At The Fairground

At The Fairground
05/06/1990
"From the very first session I had with him, I realised that he is a
very intelligent boy with a bright future ahead of him."
"I don't know. It had to be the eyes. They penetrate you. Never saw
anything like his eyes- strikingly mischievous."
**********

17/12/96
"He's a very normal looking boy. At first nothing strikes you as
special until you look into his eyes. Then he strikes you as a young
man with an inner struggle, great intelligence and wit."
**********

As he stood at the fairground, astonished by the chaos around him, he
realised he hadn't gone out with his friends for over a year. He had
been caught up in reading religious texts and regurgitating them.
At least now he had given his father a reason for his actions. Going on
the train ride and setting the explosives was a harder task than dying
without reason. His father would say his son had become part of a
terrorist group and they had pushed him into bombing the train. Then
his father would never have to suffer the knowledge that his only son
had given up on God a long time ago.
**********

28/04/99
"During this session, he seemed very nervous and disturbed. It appears
that the nightmares he experienced after his mother's death have
returned to haunt him again. Extra sessions required."
**********

He stopped at the entrance, trying to find some beauty in what he saw.
His attention was first caught by the merry go round, in which the
twisted steel started, creaking its way round and round and round. It
made him feel dizzy, watching the dully-painted horses, pretend to be
alive. One even seemed to look straight at him. He turned away, only to
see sad people, dressed as clowns and displaying acrobats; one balanced
a fall and cringed through his smile as he staggered off the small
stage.
The children laughed.
He could see the roller coaster from the corner of his eye. It was up
in the air. The rails cackled as the train plunged into a distant
darkness, and all that was left were the dying screams. He turned away,
moving cautiously, taking a quick glance here and there with each step
he made. A child being pulled by her mother across the grounds, gave
him a longing lingering look through her muffled cries and pink candy
floss, as she walked away, turning around several times to take one
last look at his nervous state. He frowned, and continued walking at a
steady pace.
**********

29/05/99
"There are no signs of improvement after increase in sessions. He
seemed to be more agitated and highly-strung. Still traumatised over
mother's death."
**********

He had taken one last look at his face before he left his house. One
last look at the eyes, which carried so much depth, that only, a truly
sensitive person would appreciate. His smiling, darting eyes had
condemned him since childhood.
"You little demon."
"You little devil."
"Mischievous child."
"Wipe that smile off your face, you're not getting away with it this
time."
'But I am getting away with it. And you'll never set sight on those
eyes again.'
The sinister screaming sounds that escaped the little mouths of the
little children with their little squinted eyes rang through his head
like a fire alarm. The clown he had seen staggering earlier on, passed
infront of him. He couldn't understand what it was he hated about
clowns. Their fake, bloody smiles, their demonic hairstyles, or their
spotted sense of dress. As the clown, clowned his way through the fair,
his image remained fixed before his eyes. Everywhere he walked, the
vile, satanic smile of the clown followed him. Everyone he saw seemed
intrigued by his appearance, and murmured as he passed by. He suddenly
couldn't take it anymore. He scurried along towards the ticket
booth.
**********

30/05/99
"The patient complained of not being able to sleep. He seemed to be
more relaxed today and was generally more co-operative."
**********

As he stood next to the ticket booth, children gathered round with
gleaming faces ready to mount the roller coaster ride. The line was a
long one and he was looking for a way to kill time. He loathed God for
keeping him waiting for so long. Even death you had to line up for, he
thought. He ignored the trickling beads of sweat that escaped his palms
and smothered the railings. He stuffed his palms into his pockets,
preventing the offset of what he thought would be a shiver. He felt
vaguely sorry for the children who would be on at the same time, but he
quickly dismissed the thought.
**********

01/06/99
"There has been an incredible transition in his personality. He has
suddenly developed a craving for spiritual belief. He was almost like a
prophet. His words were limited and when he did speak he spoke in
quotations from several holy books. A subtle improvement as he has
found an object of faith."
**********

Hearing somebody humming behind him he turned around, thinking that he
ought to pay one last compliment to someone before he died, especially
since that someone was to die by his hands.
She smiled, honored by his compliment and started to prattle on. He
couldn't concentrate on what she was saying, for he was in no mood to
converse, but he was content hearing her chatting away. He kept her
happy with a few words here and there "yes" "alone" "you?" "Really" "no
way!" "17 and you?" making sure that he kept his distance. He was half
into the conversation, when he heard her complimenting his eyes. He
froze for a second, then gave her his full attention.
**********

05/06/99
"Showing great signs of regression. There was something evil about his
eyes-which grew progressively. And there was suddenly a religious
justification behind everything he said and every action he took"
**********

As the clock seconds slowly sounded in his mind and he realised how
close he was to the gate and how carried away he had become; he decided
that he would spare her life.
**********

10/06/99
" Has shown major aggressive tendencies and was totally
unco-operative"
**********

As they got onto the ride she chose to sit next to him. He was
surprised at her excited gestures and hyperactivity. He smiled as she
squeezed his hand in anticipation.
**********

20/06/99
"After a violent display of great anger, anguish and confusion, he
stopped attending the sessions"
**********

She exclaimed loudly as the train started, "I don't remember having as
much fun in a long time". With this said, she flung her arms around
him. As the air inside his lungs rushed out in a wave of shock, the
soft bulb, attached to the explosives around his waist, also exhaled.
And as if they were suspended in time, he waited in slow motion for the
5-second countdown.
**********
**********
Gulf English School - High School Report
20/06/1999
"Leila is a very talented musician with great determination" (Ms. D.
Leigh, Music department).
"I predict a great future for her, and hope to see her on T.V some time
soon!" (Mrs. L. V. Brill, Head of Music).
"An enthusiastic student with great potential and talent. She never
fails to amaze me with her strong command of the stage and
articulation" (Mr. M. Logan, Theatre).
"She has a very lively presence and a strong confident character which
is reflected in many of her story writing attempts. She is a great poet
and has an excellent ability to understand and appreciate literature"
(Ms. G. Morrison-English department).
**********
Gulf English School
P.O.BOX 33106
Code No.25562 Al-Rumaithiya, Kuwait
Dear Mr. Youseff El-Sherrief and Mrs. Faten Elnagar;
Leila was a shy, polite girl, yet she never let that get in the way of
her ambitious, committed nature. She was always on her best behaviour,
and a delight to have in class. Her incredible heart-felt musical
performances, where she displayed great skill at playing the guitar,
and piano, as well as singing, made an impact on everyone. She was a
great person, a fact that will be remembered by all her friends and
staff here in this school. I can recall particular incidents in which
she displayed great sensitivity and good nature. I recall when she
befriended a girl who was being bullied and helped her get through what
could have been a very long phase of depression.
She was truly a source of support and inspiration to everyone around
her. We all miss her deeply and hope that you are coping. Condolences
go out from all members of staff and her friends to you, and other
members of her family.

Jonathon. H. Bates,
Head master of The Gulf English School.

**********

She had finally made her dreams come true. It was quite an unbelievable
thing to happen to a girl of seventeen. Omar had called her along with
the rest of the band, and told her that they had finally gotten
themselves a record deal.
She stood outside the fairground drinking in the lights and sounds that
filled the air. This would be her future: brightness, light, excitement
and the thrilling cheers of the audience stirred with their
applause.
She breathed in the sweet smell of candyfloss, which mingled with the
strong smell of freshly baked doughnuts. She looked around her at the
smiling faces of the little children who toddled along after their
parents. She laughed at how the clowns, with their eternal smiles, made
everyone else happier.
Her pale face shone brightly. Her thick, black hair fell like treacle
upon her slender shoulders. Her strawberry flushed cheeks and rose
coloured soft, full lips, flourished in the healthy white glow of her
face. The tenderness in the gaze of her wide, amazed eyes forced little
children to smile as they passed by her.
As she walked through the crowd she noticed a nervous teenager
hurrying alone towards the roller coaster. He walked in strong,
determined strides. It hit her then that she was not the only person
who had chosen to go alone to the fairground that day.
Too happy to contain it, she hummed quietly to herself as she reached
the queue. The young man infront of her turned around and paid her a
compliment. She found him rather interesting and peculiar, the way he
exuded nervousness and fear. How he breathed heavily as if gasping for
air.
She noticed that he was rather short. His face possessed plain simple
features. His body bared no fat, but carved muscle and toned skin. A
pale and deathly shadow hung over what could have been a perfectly
normal looking, maybe even slightly attractive, face. The muscle
present seemed to offer no support to his lanky posture. His hair,
short and sharp. His lips not particularly thin but taught and
glistening. His hazel eyes, shifting, darting sharply across the fair
but away from her gaze. His hairline low across his forehead. His
cheeks ruddy; his voice antagonistic in tone yet soft, low and
controlled.
He was a boy of few words, with the widest most expressive, deep,
Arabian eyes she had ever seen. She didn't care whether he listened or
not, she just enjoyed watching his eyes shift their gaze and his face
change expression.
She decided to pay him back the compliment he had made her earlier and
told him how magnetically sharp his eyes were-in a beautiful way, she
added. She then noticed how he suddenly gave her his full attention and
decided to grace her with a few more words. There was something
different about him that made him stand out from all the other
17-year-old males she knew. He exuded a special kind of intelligence
and sharpness and tried to manipulate his words so as not to show that
he was a vulnerable, sensitive person. She pretended not to notice and
resumed the conversation. When she made him laugh she noticed how it
was a piercingly genuine, deep laugh. She observed silently as it
softened his features. They talked and each time she made him laugh it
seemed like an accomplishment.
She was ecstatic. First the news about the band and then this really
interesting guy at the fairground. She couldn't contain her happiness.
Shocked by her own boldness, she found herself giving the stranger a
huge hug.
**********
FAIRGROUND BOMBING SHOCKER
17-Year-old male bombs train and leaves suicide note for father.

Yesterday at 5.pm a bomb exploded on a train ride at Entertainment
City. Twenty-five people were on the train at the time of the bombing.
Fourteen were killed and eleven were left severely injured. Officials
have stated that, the bomb was an amateur, homemade device.
Over two hundred worried parents rushed into the fairground after
hearing of the explosion, to collect their children. Others broke down
as they identified the bodies of the dead members of their family and
friends.
A suicide note was left by the culprit who planted the bomb, who was
found to be associated with a religious terrorist group and had
received over 10 years of psychological counseling prior to this
event.
Doctor M.Farghally P.H.D in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy stated that
his patient was one of the most difficult cases he had ever witnessed
in his career of 15 years. He said that his patient suffered from
"great phases of depression and mental trauma, and was an extremely
complex case."
Ms. D. Elbaroody, mother of one of the victims, said, " I raised my son
to become a constructive member of society, and now he's gone. Blown to
bits by someone else's son. What guidance did he have? How did his
parents raise him? Who is really to blame for this tragedy?"
The suspect's father was unavailable for comment.