The whisper of the scorpion

Book name: Whisper of the Scorpion Author: Mohamed Tawfik Publisher: Dar Al-Ain for Publishing Number of pages: 371 About the book: Jamila trained under Sundus in the art of dealing with scorpions, and the matter no longer aroused her fears, but today anxieties surround her, so she looks at the venomous creature with some concern. She does not want to risk losing her only friend. She closes her eyes and covers them with her hands so that one of them does not open driven by curiosity. In her moment of solitude, she recalls that dark night when she woke up just before dawn. She was disturbed by hurried footsteps of more than one person. The muffled sobs of the women were more painful than the formal wailing that followed. The scene of her relatives' swollen eyes and faces covered with ash confirmed to the girl that truth she had already inferred. The death of her closest person was a horrible experience devoid of dignity. But still, it did not cause the violent shock she expected. Then came the feeling of loss... the realization that what was lost is irreplaceable, followed by a sense of helplessness. She keeps her sight blocked until Sundus’s repeated calls wake her up, then she opens her eyes at the moment Sundus delivers the mercy blow. She twists the scorpion’s tail body and separates it from her body, and shakes the poor creature by its head. Then she witnesses the drops of venom falling onto the sand... like a drop of reckless man. "Oh, scorpion of scorpions... oh, wise of creatures... tell me the truth... and dispel the misguidance... reveal the hidden... and expose the wicked... oh, scorpion of scorpions... oh, wise of creatures." The two girls sing this several times, then Sundus covers the scorpion with her cupped hands, raises it to her ear, then to Jamila’s, and they listen attentively... to the whisper of the scorpion.