21 al-Ghubaiba, where the water had swelled to its highest level. I joined the latter, following a path alongside the fortified wall of Sheikh Mubarak al-Shamsi’s house. The wall, built to the height of an arm’s length, protected the grounds from al-Ghubaiba’s encroaching waters. We navigated the path, heading east, and then turned north. We arrived at a raised land that acted as a bulwark against the waters. There, in the shade of Sheikh Mubarak al-Shamsi’s house, a group of men sat on rectangular benches. One of them spotted me and called out, “There’s a stranger among the children. Call him over.” I approached the men. The one who
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTg0NzAy