In The Darkness Of Cairo

By Sherif Hamdy

"In the Darkness of Cairo" is a captivating anthology of short stories that intricately intertwines with the tapestry of our lives and those of the people around us. Within its pages, you'll encounter stories that evoke a spectrum of emotions: from poignant narratives that tug at the heartstrings to exhilarating accounts that inject joy into your days. Enigmatic stories will ignite your curiosity, while other enthralling stories will firmly grasp your focus. And, for those seeking an adrenaline rush, chilling stories await to send spine-tingling shivers down your back.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sherif Hamdy
• Release date: Aug 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223727736

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Written & Translated By

Sherif Hamdy

Cover Designer & Publisher

Sherif Hamdy

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These short stories were written between 2019 and 2021 in the darkness of the

City of Cairo, Arab Republic of Egypt

First English Edition, August 2023

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the publisher's prior written permission, Sherif Hamdi. Any unauthorized use, copying, translation, editing, quoting, digital conversion, storage, retrieval, or online sharing is strictly prohibited. Any violation of this will result in legal action to protect the rights of the author/publisher.

To God,

By Your grace, not by my own

To my children, Omar and Nancy,

I thought I was here to save them,

Only to discover they are here to save me

To Mo Salah,

The light that often dispelled the darkness of Cairo

In the darkness of Cairo

In the darkness of Cairo, a snowball began to roll down from the top toward its heart; in the beginning, the ball was small and fragile, and only a few noticed it.

Over time, the snowball gained mass and cohesion, some who could see into the distant future were apprehensive, but those living in the present responded differently; some laughed at the sight of it, others applauded, some cheered, and some gave thanks.

But the snowball did not care for anyone's reaction; it only rolled down faster and more robust, and the more it encountered no resistance, the faster and more powerful it became.

As the snowball grew in size, speed, and strength, most people could see and feel its presence, except for a few who were absent, dreaming, or plotting.

At this stage of its descent, the snowball turned red with the blood of those it had crushed, black with the dryness of those it had uprooted, and blue with the sadness of those it had violated.

The people of Cairo could not resist, intentionally or due to weakness. Most of them turned to God for help but failed to help themselves in confronting the snowball.

Eventually, the snowball that was now larger than the three pyramids combined split open, releasing millions of savage snowballs with sharp fangs that pounced on the souls of Egyptians in the darkness of Cairo.

Tales of the Guard

Their royal ranks did not prevent them from communicating with him despite the vast distance that separated them. This was due, first and foremost, to their humility towards him and then to his loyalty to them.

His loyalty drove him to tell them everything he had and convey to them everything around him. He spoke to them about everything that had happened in their country since they left. He talked to them about the state of science, health, religion, art, politics, and ethics.

He spoke and spoke for days, months, and years. They listened with deep concentration and more profound sadness because they realized that most of what they had built over thousands of years had crumbled and needed comprehensive reconstruction - not just from the roots of civilization but from the deepest depths of civilization's soil.

After they had enough of his storytelling, the twenty-two kings and queens asked him to listen to them carefully and execute everything they asked.

When his duty as their guard in their hall ended, he left the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and headed towards the center of Egyptian civilization - the Pyramids of Giza. Armed with the darkness of the night and their precise instructions, he broke into the three pyramids and collected a substance of distinctive colors from each one: crimson, yellow, and black.

As directed, he mixed them in highly accurate proportions and placed the final mixture under the feet of the statue of the Sphinx. Just moments before sunrise, he whispered the call they had taught him in their language.

The call was like fire in the kindling.

With each letter that emerged from his mouth, the movement of the mixture's particles accelerated tensely and violently.

When this movement peaked, a violent earthquake shook all of Egypt. The quake drew a smile of satisfaction on the faces of the mummies of the kings and queens who rested peacefully in their glass tombs. They knew that their faithful guard had successfully completed his mission and that the first stages of rebuilding their country, Egypt, would begin in one minute.

Precisely one minute later, the mixture beneath the feet of the Sphinx

exploded with