39

Ariel

The radio woke him up too early. Alaa had set it automatically to eight. Ariel was so tired he didn’t understand everything the female announcer was saying. His head was spinning. He thought something must be off when he heard her say that the government has issued a decree stipulating that all residents register themselves in the nearest office. It also asked those living abroad to reregister with embassies.

He stayed in bed for a few minutes looking around with half-shut eyes. The jasmines were up too and their scent filled the room. He shook off fatigue and got up. He stood before the old wooden cabinet to the left and looked for a clean towel. All the towels were black. He smelled the biggest. It was clean.

He took off his pants and left them on the floor and went to the bathroom to take a hot shower. Some of the rings holding the shower curtain to the silver bar had detached. He liked the purple color of the shower curtain and floor mat. The soap and the washcloth were the same color. Before jumping in, he put the shower curtain rings back in place. It made him feel good. The warm shower helped shake off his sleepiness.

He reached for the black towel, dried his body, and then wrapped it around his waist. He got out of the bathroom and took his apartment key from the small nightstand next to the bed. He should’ve thought of getting clean clothes before taking the shower. So he headed to his apartment. He closed the door without locking it.