By Amna Alharmoodi
The song goes: Laila ya Laila
Why are you crying?
–
This time her mother didn’t hit her,
She opened her mouth and began her horror tale:
–
Once upon a time
and time and time again
–
Laila went out of the house
To the outside world filled with men
–
Her mother warned her to stay inside
That leaving was dangerous
–
She warned her of men in the shadows
Hungry eyes, loud voices, dark skin
–
They hunt girls like you for a living
So Laila, oh Laila, please stay hidden
–
She needed to go to deliver a present
Laila left the house and didn’t listen
–
They are monsters Laila, not like us
They don’t fear Allah these Indians*
They don’t fear Allah these Indians
They don’t fear Allah these Indians
–
In the store was the assistant
He sold her the basket of goodies
And said, “please shop with us again!”
–
She left the store with a smile
But that is not where the night ends
–
In her car, Laila thought she was safe
Parked next to a street lamp that was broken
–
The parking lot was empty
Only a few steps until she releases a tornado of breaths
–
They came out of the shadows
A smile, a hello, “can we be your friends?”
–
She looked down and ignored them
But men have egos, and they liked to win
–
The voices increased to four, no five, six
She reached her door, but she was cornered in
–
Laila turned around to face the wolves
Their faces weren’t dark like her mother said
–
Each had a different skin tone, eyes and noses
She put on a brave face and lifted her chin
–
They laughed in her face and used their hands
To rip away her black shaila that did not offer protection
–
So, Laila ya Laila, why are you crying?
It’s because this will happen time and time again
–
Turns out Mama was wrong
Monsters aren’t necessarily dark-skinned Indians
–
They had Arab noses, red hair and blue eyes
We feared a skin color, when it can be anyone
–
Once upon a time, today and tomorrow
Little girls and women in hoods must beware of all men
all men
all
men.
*Unfortunately, in the Gulf, “Indians” is an ignorant label used to refer to all South Asians or brown individuals.
Amna Alharmoodi is an Emirati writer passionate about writing the hidden Emirati stories. She won second place in Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) Annual Creativity Award in 2019 for her short story “Transit”, which she co-wrote. She has been published in the NYU Abu Dhabi literary magazine, Airport Road, the NYU literary journal, Brio and the Paris-based literary magazine Postscript.
The views of the authors and writers who contribute to Sekka, and the views of the interviewees who are featured in Sekka, do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Sekka, its parent company, its owners, employees and affiliates.