Fragility

By Saga Hamdan

Translated by Ibtihal Rida Mahmood

I arrived at the memorial hall, my legs trembling, my body cold and withdrawn. My heart still clung to the feelings I had the first time we met, at a crossroads in life, when you told me you liked my presentations. A girl at reception greeted me with a smile. I smiled back as if this were routine. She handed me a rose, and for some reason it reminded me of the first rose you gave me. I walked down the corridor leading to the hall, which was lined with your photos and those of your comrades, one after another. I began searching for yours among them; yours was the first, although it took me a moment to notice, just like all the times when I looked for you everywhere while you were right beside me, living in my heart.

Read the full story on ArabLit here:
https://arablit.org/2025/08/06/new-sh...