Passions in Prose |
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No One Will Understand |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
"No one will understand." Those were the last words running through his mind. He was not afraid to die, in fact he welcomed it. It was his destiny, something he had trained for all his life. How can anyone understand that you can dedicate your life to a cause? To give up having a wife and children? To give up having a normal life? But from the time he was a young man, he knew he would never have those things. And it was all right. He had a cause. At the age of 13, he was alone, no mother, no father. An only child, he was an orphan in the world. Until he met Osama. Osama became his mother, his father, his sibling, his wife, his child and his life. Osama gave him a purpose. If he followed the instructions, if he did as he was told, he would gain something very few men have ever had. He would find infinite paradise. He would live forever with Allah. There were times when he secretly questioned the final command. But all his questions of 'why?" were squelched by his desire to obey Osama. He would prove that he was worthy of the gift he was given. To be a disciple of one of Allah's chosen sons. He would find his paradise. The two years of training went quickly. He blended in. Learned. Listened. And prayed. Then there were only two days before the action. He spent most of his time in prayer. He wrote a letter. He knew they would find it and wonder who he was and why he did this thing. Then night before, he was awake all night. He was restless. He had thoughts of running and hiding - not fulfilling the plan - flitted through his mind. But he couldn't run. He owed his life to Osama and his soul to Allah. And then it was time. He bought the ticket. Rode to the airport with the others. Boarded the plane. The take off was smooth. He had never been afraid to fly. And today, he wasn't afraid to die. After take off, the signal came to move. And his last thought "no one will understand". |
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© Copyright 2001 Poet deVine - All Rights Reserved | |||
Songbird Member Elite
since 1999-12-15
Posts 2184Missouri |
A good perspective on what those poor lost souls were thinking..I certainly do not understand how killing the innocent they could possibly think that they would be ushered right into heaven. It is scary to think that there so many more like them willing to die for their cause. |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
Then night before, he was awake all night. He was restless. He had thoughts of running and hiding - not fulfilling the plan - flitted through his mind. But he couldn't run. He owed his life to Osama and his soul to Allah. I find my attempts to understand these events less humanitarian than yours. And I honestly doubt a moments sleep was lost by those responsible, contemplating anyone's life that would be lost that day. My sense is there was a certain 'tunnel vision' neccesary to achieve this end. Those who 'wouldn't understand' were the one's whose lives didn't matter...so why would their opinions? But the truth is that I don't really have a clue why or how someone could do this. I compliment you for at least, trying to understand. |
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Irish Rose Member Patricius
since 2000-04-06
Posts 10263 |
This is outstanding. Kathleen |
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Dusk Treader
Moderator
Senior Member
since 1999-06-18
Posts 1187St. Paul, MN |
Excellent piece, Sharon, very sombering... It is hard for any of us to slip into the terrorist's view and imagine what they were thinking. Your character being an orphan Osama adopted is very interesting.. do you know if this is true? Does he use orphans? Brainwashed from a young age it would be easy to skew a person's view of right and wrong... and the results are terrifying... Though we may not forgive it is good to see this view too. Wonderful writing. ![]() "Beat a drum for me, like a butterfly wing |
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Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612Hurricane Alley |
Thank you for reading this. I was really not satisfied with it if the truth were known. I fabricated the 'orphan' angle in an effort to explain how someone would be led to do such a horrendous act. I'm sure it was different...I'm sure they didn't have a last minute flash of conscience and think about backing out...that's just my hope I guess. I found it very hard to write it with a lack of humanity....and feel as a writer, I've failed my craft.... |
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Bec Member
since 2001-02-23
Posts 475Canberra |
Poet deVine... I don't think you've failed. It can't be easy to get "inside" the head of a terrorist, their thoughts, their reasonings and even their own fears, and I think you've written a wonderful piece. Bec ![]() The past is a foreign country - they do things differently there ~ Unknown |
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doreen peri Member Elite
since 1999-05-25
Posts 3812Virginia |
to look into the mind and heart of a human being who has been coerced and mind controlled by religious distortion and fanaticism...,,,,,,,, to think openly enough to try to understand.... to write this......... i applaud you, sharon! oh so hard to understand for anyone..... you have written this so well thank you!!! my prayers for Peace in our only world....... |
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Duncan Member Ascendant
since 2001-08-07
Posts 5455 |
I found it very hard to write it with a lack of humanity....and feel as a writer, I've failed my craft.... Because you were not able to set aside your humanity to write this, you think you have failed your craft? Again, I disagree. It is for this reason that you succeed in both prose and person. |
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Wanda Member
since 2001-10-23
Posts 461 |
Sharon; You have written on a subject that has been on each of our hearts. I agree, "How can you get inside the head of a terrorist and know what they are thinking?" When you hear they have training camps for children beginning at age three on how to be terrorists, isn't that brainwashing? Imagine years of that type of training!! Wonderful writing. Wanda |
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serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
failed as a writer???? shaking my head---I feel like yelling your own words back at you!!! You took this idea and RAN with it, and found humanity where others could only imagine monster...It is I who am proud of YOU. |
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fractal007 Senior Member
since 2000-06-01
Posts 1958 |
Whoa! That's all I can say. This is a very well-written analysis both on the idea of the dedication of one's life to a cause, and the act of horror that befell the date of September 11th, 2001. Great write here! "If history is to change, let it change. If the world is to be destroyed, so be it. If my fate is to die, I must simply laugh" |
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Accordionmaid Member
since 2001-10-28
Posts 153MA/USA |
I've wondered what was in the minds of the terrorists, many times. Who can say? They weren't "stupid," so it's not difficult to imagine that maybe this man was "like everyone else" -- I don't think you failed, by allowing the human element. That's the horror of it all -- how a human can be so inhumane. |
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