course,’ her father said. ‘He studies hard. The law fascinates him. He is like you. He has great passion.’
‘Will I see him? When does he return?’
‘I have sent him a message. For you, he may stop studying and come home. When do you leave?’
‘I don’t know exactly,’ Magda said. ‘It will be sometime later today when those men return for me.’
‘Who are those men?’
‘They are soldiers, father.’
‘Why did they come?’ he asked.
‘Mr. Hayes told you, father. They represent the British government. They have come to ask you in person to write a constitution for our country and they have brought me with them as a show of trust and respect.’
‘What other purpose do they have for coming? They are unusual representatives of the British government. Why did they free Moha Hassan al-Barouni? Where are they now?’ her father said. Magda paused in thought. She, too, would like to know the answers to those questions.
‘Father, I do not know,’ she said.
Magda sipped her tea and her father watched her. She looked up and smiled.
‘Will you include the right of every woman to an education, to employment, to vote?’ she asked. Magda was excited. Nasser, her father, smiled.
‘I will include everything that is important and necessary,’ he said. ‘Yes, and everything you campaigned and fought for.’
‘A constitution must benefit all and bestow freedom equally,’ Magda said. Seriousness had replaced excitement. ‘Will you use the American constitution as a guide…as a place to start?’
‘I have already begun my preparations,’ he said.
‘Please, father, tell me about it,’ she said.
While Magda listened to her father talk about his constitutional vision for the future of Libya, she found her mind wandered to thoughts of Mr. Hayes. Why had he really come to Libya?
While growing up political discussions with her father were regular occurrences. Often, they had discussed the merits of federalism and the benefits they believed it would bring. Always a debate ensued about extremists. Would they ever accept a federalist state? Her father was a clever man, but intelligent reasoning cannot change the mind of those unwilling to hear.
On the journey back to Britain Magda determined to speak more with Mr. Hayes. Even perhaps to ask him some questions. Although, she doubted he would answer them.
Her father had stopped talking. They heard the sound of someone entering the house.
‘It will be Jamaal,’ Nasser said. ‘He has returned quickly to see his beloved sister.’
Both Magda and her father watched for Jamaal with smiles. A noise from the open, outside doorway made them both turn their heads to look.
A man stood in the entrance. His face was covered and he held an assault rifle. The smiles vanished. Magda screamed. The man rushed inside and Nasser stood up to confront him. Magda stood, too. She was frightened. Then a second man entered the room. He hurried through the internal door. His face was also covered. Nasser struggled with the first man who pushed him away and then raised the rifle butt. Using both hands, he struck Nasser in the face. It was a powerful blow and Nasser fell to the floor. Magda screamed again. The second intruder pulled a hood over her head and then together the two men manhandled her outside to a waiting van. Magda struggled, but without vision, the disorientation hampered her efforts and the two men were young and strong. They lifted her into the van and Magda heard the doors bang shut. Immediately, the van drove away.
The fear made it hard for Magda to breathe.
8 Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die.
The reason I went down and almost lost consciousness was that a bullet had struck my torso on the left side below the breastplate and bottom rib. Despite the ballistics vest, which undoubtedly saved my life, it felt like someone had hit me with a hard-faced ball-peen hammer. I wished I could manage without breathing for
‘Will I see him? When does he return?’
‘I have sent him a message. For you, he may stop studying and come home. When do you leave?’
‘I don’t know exactly,’ Magda said. ‘It will be sometime later today when those men return for me.’
‘Who are those men?’
‘They are soldiers, father.’
‘Why did they come?’ he asked.
‘Mr. Hayes told you, father. They represent the British government. They have come to ask you in person to write a constitution for our country and they have brought me with them as a show of trust and respect.’
‘What other purpose do they have for coming? They are unusual representatives of the British government. Why did they free Moha Hassan al-Barouni? Where are they now?’ her father said. Magda paused in thought. She, too, would like to know the answers to those questions.
‘Father, I do not know,’ she said.
Magda sipped her tea and her father watched her. She looked up and smiled.
‘Will you include the right of every woman to an education, to employment, to vote?’ she asked. Magda was excited. Nasser, her father, smiled.
‘I will include everything that is important and necessary,’ he said. ‘Yes, and everything you campaigned and fought for.’
‘A constitution must benefit all and bestow freedom equally,’ Magda said. Seriousness had replaced excitement. ‘Will you use the American constitution as a guide…as a place to start?’
‘I have already begun my preparations,’ he said.
‘Please, father, tell me about it,’ she said.
While Magda listened to her father talk about his constitutional vision for the future of Libya, she found her mind wandered to thoughts of Mr. Hayes. Why had he really come to Libya?
While growing up political discussions with her father were regular occurrences. Often, they had discussed the merits of federalism and the benefits they believed it would bring. Always a debate ensued about extremists. Would they ever accept a federalist state? Her father was a clever man, but intelligent reasoning cannot change the mind of those unwilling to hear.
On the journey back to Britain Magda determined to speak more with Mr. Hayes. Even perhaps to ask him some questions. Although, she doubted he would answer them.
Her father had stopped talking. They heard the sound of someone entering the house.
‘It will be Jamaal,’ Nasser said. ‘He has returned quickly to see his beloved sister.’
Both Magda and her father watched for Jamaal with smiles. A noise from the open, outside doorway made them both turn their heads to look.
A man stood in the entrance. His face was covered and he held an assault rifle. The smiles vanished. Magda screamed. The man rushed inside and Nasser stood up to confront him. Magda stood, too. She was frightened. Then a second man entered the room. He hurried through the internal door. His face was also covered. Nasser struggled with the first man who pushed him away and then raised the rifle butt. Using both hands, he struck Nasser in the face. It was a powerful blow and Nasser fell to the floor. Magda screamed again. The second intruder pulled a hood over her head and then together the two men manhandled her outside to a waiting van. Magda struggled, but without vision, the disorientation hampered her efforts and the two men were young and strong. They lifted her into the van and Magda heard the doors bang shut. Immediately, the van drove away.
The fear made it hard for Magda to breathe.
8 Both your friend and your enemy think you will never die.
The reason I went down and almost lost consciousness was that a bullet had struck my torso on the left side below the breastplate and bottom rib. Despite the ballistics vest, which undoubtedly saved my life, it felt like someone had hit me with a hard-faced ball-peen hammer. I wished I could manage without breathing for
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