Tiny Hands, Tiny Headphones

Khadija was born ready. She was also born out of place. Her attire and attitude screamed of someone geeky, but her actions told another story. She was a calculated diplomat for the group. Whenever they'd get into trouble, Khadija would talk and wiggle her way out of it. And Isra would stay silent.

Isra had another job, though, to brew the trouble in the first place. Together. They were both misfits, and that did not bother them at all. Today, she was busy packing their things for the trip: two toothbrushes, two lunchboxes, and two extra pairs of slippers. By this point, packing two of everything had become her habit. One for herself, and the other one for Isra.

She sighed and, lost in her ever-moving train of thoughts, looked out the window. Just then something struck against it. #212 regained his composure and waved at Khadija with his tiny hand. She opened the window to let him in, and the soldiers stayed outside like hired bodyguards.

#212 looked around at everything impressively. She was very much like him—prepared before the time and well organized. That's why he had started liking her company.

But she had overdone herself.

"Um.. you don't need the food. Or the clothes, or the slippers, either. Toothbrushes and paste are important. You don't need scrubs or sunscreen, either. Um, how do I say this?"#212 said as he walked on his tiny legs around the bag.

It all sounded like a buzz to Khadija.

She looked at him for a few seconds and then took a small plastic container out of the bag. 

"I made something," she said, taking out two extremely tiny headphone sets made up of pure white fluff and putting one on #212. He looked quite cute with them on.

"Ok, I said you don't need a lot of things, Khadija. You will be provided with all the essentials, but that doesn't mean its not a good job done. -- Just keep the toothpaste and the brushes."

"Alright, thank you so much, #212," Khadija said. And soon they were both ready to set off.

****************************

Down the street, there was also another 'extraction' that just looked pitiful.

Qatan had decided to hide in the shadows and wait until Isra would come out on the terrace. Upon that, he would whistle, and she would look at him, and then they both would jump from the terrace and go away. The whole plan was absolutely awful, and the bees under his care had told him several times.

But Qatan didn't listen.

So instead, he whistled at the wrong person without looking, and now all the bees were spotted. This home hated bees at a personal level, it seemed, because instead of running away, Mrs.Sherjan had opened the waterpipe, and the bees were now dodging the unholy water canon for their lives. Since they couldn't really abandon the mission, They had no choice but to engage her.

Qatan sneaked in amidst the chaos.

It was the first time he had seen the interior of the house, and it looked pitiful. The paint was scraping off, and there was leakage in the walls. There were also countless paintings and drawings hung up on it. The whole house was furnished with love. But it was in a sorry state.

He sneakily walked towards Isra's room and gulped, then entered. Isra was sitting on the bed.

"Hi," Qatan said.

"Hello," Isra replied.

"Let's go"

"Alright, let's go," she said.

"But um... Isra Go and tell your mom to stop shooting the bees down with the water first. Please"

"Alright, wait here."

She came back as soon as she went. #SquadB was ready to depart as well.

"Oh, another thing, though," Isra said in a carefree tone.

"Haniya will also come with us; Ammi doesn't allow me to go outside alone now."