CHAPTER 19

Shamshudeen sat among soldiers surrounding the bonfire. The evening was going well, but his mind was elsewhere. Suddenly, someone called him, bringing him back from his thoughts. He looked at the person, who appeared a bit roughed up, and asked, "What can I do for you, sir?" The man then informed him that his friend was awake. Overjoyed, Shamshudeen asked if he could see him, receiving an affirmative response. Before he left, the man handed him a guitar and told him to give it to his friend. Shamshudeen was surprised but didn't ask any unnecessary questions. He left to meet his brother, who had been in a coma.

Upon entering the room, he saw Hamza sitting down, lost in thought. Shamshudeen couldn't help but smile and said, "How are you, my friend?"

Hamza, upon seeing Shamshudeen, couldn't contain his joy. "I am better now that I see you alive," he replied with a bright smile. He noticed that Shamshudeen was holding something in his left hand—it was Sani's guitar. Hamza's smile grew even wider. "Is that for me?" he asked.

Shamshudeen chuckled. "Yes, someone told me to give it to you." Hamza had a hunch that it was Nurudeen behind this thoughtful gesture. Suddenly, he felt movement on his lap.

Zara had been awakened by their voices and looked up to see her brother and Shamshudeen chatting. She smiled and greeted, "Hey, Brother Shamshudeen." Shamshudeen responded with warmth, "I am fine, and you? I hope we didn't wake you up?" Zara simply shook her head and said, "It's already time for dinner, so I will go and get his food." She then left the room.

Alone with Shamshudeen, Hamza expressed his happiness. "I am so glad to see you, bro. I've missed you." He moved to hug Shamshudeen, who reciprocated the gesture. They shared a brief but heartfelt embrace before parting, both saying, "Missed you more, bro." They proceeded to talk about everything that had happened within the terrorist camp. When Hamza shared his part of the story, Shamshudeen looked at him with astonishment. When Shamshudeen recounted his experiences, Hamza couldn't help but pat his back and offer his condolences.

Later, Zara reentered the room with food, and they all sat down to eat. They laughed and talked about funny moments in life as if nothing had happened. The sky grew darker, signaling that it was time to call it a night. After Zara and Shamshudeen had left, Hamza looked to his left and noticed the guitar that once belonged to Sani.

Hamza sat there, holding Sani's guitar, lost in thought. Memories of Sani's talent in playing the guitar and his decent singing came flooding back. Hamza couldn't help but wonder where it had all gone wrong. How could someone so talented turn into a heartless terrorist? His thoughts weighed heavily on him, and the idea of not being able to pursue his passion suffocated him.

Suddenly, a strange sensation surged through his brain. It felt like something was moving within, followed by a distinct sound

*DING*

{SYSTEM LOADING… INITIALIZING

1%...

25%...

50%...

100%}

A voice echoed in his head, {SYSTEM UPLOADED COMPLETELY}.

Hamza felt a rush through his brain and then lost consciousness. That night marked a significant change as if the world had shifted. Time seemed to stand still, and everything would never be the same again. It was a new beginning for Hamza.