Brothers Till the End *Ch.2* Eng

Chapter Two: A Glimmer of Hope

They spun around instinctively. A girl stood behind them, her arms crossed, with a look in her eyes that balanced somewhere between mockery and pity.

She was about their age, but she seemed more robust, more sure of herself. She wore tattered trousers and an oversized wool sweater that swallowed her frame; her long black hair was tied back in a hurried knot.

"Who are you?" Rami snapped.

"The one who’s about to save your skins," she said with a smirk. "Wait here."

Without a moment's hesitation, she stepped into the shop. She began speaking to the elderly baker in a loud, clear voice:

"Uncle, I need three loaves. No, I don't have any money. But I’ll sing your children a song about the brave... would they like that?"

The old man eyed her with suspicion. But eventually, he chuckled and handed her four loaves. "Be off with you, you little rogue. Don’t go killing me with kindness."

The girl walked out of the shop, tossing two loaves to Yamen and Rami, and bit into a third as she walked.

"Come with me," she said, her mouth full. "No one dies of hunger today. My name is Noor."

She led them to an abandoned synagogue at the far edge of town. The space was vast; its blue-stained windows were shattered, yet the roof still held firm.

Inside, seven other children were scattered about, ranging in age from five to fourteen. Some slept on threadbare blankets, another played with a wooden stick, while one simply stared into the void.

"This is our home," Noor said simply. "It’s not much, but it beats the street."

Rami looked around warily. Yamen’s eyes, however, were shimmering.

"We’re staying," Yamen said, without even consulting Rami.

Rami shot him an angry glare and whispered in his ear, "We don’t know them. We don’t know her."

"We know each other," Yamen replied calmly. "And that is enough of a start."

Rami said nothing. But he didn't leave.

That evening, everyone gathered in a circle. Noor sang a song about a girl who dreamed of flying over high walls. The children clapped with fervor. Even Rami found himself hiding a small smile every now and then.

Before falling asleep, Yamen whispered to Rami:

"We’re going to be okay this time. Aren’t we?"

Rami looked up at the cracked ceiling, then at Noor as she distributed blankets to the little ones, and finally back at Yamen.

"Maybe," he said at last. "Maybe this time."

To be continued...