Strength Within

For the twelve hundred hostages, most especially Timur Kasumova.

It's a bright morning. The sun is smiling warmly on the just and the unjust as they busy about their daily routine. I personally have nothing much to do but get to the Post Office, send a permission slip, authorising Voicenet to publish one of my poems in their anthology. This done, I would come back home and work on my computer.

As I approached the Post Office, a TIME magazine caught my attention at a newsstand. Though I did not stop to pick it up but I glanced at it and on the cover read, "Slaughter of the innocents" in bold red. Then I walked away.

Walking away from such caption if it be a graffiti in a subway is easy. But when it is boldly written on the picture of a young boy, say age nine or ten; a frigid boy clothed in a blood stained panties, blood gushing out his nose and he's crying passionately, I must say it is not easy to walk away if you are not heartless.

Paying for stamp, affixing it to my mail, dropping it in the big box from which letters would be sorted out; I couldn't get the little boy out of my mind. In fact, I almost messed up the stamp while thinking of that little stranger on a cover page.

Heroes are meant to appear on a cover page. Then what makes this boy a hero, I wanted to know? What if that boy is my son, will I walk away from him? What if that boy needs me to know what has happened to him? I can't help from thinking of so many what ifs.

When ifs begin to stream into my mind, fear grips my heart. That moment I felt my heart taking twice it normal pace. I wanted something desperately, I wanted to go out to the Newsstand and pick up that face staring at me.

I got to the stand, but he was gone. The magazine was gone. It wasn't sitting where I saw it the first time.

" I saw a mag right here and it- its gone. It's a TIME . Of a little boy."

"I sold it." The vendor said smiling.

I almost strangled him for that.

"Can I have a copy please?"

" Sorry, it's dated for September 13 2004. Don't have another copy."

He tried selling me a current edition. But I declined.

I could have ordered that same edition of that little boy if I had a credit card. I would simply go online; place an order for that old edition. But I can't because I stay in that part of this planet where credit cards are like some UFO.

I tried other Newsstands but to no avail. That edition is sold out. All what these vendors are trying to do is sell me a current edition. I was left with no choice than to vanish into the rush crowd like every other person and try to come back to be who I am-A writer.

But instead of going back home to stare into my white screen monitor, I took a cab and went down to the beach only to sit on a bench watching the waves and thinking about that little boy who survived the Beslan school siege in Russia.

After about an hour of living in oblivion, I heard a voice.

"Mind if I sit" she asked

I shook my head like I was being distracted by my girl friend while watching a football game. She sat beside me saying, thank you.

"I'm Helena Williams and you are?"

"Alfred, A.Z. Alfred" I took her hand as she says pleased to me you. I responded.

We sat in silence for say five minutes. And she broke it again

"I'm an editor of a local magazine"

"I'm a writer and a poet" I responded

" I'm here to read through some mags. Just want to be away from the office. I like doing it here from childhood with my mom. So, what are you doing here, thinking on a book or what? She asked pulling out some magazines from her big blue bag.

She froze, waiting for me to answer her question. But I just stared at her because I couldn't find a word. Finally I simply said, "Just thinking."

We both chuckled.

She placed some magazines between us, took one and buried her face in it.

I stared into space, wandering into the little boy world again. My eyes caught the magazines sitting beside me. And there it was, the edition of TIME that brought me here in the first place. I took it up. She looked at me puzzled.

" Can I read this? Been looking for it all day"

"Sure. It's an old edition, you can keep it"

I thanked her, took it and walked away.

Back home, I flipped through the ads, politics and other pages that has nothing to do with my new friend. I got to the page with the caption, "Defenseless Target" and below the caption it reads, "close to 350 die, half of them children, after the Chechen rebels take an entire school hostage." And I realised that I have more than just a little boy to meet.

Despite the fact that my friends have increased in number, my heart was captivated by a nine years old boy who was among the other twelve hundred hostages who celebrated the first day of school. And were kept hostage for three days. He was among those who were stripped to their panties. He was among those who were forced to either thirst to death dehydrated or drink their urines if they needed to live. He was among the little children who should be playing video game in front of some TV but were left with no choice than to stare at bombs, which designed the school's gymnasium like some festoon of flowers. He was among those whose life the guerrillas have chosen to sacrifice to achieve their stupid desire. To make it worse for him, his mother was also held hostage.

Elena Kasumova, a teacher in the school, was strong from the first day when the school was taken hostage. But the third day, her hope was running out and that was when the unthinkable happened. She got more than a hope from her nine years old son, Timur Kasumova.

When Elena had chosen to give up, believing herself, her son, Timur and many others were going to thirst to death. Her son crawled close to her, massaged her feet, kissed her and told her stories about all the water and juice they would drink when they would be free from the hands of the guerrillas. He comforted her, renewing her strength to hang on.

And now five months later, as I sit here writing this inspiring true life story, I know Elena and her son, Timur, are somewhere in Russian (if they are still there) drinking all the water and juice he had told her about while trying to forget that painful experience.

Though you have read this story but what I'm trying to say to you is more than just the lines. You need know one thing. When tough time (challenges) comes your way and you have exhausted all your strength, there is always a little more strength within, which you need to break through. Timur Kasumova did that in the face of a hopeless situation some months ago. He hung on to the strength within.

Coming soon, "Haiku with love"
An inspiring poetry collection by A.Z. Alfred.
To be published by Author House, USA.
www.writesight.com/blackzeal101

A.Z. Alfred is a writer and a motivational speaker whose greatest pleasure is observing the world through a window while listening to inspirational songs.

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.

WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds

Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.

A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.

A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.

Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.

Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.

Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.

New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.

Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.

iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.

A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.

Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

Strength Within

Positive Attitude Tips