It’s dark. There’s a Flash of a crimson light aiming at me. Its blinding, everything is blurred like trying to see through a thick cloud of never-ending smoke for eternity.

Suddenly, I begin to hear a loud ringing pericing my ear.

I hear a faint voice in the distance. It’s getting closer and slowly becoming louder.

“Hello everybody! And good morning! I’m your host Adam Washington Thank you for joining us on this morning. I am joined today by a survivor Hakan…”

“Whose voice is that? Who is it talking to? Who’s calling me?”

“Hakim Daher?” Says, the reporter.

“Yes. sorry about that. It is very early in the morning.” Hakan replies.

“That’s alright. We can all relate to that now, can we? I’m sure the viewers at home feel the same way. Ready to begin their day perhaps they are going to work. Now, is there anything you can tell us about the stuff going on back home Hakan?”

“Uhmm… Yea”

says, Hakan figeting with his fingers and tapping his foot. Trying to gather his thoughts.

“It’s the genocide of my people mothers, children, fathers, people of all kinds not just soldiers are being killed.”

“Please tell us more Hakan. I heard you were blinded by an explosion is that true? What happned?”

“Honestly, I do not remember much from the incident… It it happened so fast. I was playing with other kids. We were kicking the soccer ball around. Then, then sirens rang loudly to warn us of the incoming bombardment. We couldn’t take cover. A bomb exploded near us, I don’t even know who survived and who didn’t. The debis from the bomb blinded me. I woke up and I couldn’t see a thing. Just muffled voices. I couldn’t pinpoint where the voices were coming from. It sounded chaotic. I heard cries, screams, and panic. I was so shocked, I couldn’t even cry. Although I really wanted to.”

“Wow! How tragic”. The reporter says.

What else can you tell us about the tragic events that unfolded that day? Or before the war?”

Choked up Hakan pauses again trying to gather his thoughts.

Hakan takes a deep breath.

“Before the war, there were things being said on the news. Warning of rising tensions…

The blaring beeps of an alarm “Hey get up already! Help your brother get ready for the Mosque Please! Hakim”. Says, the mother.

“Ugh, do we have to?” Hakim replies

“Yes! You know we have to go pray. Please stop questioning. Forgive my son for he does not know.” whispers the mom to herself.

“Fine! I’m sorry Mom give me a few minutes.” Says Hakim.

It was a Friday morning the skies were grey, and it seemed like it would rain however, rain was not in the forecast. In fact, it said it would be sunny but, it was chilly. Something felt off. I just couldn’t wrap my head around what was. Like when you get the awkward feeling of being in danger? Like when someone is looking at you for long enough you can just feel their presence. I don’t know, it’s just a bizarre feeling of unease. that is how I was feeling stepping into the Mosque. It was dead silent as if the world had stood still. It was time for prayer. But, There was a lot of noise outside that disrupted our prayer but, we tried to continue to finish. Suddenly, the door was forcefully opened with such force the hinges of the door surely broke. The doors loudly smacked the walls. We all look back… A flash of red lines fired at multiple places at once. It looked as if lasers were being pointed at us ricocheting from wall to wall. The smell of fiery smoke spreads across the mosque like gas. People were jumping on their children to shield them. Others tried to run but were stopped and beaten by batons wielded by officers. I saw a man in uniform pointing his gun right at me. He pulled the trigger and my father jumped in front of me hugging my brother and me tightly to where I felt like I couldn’t breathe. With his back turned towards the man. He looked me right in the eyes with his glowing red eyes. He was trying not to cry. I could tell. He didn’t want us to panic. He didn’t want us to know he had been shot. Everything was happening so fast. I hadn’t had the time to process everything and cry. I was in a state of shock. I felt paralyzed. My body was numb. I felt like I was dreaming. I couldn’t hear a thing.

Then, suddenly I began to hear the screaming of hundreds of people. The sounds of terrorizing agony. The crying of many children and adults in attendance. I saw my mother running towards us and a bullet pierces through her skull, stopping her instantly as she stumbled down on the floor. I began to cry right away. MAMAHHHHH!!!! I tried to run towards her but my father kept holding on to me and my brother tightly so as to obscure our vision.