Navigating the ocean, a Syrian refugee hopes for a better life in America
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THE sky turned murky and the fleecy dark clouds covered the stormy night. A lonely old ship is navigating the ocean, bringing refugees from war-torn Syria to America. They call the ship “Hope” — the hope of a new start. They call the ship “Regret” — the regret of fleeing from their home country. They call the ship “Unknown” — the unknown dangers they face on their journey.
“Papa, where are we going?”
“America, the United States, our new home.”
With his 3-year-old daughter, Karim, like the other refugees, Karim seeks a life in a secure place.
“They say America is a paradise and modernized, they say America is full of skyscrapers and metropolises. People say that America is a country of freedom and peace …”
Karim woke up in a growl of thunder. “It’s a storm! We’re in big trouble!” shouted one of the crew members. A massive wave made the ship shiver. The water became a rampage; the ship seemed lost in the ferocious ocean. Karim was stunned. He looked at his daughter’s face, the pale wizened face of horror and solitude. He comforted her delicate mind. His daughter looked at him with watery eyes, knowing that it might be the end of her life, the last time to make eye contact with her father. Karim stayed quiet with his daughter in the corner. Mourning and praying were all around the place, but they could not do much against the immense wave. The frame of the ship started to break down, the cacophony of the thunder, wave and things falling in the cabin. People closed their eyes and covered their ears; the noise brought back the memories of war and violence. The wave elevated like a mountain, it engulfed the ship like a tiny ant stuck in the middle of the rivulet. The brittle structure of the ship fell apart and the wave tore the ship apart. The bond of Karim and his daughter broke, ruthlessly separating the family. Karim was swung away from the ship. He tried to catch the rail of the ship but failed. He felt sorry for his daughter. He regretted having her experience the ordeal of the world when all he wished for was for his daughter to have a safe life. The figure of his daughter turned blurry. Karim lunged into the freezing ocean. He was dauntless and calm. Confronting death, he hated the world more.
Karim found himself lying on a cushion with his face toward the clear blue sky. He breathed in the pure air with no smell of gunpowder. “Am I in heaven?” he thought. His sanity came back slowly and he found himself alive. “All refugees please go and register for crossing the boundary,” shouted the speakers on the jeep. Like the others, Karim rushed to the registration zone. Unlike the others, he went to ask for his daughter.
“Have you seen my daughter?” he cried with a shivering voice. Karim told the crew his daughter’s name and described her appearance. “No sir, she has not been registered yet but don’t worry sir, our salvage team has gone to find them.” Karim blamed himself for bringing his daughter on a dangerous voyage, and he felt guilty for being alive …
Karim stayed in the camp for months. Due to the large amount of immigrants, searching for his child was almost impossible. He stared at the only photo of his family, a photo that was flushed by the water, fading away slowly… He wanted to ask for his daughter again, something he was struggling with for days while in the camp. What if she was still missing? What if she was dead? What if his daughter has already arrived? He steeped forward to the crew with heart of courage, using his broken English, “Sir …”
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