It was an ordinary night for Sami, ordinary only for the people in Gaza. The bombing was intense, and the darkness engulfed everything, except for the occasional flash of rockets lighting up the sky before exploding. As usual, Sami watched the scene from his window, dreaming for an end to this war. After having dinner with his family, which consisted of some canned legumes, he headed to his room to read his favorite book. Reading was one of his favorite habits in the war, giving him an escape from the unbearable reality he lived in.
While immersed in his book, Sami heard the whistling sound of a missile. The familiar sound he used to, but this time it was terrifyingly close. Before he could process what was happening, the missile struck, and his home was the target. All of that happened in a split of a second.
Sami woke up minutes later, trapped under the rubble. At first, he thought he had died and been buried, as that was the first feeling that overtook him. He began to feel around, trying to move, and soon realized he was still alive, but stuck beneath the ruins of their three-story home, which had collapsed on him and his family.
His mind raced with thoughts: What should I do? Is my family okay? Where are they? How do I get out of here? Fear gripped him so tightly that he didn’t even notice his injured leg or the blood pooling around him.
In a state of panic, Sami screamed with all his might, hoping for help, for some glimmer of hope. His mind pushed him toward despair, but his will refused to give in. Slowly, he began removing the debris with his bare hands, inch by inch, until he managed to create a small space where he could free part of his body.
He had to crawl like a snake, twisting through the tight gaps between the wreckage. His entire body was covered in dust and blood, and his hands, now raw and bleeding, struggled to clear away the stones.
Time passed slowly, and Sami continued his desperate struggle for survival. Then, he heard a sound of crying. It was a sound he knew well. It was the voice of his younger sister, Layan. A wave of hope and fear washed over him as he began to shout, “Layan! Layan! I’m coming for you, wait for me!”
He rushed toward the sound, digging through the rubble with his damaged hands, even though the pain was unbearable. In his haste, he dislodged a large stone, causing more debris to collapse on top of him. He quickly pulled his hands back, but the damage was already done—his hands were now bleeding even more. He realized that one wrong move could bury him alive.
But still, he didn’t stop. Despite the exhaustion and the pain, he tore a piece of his shirt, wrapping it around his hands and feet to slow the bleeding. The pain grew worse, and the blood flowed more freely, but Sami refused to lose hope. He lay down for a moment, unsure if he had passed out or merely slept from exhaustion.
When he regained consciousness, the thirst and fatigue were unbearable. He had no idea how much time had passed. All he could think about was his sister. He began to crawl again, desperately searching for her. “Layan! Where are you?” he screamed, but there was no reply.
The fear of losing his sister was overwhelming. He wanted to give up, to cry. He wished he had died. He questioned bitterly, “Where are you, Mom, Dad? Why is this happening to us?” The questions swirled in his mind, but there were no answers.
In a moment of despair, just as Sami was on the verge of losing all hope, he heard a distant voice calling out, “Is anyone here?” It was the voice of rescuers searching for survivors. Sami screamed with all his remaining strength, “Here! Here! Save us!” His heart pounded in his chest, feeling like it might explode from fear and anxiety.
Someone responded, “Is anyone alive here?” and they began carefully removing the debris. Despite his pain and weakness, Sami managed to cry out, “Save Layan first!” Hours later, they found Sami unconscious, his body covered in blood and injuries, barely clinging to life. But his final cries had been enough to save his sister Layan, who emerged safely, the sole survivor of that tragic night.