And by the way, a good Samaritan warned them that you participated in the killing of the old Nafar in exchange for your Human love. So if you ever get anywhere near them; they will kill you. What do you think of my plan so far? It’s up to you. You can kill me right now and lose everything, or serve me with a small favor and live the happiest life with Sawsan, or even return to your family as a king.” Xanam said.
“What do I need to do? What use do you have of me?”
“Come with me and greet King Hayaf, and tell him you helped me to kill the old Nafar. Marry my sister, Jumara, and have a child, and the moment you hand me the child you will be free to go. At that point it will be up to you if you want to stay with Jumara or not, or even kill her and come back to your Human.”
HWJN (English 2nd Edition) Page 6