A DISTANT, SPECIAL TRIP…

                                   

             

                      

              A creature of the pupils of the E₁’ class of the

                         second primary school Rafina’s.

                                          

                                                     FIRST CHAPTER

                                                                                      

   His journey started some years ago. Ilan, a twelve-year-old boy from Iran, couldn’t have imagined than he would get involved in such an adventure.                                                         He was living a normal, peaceful life with his family, when the war broke out in his country. To Ilan’s eyes, this war was unreasonable and horrible, causing only pain, sorrow misery, uncertainty and fear to all.                                                                                                                   As soon as the little boy heard about the war, he ran home where he saw his mother holding his younger brother and crying.                                                                                                            
  “What’s wrong mother? Why are you crying?” Ilan asked.                                                       
 “Your father my dear ...your father … “and she broke into tears.                                                                              
  “What happened to him? Talk to me, please…”                                               
  “He is dead, my dear Ilan. He is not alive anymore.” 

  The boy felt as if the ground had disappeared under his feet. Had he heard correctly or was it some kind of joke? He kept trying to figure out whether it was true or a lie… He kept looking at the door, expecting his beloved father to show up, but…in vain!   His mother’s voice brought his thoughts back to reality. She announced calmly that it would be better if they fled their country, carrying along Ilan’s little brother, who was less than a year old. Of course they were aware of all the risks involved in such a decision and these risks were too many. 

                                                                                                                                             Perhaps they would board on some old-wrecked boat to get to Greece or any other European country, but this did not seem to matter to them. 
Their will to follow the road to freedom was really strong.                                                                                                                    
   So, right the following day, Ilan with his mother and younger brother, together with hundreds of other refugees, set off their journey to a European port.

They were filled with faith and hope that everything would go well till they reach their final destination.   

                   

                                                     SECOND CHAPTER

Their journey would be hard, tiring and exhausting but in fact they didn’t know what was awaiting for them…                                                                                              When they reached the “Badhar Iman Homeini” harbor in Iran, they saw the wrecked boat and they felt sad and insecure about the way they were about to leave their country and mostly about their future.                                                                                                                                              
     As they were embarking the boat, they experienced mixed fillings…The so-called boat was so crammed with people that they hardly found a place to sit. Mother was holding Ilan’s little brother tight in her arms, whereas Ilan himself scared and desperate, was sitting quietly in a corner.                                                                                                                                             
   During the journey, the weather suddenly deteriorated. Big waves were rising and the boy, looking at his mother’s face, asked her in terror whether they would survive or not.                                                                                 

   He didn’t get any answer, but the look on her face showed her despair………..                                                                       
 She didn’t care for herself, but for her two kids only. The bad weather got worse and the boat was sailing adrift almost hopeless, since the water surged into it, in every way.                                                                                       
 Then there was panic. Frantic people, both old and young, screaming children and crying babies were all looking desperately for a way to save themselves. Some were praying silently on that crucial moment. Some of the passengers had trouble wearing their life-jackets in the rescue boat and others rushed to help them.   

                                                                                       

Realizing that the boat would no longer last with so many people on it, Ilan’s mother grabbed her two boys, jumped into the sea and swam to the nearest coast.  Exhausted and having lost all their strength, they felt something pulling them. Ilan regained consciousness when he felt something hot and wet licking him. He opened his eyes and he saw a cute, brown dog with big, clever eyes which was trying to play with him. It was the local doctor’s dog. The doctor was going to offer first aid when he saw them lying on the coast, almost unconscious.  

 

                                                     THIRD CHAPTER

  Ilan then rose slowly and followed the doctor’s dog, while his mother on his right was holding his little brother in her arms. The dog led them to the doctor’s, where our hero was diagnosed as suffering from hypothermia, so he was given the proper medication and was wrapped in blankets.                                                                                                                 
     During his recovery, Ilan’s mother did not leave him alone, not even once. They asked the hospital personnel where they were and found out they were in Turkey.     

  

   After one week’s treatment and care, Ilan recovered fully and so they went on with their long journey. During their long hiking towards the coastline of a Greek island, which as they were told later, was Lesvos, Ilan’s mother shambled and fell, as she was exhausted and her knees started bleeding. A nice man who was riding a carriage appeared and offered to take the family with him. At his home he took care of the seriously injured mother. The man gave them all his care, attention and affection and some time later he offered them the choice to live with him without any reward. The family accepted his offer with joy and relief, as they would be secure and safe, far from any feelings of insecurity and danger that they would experience in any other case.    

   This kindhearted man, whose name was George, found a job for the woman who was now working as a teacher in a nearby school and was paid well. Their life had changed for better. Ilan was thinking about all these one scary night and thought that his father was protecting them from heaven above. He still missed his father. A tear rolled down his cheek…   His mother, who was a reasonable woman, thought realistically that her children should grow up with the presence of a fatherly figure, even though this couldn’t be their real father. So, she decided to accept George’s proposal to marry him. After all, he had offered her his house, he had found her a job and most importantly, he had stood by her and her children better than anyone else, without even knowing them. As the saying goes: ‘’Kindness gets back to whoever offers it.’’ After a while, the wedding took place and they all lived a happy, peaceful life together.

Ilan felt really happy as he had left all the sad moments of his life behind. He was living a normal life as every child deserves in this world regardless of colour, race or religion.

                                            THE  END!!!