How a woman became afraid of fireworks
A story inspired by true events
Published on: 02/03/2022
Written by Maylis Moubarak
Scroll down to read the story ︎︎︎
August 4, 2020 - 6 PM
It was a regular, mundane day. She was on her couch in her living room, working on her laptop, writing the last chapter of her book. The sun's late afternoon rays pierced through the windows and tinted the room in a light amber mist. She liked this hour of the day.
She thought about what she was going to cook for dinner. Scents of grilled fish and zaatar drifted through the room; her neighbour was preparing the family meal, which smelled delicious as usual. Birds were humming a serenade outside, and she felt grateful for that day.
She lived in Achrafieh, a charming neighbourhood in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. Characterised by a combination of worn-out buildings, historic houses from the 19th century, and Dubai-inspired 50-storey glass towers, Achrafieh is a peaceful place to live in. Tradition mingles with modernity, rich housewives in denim shorts chat with middle-class Muslim women in hipster coffee shops, and men smoke their chicha on the streets. Achrafieh is a tale of differences, a perfect representation of Lebanon's core disparities and multicultural beauty.
She sank into the couch. She looked at the sky and noticed it had changed colour. A yellowish, silver hue took over the clouds—an unusual shade for this hour of the day.
Watercolour “La maison aux 6 Arcades” by Bénédicte de Vanssay Moubarak
Downtown Achrafieh captured by @budcorp
Then she started hearing popping, hissing and crackling sounds. The noise intensified.
She stepped outside and noticed that her neighbours were also out on their balconies, tilting their heads towards the sky that was now grey and cold.