The women crowded together, hugging each other, mumbling prayers as guns fired in the background.
“I know you’re hiding the girls!” one of the men said, his voice loud, demanding, brutal.
“What girls?” Landon shot back. “You were here just a few weeks ago and found nothing! What makes you think you’ll find anything this time?”
“Because, this time, you’re outnumbered.”
“That’s still not going to make people appear out of thin air.”
Shots rang out. Laila buried her head against her legs, trying to warm herself. Catching a glimpse of her stomach, she shuddered at the idea of raising a child in a world of hate.
It went on for hours. Finally, in the dark of night, silence fell over the clinic. The women held their breath, nervous expressions on their faces as the sound of footsteps grew louder and louder, just like the night a few weeks ago. They prayed it was Landon on the other side of the door again.
Tension rolled off each of their shoulders when he entered the room with another one of his guards.
“It’s okay,” he said. “They’re gone.”
But unlike a few weeks ago, there was a weariness on his face. Dried blood was caked on his boots, his knuckles scarred and dirty. His hair was disheveled, and cuts were visible on his lip and brow.
Laila hoped no one had died protecting them. Her life wasn’t worth more than any of the staff who had vowed to keep them safe. She could end all of this right now. She could just go home and face the consequences of her actions, sparing the lives of the rest of the women here. It was careless of her to stay and put everyone at risk. These men wanted her. She needed to make this sacrifice to save everyone else.
Standing from the tile floor, she went to her bed and opened the chest beside it that contained her things. She began to fill her bag with a few mementos…photos, a book, a journal and pen. She paused when her eyes fell on a tarnished gold locket. Opening it, she stared back at a photo of her mother and father, wishing with everything that they were still here. She’d do anything to feel their love surrounding her, to hear her father’s stories, to listen to her mother’s beautiful singing voice.
“What do you think you’re doing?” someone said. Laila spun around.
“I…” She adjusted her hijab, ensuring it covered her hair, and lowered her eyes. Years of subservience had taught her to always lower her head when being addressed by a man.
“Laila, look at me,” Landon said softly, his Pashto remarkably good for a westerner.
Pulling her lip between her teeth, she gradually raised her head and met his eyes. She’d only been at the shelter for a little more than a month. She’d spoken to Landon on occasion, but always avoided his eyes. Now, as she looked into the brilliant blue hue for the first time, she saw something she hadn’t in months, if not years.
Compassion.
Grace.
Humanity.
“You can’t give up.”
“I’m not—”
“I know what you’re thinking. You can’t. I’m going to help you.”
“How?” A tear fell down her cheek. “Those men…” She looked at the door that acted as a barrier between the girls and the rest of the world. “They’re not going to stop until they get what they want. They believe I’ve dishonored the family name, and the only way to restore it is to kill me. They don’t care how long it takes. They will keep coming for me, killing anyone who gets in their way. I can’t have that on my conscience.”
“So you’re just going to give up after you’ve gotten this far? You’ve made it through the most difficult part. You had the courage to run, to be free. Don’t stop now. You need to keep fighting.”
“For what?” She shook her head, looking at her surroundings. While she was lucky to have all the luxuries in life she’d never been afforded — running water, heat, electricity, a soft bed, sufficient clothing — it was still a prison. She could never leave. “This isn’t living. All of us, every single one of us, will never be safe beyond these walls. We’re stuck here. We ran to save our lives, but we didn’t realize the second we left, we died anyway.”
“It doesn’t have to be this way.” He ran his hand over his face. “I can help you. I’ll get you out of here. I’ll get you somewhere safe. Somewhere you’ll never have to worry about them finding you. Somewhere you can walk the streets and play with your baby when he or she arrives. Somewhere he or she doesn’t have to worry about being subjected to the same customs you have.”
“How?”
Landon placed his hand on Laila’s arm and she jumped from the contact. For years, every man’s touch had been unwelcome, unwanted. But this didn’t cause her pain. It was warm, kind, caring. It gave her hope. Hope that her life didn’t have to end. Hope that there was more out there for her. Hope that Landon would follow through on his promise.
He smiled. “You leave that up to me.”
~~~~~~~~~~
A FEW WEEKS LATER, Landon nudged Laila awake in the middle of the night.
“What is it?” she asked groggily.
“Come with me,” he said in hushed tones, giving her a knowing look.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, she raised herself from the bed and started to grab a few things. She knew this was it. She was leaving.
“No.” Landon shook his head. “I’m sorry. You have to leave it all here. You can’t bring anything that can connect you to who you were.”
“Who I was?”
“Yes. From this moment forward, Laila no longer exists. Okay?”
With a heavy heart, she followed Landon out of the room in which she had spent the past several weeks. She looked over the rows of beds, all of the women sleeping as peacefully as they could. She had only known them for such a short time, but they were like family. She wondered if she would ever see any of them again.
Hours passed as Laila rode in the back of a truck, hidden by stacks of fresh produce and bread. Finally, the truck came to a stop and she heard the sound of a door opening and closing. She remained on the floor, covered with blankets. Landon had instructed her not to move. She had no problem following his orders. It was better than the alternative. She heard muddled voices and tried to make out what was being said, but they spoke English.
After what seemed like an eternity of listening to her own heartbeat and trying to steady her breathing, the door opened. A few seconds later, the blankets were pulled off and she looked into Landon’s caring blue eyes once more. He held his hand out to her and she took it, allowing him to help her up.
Emerging from the back of the truck, she took in her surroundings. A one-level building sat several hundred yards away. Around her was nothing but sky and miles of paved runways. Just off in the distance was a large airplane being loaded.
Landon turned to her, placing his hands on her arms. Without saying a word, he planted a loving kiss on her head, then jumped back into the truck, peeling away, leaving her alone with a woman she’d never seen before. Her features almost reminded her of Landon’s, and Laila wondered if they were related. Then again, most Americans looked the same to her.