[Book Review] عشت معها

Another story distributed by Rikaz campaign based on a true story, written by Siham Khalid AlAmer. The writer starts off explaining how badly treated she was, and how her parents gave her younger brother their full attention.

After returning from University one day, she sees both her parents in a miserable state: mother in tears and father in awe. They didn't answer her question so she went up to her room and that's when her brother came in and the fight erupted at the living room. She ran back to ask again, and this time she was determined to get an answer.

Her brother was addicted on drugs, and so, his parents decided to send him away; shut him off to get a special treatment. The writer then decided to do something different for a change and offered to take care of the situation. Both her parents were shocked but agreed, nonetheless. The writer then left her studies behind in order to help her brother in the procedure. Both siblings then lived out of town, based on the Doctor's recommendation and that's where the journey began. Her brother refused to take his medicine and wanted drugs instead. He would beg, hit his sister but she refused with all her might to do so.

It reached to a point where she had to shut him in a room so he wouldn't hurt her anymore. She stood beside him and endured his hysterical moments. A week later, his situation stabled, making him realize what he got himself into. He stayed focused on quitting on drugs and continuing with the medication.

Months later, the two siblings went back home and the parents embraced the writer with such a warm and loving heart. They praised her determination and thanked her for everything. For once, the writer felt how it is like to be needed and wanted.

The writer remarked on how good it is to be responsible of something so big and important like this. And so, she lived with the joy of this responsibility forever.

You can read the story online here.