MEETING MAJDI

JACOB closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again, scarcely able to believe what he was seeing. Riley, Mooch and Tyler were also staring in silent, collective bewilderment.

A young boy was kneeling in the shallows of the stream, speaking softly to himself, oblivious to the cold water and mud staining his light-blue trousers and shirt. He appeared to be about seven years old, although his slight build and innocent face could have belonged to a younger child.

Shafts of sunlight illuminated the golden highlights in the boy’s light-brown curly hair as he leaned forward over the stream and scooped up a handful of the water. He raised his hands up high, watching in rapt fascination as the liquid trickled slowly through his fingers, falling like a gentle rain, back into the stream. He leaned forward again, scooped up another handful of water and repeated the entire process.

Jacob watched the small boy’s movements curiously. He presumed that a child so young would simply be at play, but a closer observation would have revealed to him that the boy was studying the water. The small boy seemed unaware that four pairs of eyes were studying him from the cover of the bushes.

“How did he get here?” Mooch whispered incredulously.

“And what the heck is he doing?” asked Tyler in low suspicious tones.

“What a retard,” muttered Riley scornfully. Mooch and Tyler emitted a low chorus of muffled sniggers. Riley gestured at the small figure in the stream. “Come on, let’s go introduce ourselves.”

The gang emerged slowly from the bushes. They approached warily, peering about in case the boy had any friends or family nearby. He appeared to be completely alone. Riley’s shadow fell across the boy’s view, but he continued his play, barely registering Riley’s presence. The gang stared down in confusion at the small boy. This was not the reaction they had expected.

“Hey you! What are you doing here?” snarled Riley, shoving the boy in the shoulder with his foot.

The boy looked up and smiled calmly at the scowling face looming over him. He scooped up another handful of water, holding it carefully, as if it was the most precious thing in the world, and said softly to Riley, “Allah made every living thing from water.”

The four boys froze. It was Mooch who finally broke the uneasy silence.

“What did he say?” he asked hesitantly, lines of worry spoiling his cherubic features.

Jacob stared at the boy in shock. He knew those words – and where they came from.

“He said, Allah made every living thing from water,” he echoed in a low, hoarse whisper, and his fingers gave an involuntary twitch around the book in his pocket.