Oppressed and Displaced

"Aunt Sahira was in bed when someone knocked at the door in the middle of the night. Terrified, she woke up her husband. He jumped from his bed unable to think what to do. He had few moments to decide what to do.

My two cousins were only five and six years-old. They were terrified and ran to their parents’ room where they all gathered unable to function. Their faces looked pale and their hearts pounded like drums, my aunt recalled. They knew the father was going to be taken and there was no way out for him to escape.

The men outside kept knocking at the door for five minutes until my aunt decided to open it. Five men in olive-color military uniform stared at her.

“Where is Yousif?” one man said.

“He… he.. he is … not here,” she said as she was shaking.

“Don’t lie,” he said. “Go in and bring him,” he ordered the other men. "
Treasure of Baghdad