Chapter Thirteen: To Serbia
Day One
The long and treacherous journey toward Western Europe began as Abboud and Abbas found themselves in the back of a cramped, stuffy truck filled with refugees. They huddled together in tight corners under piles of old boxes, the air thick with the smell of sweat and fear. Bulgarian border guards were known for their cruelty, and the smuggler had warned them to avoid any movement that might give them away.
Abboud (in a hushed voice, turning to Abbas): "We don’t know how long we’ll be here, but we have to endure. This might be our only chance."
Abbas (struggling to breathe): "We’ve endured so much already, Abboud, but this place... I can’t breathe properly."
The hours dragged on, with the truck stopping intermittently to avoid border patrols. Each time the vehicle came to a halt, Abboud’s heart raced, pounding as if it were ready to leap out of his chest. Every sound of the guards or dogs passing by sent chills of terror through the refugees huddled in the back.
Day Two
Exhaustion began to take its toll. There wasn’t enough food, and water was scarce. Abboud felt sharp pain in his leg, a lingering injury from his time working in construction in Turkey. The cramped conditions and cold air only worsened the pain, making it unbearable.
Abboud (speaking softly to himself): "Oh God, is this how it ends? Dying here in the dark?"
Despite the pain, his determination kept him going. He knew his journey wasn’t over, and this trip was a new beginning, not the end.
Day Three
With each passing day, the situation grew more desperate. Food ran out, and the water was nearly gone. During one of the stops, the smuggler came to tell them that the journey to the Serbian border was still long, and they would face more obstacles ahead.
Smuggler (in a dry tone): "We need to be even more cautious from here on. The Bulgarian border is not as easy as you think."
At that moment, Abboud felt his body weaken under the weight of the physical and emotional strain. His eyes met Abbas’s, and they both understood that their only choice was to keep going.
Abbas (smiling through the pain): "We won’t give up now, right?"
Abboud (with resolve): "Never, we’ve come too far. Nothing can stop us."
Day Four
As they neared the Bulgarian-Serbian border, the number of patrols increased, and the danger multiplied. One dark night, the truck suddenly stopped, and the sounds of guards filled the air. The smugglers decided to leave the truck in an abandoned area for a while to avoid suspicion.
Abboud, Abbas, and the other refugees quietly slipped out of the truck under the cover of night. They trudged through muddy, uninhabited roads, their feet sinking into the earth with each step. The cold wind howled around them, and the only sounds they heard were their heavy breaths and pounding hearts.
Abboud (his voice shaking from the cold and exhaustion): "Will we ever reach safety?"
Abbas (reassuring himself and Abboud): "We have to believe that. Pain is temporary, but the goal is lasting."
Day Five
At last, after days of grueling travel, the Serbian horizon appeared. It looked like a distant dream, but reaching it would not be easy. The Serbian border was heavily guarded, with patrols everywhere. Abboud, Abbas, and the others tried to crawl through tall grass and trees to avoid being seen.
But in a moment of tension, the sound of gunfire filled the air. The guards had discovered the group and began running toward them. Abboud and Abbas realized there was no escape—they had been caught.
Abboud (dropping to his knees after being apprehended): "All this for a new life? How can hope come at such a cost?"
Abbas (in a tired voice): "Maybe this isn’t the end, Abboud. We have to believe that God doesn’t forget His people."
After being captured, they were brutally beaten by the Bulgarian border guards, who viewed them as criminals for trying to cross the border illegally. The beatings lasted for hours, leaving their bodies covered in bruises and open wounds.
Abboud (his voice weak as he coughed up blood): "Oh God, will I survive?"