Beyond Tears

in L

he inside as I take a

as I wait to be dire

ung lady that was in the car

scratched metal door lowers be

g decorated with exotic pot pla

o is covered with bright green carpet grass and the

at the corners of the hou

at a distance ahead of us and my gut ch

remaining women chat

th the young lady beside me as sh

uilding in its full

ion and burst out at a door that

bickering coming

ode into a panel at the sid

s we walk inside and the

at has paintings of symbols and signs. I could

taircase and I see a

the sudden sight

backwards to the corner b

our eyes meet and

" he ca

hind me answers as she b

dy you're brin

with a p

maid?"

elieve she's yo

ia s

dart ba

ut carry my eyes

at his

freshly

k up at your s

th a deman

as I feel the tip of

y face up

at reached down to his ankles to the red full sleeve s

eep emerald eyes and m

to me as his fing

urge to look

r en

himself and

y nostrils as he leaves m

the guys bow slightly

ain and we finish our wal

eet one of the symbols I saw as a pain

ok a

k with y

to others

she hesitates for a mome

he door and knocks at a succession

going

voice asks

Sir. We'v

known his name

e symbol I had seen on the lady, p

en

oice

such carefulness and all

shers

l done al

ismisses them with

and shut the door

the stench of alcohol a

itchy, choking cough risin

le and my palm

bubbling in

e he

roaty voice that a

en carpet beneath me and I meet

ch inw

d his nose is dotted with ir

and wrinkles in his cheek

fortably on a chair s

is side and stand with my hands fo

awaiting

f the other men on me and

him to speak but seconds of keyed up sile

he elderly man in fro

say as my eyes fall

s with all speed at th

terwoven with disc

es should be deleted from your lips. No

lers s

-y

hard until the

whisper because of the

ze who you're

om behind

ticking from

ours all agitation into one

ice thunders again and m

rds him, wondering

colate eyes meet mine and my

he consu

my father without

cross of fury, dripping

ut I - i don't q

king as fear breed

our k

laring poisone

emotions as I get down on one knee and carefu

es with the co

me, my heart beating franticall

as his hands rise high into the air

is w

ays before his pa

ook at his father as he br

s girl just treated with such d

rowing his eye

t to counte

says with a nut

o against your will" he says as

may r

you f

ther warning-filled glance bef

man calls out to me

up" h

uggle to a sta

throb as they

unish you, at

another wave of c

u. A feast of welcoming. For you to b

y tingles for joy at the men

says as he dials up

onds someone kno

an speaks as he billows

Amelia says with her ey

room" he says as he pauses to take

and the specific word 'daught

now my

ens at the tho

st and is well fed. I presume

re he dismisses us both with a careless wave of his

this wa

ently, tearing me

before she comes out and pu

o I call y

fully, steppin

e side to meet her

a'

ght to

me's N

d at the newest way

mbolical paintings as we wa

Nesrin. This

old wooden door and she pu

It's l

ut with effo

ere while I go get t

politely as s

tunity to look ar

in the structure

b above, casts its heavy d

floor from the width and is stretched lengthwise f

are all peeling off in solid cracks onto th

ly line the grey walls in an asc

e hard as it div

good

ers that were in the same ca

only mean

were compl

supposed fath

his se

ng from the bottom of the stairs

and the person

ches at the

rald orbs still threaten to

spine in battalions, sh

a

of solid crack he kept und

lient and he wouldn't like him to

able to deliver

father and brothers have jus

sonal without getting

ll packed up in m

head turns to the right w

her a

ment and I notice how

u doing stan

pops back up like

for Amelia to get

ing in another direction

r bounces up my ches

e cre