In the Shadow of The Kingmakers by Vahid Imani

Author:Vahid Imani [Kingmakers, In the Shadow of the]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781725560499
Published: 2020-08-23T16:38:43+00:00

19

Homing Pigeons

Wednesday, July 23, 1924

* * *

When Ali turned the corner leading to his home on Friday evening after the attack, two Cossack soldiers stood guard at the door to his house. Terrified for his family, he knew better than to approach. Instead, he fled to his friend Ahmad’s place. Ahmad had snuck him into the house and taken him to the roof. Nobody, not even Ahmad’s parents and sibling were to know. Ali hid on Ahmad’s flat clay mud roof and slept near his friend’s homing pigeons, which were kept in a large cage.

Ali had asked Ahmad to try to find out why the Cossack soldiers were posted at his house. Ahmad confirmed that the Cossacks were looking for him and had ordered everyone to inform them as soon as they heard of Ali’s whereabouts. In spite of the danger, Ahmad agreed to continue hiding Ali in his house in secrecy.

It was in the late afternoon on Wednesday, five days after the horrible mob attack, that Ali heard a loud clanking of the heavy metal knocker on the front door. He moved behind the cage, just in case it was the police. A few minutes later, his friend poked his head out of the opening on the floor of the roof, announcing that he had visitors—his cousin Majid, who worked at the British embassy’s kitchen, and a woman.

Ali stepped on a wooden ladder that connected the roof to the hallway in the house and climbed down through the opening into the hallway.

His cousin rushed forward and gave him a tight hug along with the two customary kisses. Majid cradled Ali’s face with the palms of his hands and looked closely into his eyes. “We waited till everyone was out of the house before knocking. Are you all right, Ali-jon?”

Ali nodded. “Thanks, Majid, but why are you here? It could be dangerous for you to be seen with me.”

Majid put his long arm around Ali’s shoulder. “Look who I brought here to see you?” With his other arm, he pointed to the woman in chador, who had been holding the cloth around her face so tightly that only her eyes were visible.

But the moment Ali saw those clear blue eyes he knew. “Rose?” Goose bumps rose across his entire body and a rush of blood to his head made him slightly dizzy.

“Yes, Ali, it is me!” Rose released her grip on the chador and let it drop on her shoulders.

“What are you doing here?” Ali asked.

“I want to know why you’re hiding and if I can help.”

Majid asked Ahmad if they could go into a room instead of standing in the hallway. Ahmad guided them to a room at the end of the hallway and then excused himself to make hot tea.

There were no chairs in the room, just a large, dark blue Persian rug that covered the entire floor, and a few cushions. They all took their shoes off, entered the room and sat on the floor. Rose set her chador on the ground next to her.

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