Somewhere! (Hunaak!) (4 page)

I picked up anything I liked and hoped for the sales representative to just wrap it and place it in a bag warmheartedly and to wish me a good day.

Everyone here knows my name, even kids would point at me and would escape their parents grips to run towards me and take their picture with me.

Please do remind me to reward myself and my subconscious for this splendor detailed creativity the moment I wake up from this dream!

I strolled between the shops and shopped with such insatiableness. I walked through the food court and was so torn between all the choices. I decided to treat them all equally and to try them all.

After the food court, I went to the Holographic Theater. I took with me a bowl of nachos, a bucket of caramel popcorn and a jar of ice cream. For the first time in my life, I found myself exhausted from entertainment and tired of food! I could spend days, even weeks exploring and enjoying my time here.
But at the same time, I did not want to miss out on the joy of swimming, I should leave now before it is dark. A jewelry store called out to me on my way to the main entrance of the building, I entered to find the perfect gifts for my mother and Maram, even if this was only a dream, I had always dreamed of making them happy, naturally – like any young Saudi – the first gift that crossed my mind was an iPhone, but luckily the sales woman saved the moment and recommended an assortment of amazing gifts, I did not hesitate to take them all and asked her to gift wrap them and put them in two separate bags, one for my mother and the second for Maram. I am going to tell them about these gifts when I wake up!

“
Would you like to get something else Mr. Husam?” — the sales person asked me at the exact moment that a small masterpiece got my attention. It was a diamond who’s color had a breath of pink and was shaped as a heart held by two wings of white gold. It actually reminded me of Malak.

“
This is the most unique peace I have here, you have great taste Mr. Husam!
”
- the sales person assured.

Since everything here was free, it would be chivalrous of me to present this gift to her. I will not waste a bag for such a small piece. I threw it into my pocket and each of my fingers carried its share
of bags, I stuffed them all into the Ferrari and raced to the beach.

The beach was swarming with people playing, swimming and relaxing. I walked on the white sands; they were so smooth as if they were small
marble balls, my feet would sink to my heels with every step; I thought of getting to know the people here, to ask them where I was, but I was honestly too embarrassed. I would not dare talk to them, I think that the complex of “guys” and “families” was still chasing me even in my dreams! The Shy Beauties
’
(that is what I called Layan and sisters’ music band) music filled the air along with the symphony of waves and birds that had decided to join us swimming and playing. I saw a kid holding onto her balloon in the water as she fed the birds that gathered around her, and also on her head and shoulders; her innocent laugh added the final touch to the amazing symphony surrounding all of us.

The water was so clear that I could see the kid
’s and birds’ shadows clearly on the sea’s bed, had it not been for the braking of those shadows as a result of the waves and the slight turquoise color I would have thought it was all balancing in mid-air.

I will not go back to my world until I figure out everything here! I took a deep breath, and ran towards the seductive waters, I picked up a bottle of ice tea from the hut that was placed in the middle of the water, I opened it while I was running, I took a sip and spilled the rest over my head, I threw the towel away and made a high leap into the air, it was more like
“
I flew
” for a second. Only at that moment, I remembered that I did not know how to swim without a float!

To hell with that! As I learned how to dance in a moment, I shall learn how to swim! The waters covered
me, I felt a soft cold sting that only lasted for a few seconds. Oh my God! the water was not salty, it was fresh, it was as if I was swimming in a sea of Evian! I opened my eyes and I could see clearly, I pushed forward to discover a second heaven under water, my eyes hurt from all the colors, the strange thing was that creatures here were not terrified like in our world; I reach out to the small fish and they would gather around my hand and feel the titillation of its kisses on my palms and arms. My breath that used to only allow me but a few short seconds under water had kept me for a few minutes before my lungs demanded more oxygen. I laid on my back and floated back to the surface. I had moved far away from the beach but The Beauties’ Band music was still clear, I noticed from the other side of the beach a group of… of… something that looked a lot like Jet Skiers, oh how I had wished to ride one of those! I had never dared to ride one before! I knew that half an hour on that thing was sure to destroy my monthly budget! I swam towards it. This was the moment of revenge from all of the scandalous greedy Jet Ski renters! They were floating by the dozens over the water, no one was there renting them. I picked the one that matched my swimwear the best, hanged on, and dashed. My boldness and courage were increasing as my speed did and I was cutting through the blue crystal waves, causing two huge waves on my left and right, I was moving fast towards the other side of the bay where the huge city was, but it was much farther than it appeared; I tried a few stunts that I had seen guys perform on their Jet Skies as I watched in envy. I tried to raise myself as I dashed with high speed causing the Jet Ski to fly in the air for a few seconds, then returned back to the water and dove into it like an arrow before I was able to surface again. I thought for a moment about the fuel and what it would be like if it ran out of it while I was here in the middle of the sea. I knew that I would not find anyone to save me here. I decided to stop my recklessness and turned around; I noticed someone approaching my location. We were on a collision course and I thought that he was a lifeguard and wanted to warn me that I had broken every safety rule in the book. He kept speeding up as he approached me. Who was this crazy guy? He will destroy the both of us! I tried to change direction but he still managed to slam into me on the right side with such force throwing me off of the Jet and into the water, I felt enormous pain in my right leg and my chest and I tried to fight against the water to get back to the surface and take a breath, but I felt a powerful punch in my stomach and two strong arms pulling me downwards.

My lungs shredded as it squeezed the last atom of oxygen, I started to fade out, I could only see darkness, and I heard a clear voice:
“Husam, you are always late!” and saw her face. I saw my mother’s face clearly as she was yelling at me with clear annoyance; I tried to get to her but I felt two arms surrounding my waist and pulled me to the surface as I heard a shout the moment we got to the surface”

“
Husaaaaaam… Husam! Stay with me Husam! Wake up Husam”

I heavily opened my eyes, it was Malak! She surrounded me with her arms and swam with all her
strength towards the beach, she laid me on the sand and through herself next to me as she took her breaths, she immediately got up to examine me, she pulled my head to her lap and started slapping me:

“
Husam stay awake, do not close your eyes” — Malak prompted me.

“
Don’t worry I am as strong as a horse!” —I said this as I coughed and she hugged my head as she was crying.

“
Don’t you dare do this to me again! You almost killed me in fear for your life!” — Malak said.

“
I did not know that there was anything that could harm me in the dream world” — I tried to explain.

“
Dream? You still think this is a dream?” — Malak said as she ripped my shirt off and shredded it with her teeth to wrap my right leg that was heavily bleeding.

“
Can you see that wound? Can you see the blood? Can you feel the pain? Is all of this a dream?”

She felt my leg to make sure there
was no broken bones as if she was an osteopath. She felt the blue bruise on my chest.

“
Thank God there are no broken bones!” — Malak added.

“
Do you have a hospital here?” — I asked.

“
There is no need. for a hospital. You will get better in no time. Let us rest for a moment and I will drive you back” — Malak comforted me.

She then
laidon the sand next to me and sai
d
—
“Husam what have you done to yourself? What exactly happened?”

“
Are you asking me? I thought you knew everything here” — I replied.

“
How would I know what happened to you? I just felt you were in danger and came as fast as I could!” — Malak added.

“
Do you want to drive me mad? How did you know I was in danger? How did you know where I was? How do you know everything I think of?” — I asked hastily.

“
What is wrong with that?” — Malak asked.

“
What do you mean what is wrong?
”

—
I replied.

“
I told you, it is instinct! You could say it is telepathy. Haven’t  you heard of telepathy?”

“
Listen to me Malak, I do not believe in these fairy tales!” — I responded.

“
Those are not fairy tales! All creatures have telepathy, animals communicate telepathically! Not only animals, even ants communicate telepathically!” — Malak added.

“
I am not an ant!” — I replied.

“
Humans have the best communication mechanisms” — Malak explained.

“
If I had a telepathic center, I would not have barely passed my collage exams!” — I told Malak.

“
You have it, you just don’t use it! Telepathic Centers of humans have weakened because they depend on direct communication methods and rely on the physical ones even more!” — Malak explained.

“
You mean to tell me that you feel everything I feel?” — I asked.

“
Almost! Forget all of that and tell me what happened?” — Malak responded.

“
A crazy man crashed into me with his Jet” — I explained.

“
Impossible! Unbelievable! Do you remember how he looked like?” — Malak asked.

“
I did not pay attention! If you could only explain to me where I am so that we can figure out what had happened!” — I responded.

“
I can’t!” — Malak said.

“
OK, I will ask you ‘Yes
’
or ‘No
’
questions!” — I said.

“
Go ahead” — Malak prompted me.

“
I am starting to confirm that I am in some sort of brain experiment, I mean I am drugged or in a coma. And that everything I see here is a virtual program that I am living in and that my brain believes it is real!” — I said to Malak.

“
Hehehe! I told you that you were so into movies!” — Malak jokingly said.

“
What do you mean?” — I asked.

“
Matrix, Inception, The Cell, Vanilla Sky, Total Recall. An over-used idea that you had seen in more than fifty movies!” — Malak explained.

“
This is the only logical explanation to what is happening to me here. Everything here is like a dream. It’s like magic!” — I said.

“
Like magic?” — Malak quipped.

“
Yes like magic. Everything is ideal. Everything responds to my touch and it reads my thoughts” — I explained.

“
Let me ask you a question: Imagine if you take your phone or laptop and show it to your Grandfather, imagine if he watches movies or chat or see what was going on around the globe all in a palm sized device. What would he say?” — Malak elaborated.

“
Magic!” — I responded without hesitation.

“
Just like you! If the technological revolution continues at the same pace you will find all of the devices you call magic in every house. In less than twenty years!” — Malak explained.

“
So I am in the future?” — I asked.

“
No!” — Malak quickly interjected.

This time I got angry. I could not take it anymore! I sat up straight and held her by her shirt and shook her violently as I yelle
d
— “Then where am I? Tell me!! Where am I?” — I saw a terrified look in her widening eyes.

“
OK, I will tell you everything!” —she said  while looking around as if she was afraid someone might see or hear us.

“
What you see is part of a secret science experiment!” — Malak began explaining.

“
A secret experiment?!” — I interjected.

“
I am Natashe… Natasha Travnikov … a secret Russian agent. I work for a science organization called Международной Hаучной Pазведки! The technologies here are beyond anything you ever thought possible, you have been our guest for the past year! We had operated on you several times along with some genetic modifications. The most successful complete genetic modification procedure to date!”