My Friends

A month later, Claire called Khaled and asked to meet up. Once together, she said that Hosam had had a mental health crisis while they were away in Devon.

Khaled felt relieved when Hosam was more himself the next time they met at the café. He told the group about his recent dream. Then the friends offered their interpretations. Khaled noticed that Claire seemed pleased with Hosam’s improved demeanor.

After Hosam and Claire left, Khaled and Mustafa remained at the café to continue talking. Mustafa showed Khaled a YouTube video someone recently posted. Years prior, rumors had spread about Hosam’s father, Sidi Rajab Zowa, vocalizing his support of Qaddafi. The video showed this moment. Worse still, Hosam’s father denounced Hosam as a traitor and forbade him from ever coming home.

Khaled rewatched the YouTube video numerous times over the following days. A few days later, Khaled and Mustafa met back up at the café, but Hosam didn’t join them. The friends discussed Hosam’s situation, his relationship with Claire, and his loyalty or disloyalty to Libya.

In November 2010, Khaled, Hosam, and Claire attended a concert together. They went out for food afterwards. At the restaurant, Hosam admitted his premonition that something terrible was about to happen. His father had fallen ill and he wanted to go home to see him. Khaled expressed his concern.

Over the following months, Khaled and Mustafa met once every few weeks at the café without Hosam. Otherwise, they “led independent lives” (315). Khaled felt a distance growing between them.

In January 2011, Mustafa grew more radical as reports of unrest emerged from North Africa. Khaled listened to the news, but didn’t focus on it. One day, Mustafa called Khaled, exclaiming at the uprisings in Libya and predicting that the regime would fall in mid-February.

In the days following, the revolution continued in Libya and Tunisia and acquired the name of “Arab Spring.” Khaled often watched the news and communicated with Souad online, but “did not know how to respond” (318).

Khaled couldn’t sleep because of the revolution. He took sleeping pills and tried limiting his news intake to ease his mind. In February, Khaled met Mustafa and he informed him he was worried about his brother Ali, who had joined the revolution. Khaled continued following the news thereafter, watching Ali’s participation in the revolt from abroad.

Now off the sleeping pills, Khaled was awake all night and started researching tickets to Benghazi. Meanwhile, he kept up with Souad.

Khaled continued following the revolution online, tracing the events that led to Benghazi’s liberation. After February 17, Khaled communicated more easily with his family, as the internet restrictions had been lifted. They begged him to come home, but Khaled didn’t know what to say. He feared leaving England.

Shortly thereafter, Hosam called Khaled to say he was flying to Benghazi. He called Mustafa, who was pleased by the news. Then he called Claire, who seemed to think Hosam wouldn’t return to England.

Mustafa visited Khaled to say his brother was at the front and he was flying to Benghazi.

Khaled felt alone in London after his friends left. Whenever Khaled talked to Mustafa on the phone, Mustafa sounded strong and impassioned.

Hosam kept in touch with Khaled via email. He updated Khaled on his father’s condition and how it felt to be back in Benghazi.

Mustafa kept up with Khaled via text but didn’t answer Khaled’s calls. Meanwhile, Khaled wondered if his friends’ involvement in the fighting was the best course of action. Hosam often urged Khaled to join them, but Khaled made no plans to leave England.

Khaled talked to Hosam and Waleed on the phone after their father died. In the days following, Hosam wrote Khaled more emails about his family and relationship with Benghazi.

Mustafa became a popular topic of discussion on social media, as he’d quickly emerged as a revolutionary leader. Khaled was moved when he saw Mustafa in the online photos and imagined being in his position. Meanwhile, he continued to have strange, vivid dreams.

Hosam wrote to Khaled about Malak, his mother’s cousin’s daughter, who his parents had taken in after her mother died when she was a child. He described their conversations and his growing interest in her. He was particularly attracted to her when she began describing her ideal partner.

Khaled called Mustafa’s mother regularly to ensure that Mustafa was okay. Finally he talked to Mustafa, too. Khaled felt ashamed while hearing him talk about the fighting. Mustafa then asked Khaled to send him satellite phones, which Khaled agreed to do.

Hosam wrote Khaled more emails about his family and his mother’s sorrow over his departure from home years prior.

Hosam wrote Khaled another email about his growing attraction to Malak. Malak had inspired him to join the fighting.

Khaled and Hosam talked on the phone about Hosam’s decision. In the days and weeks following, Khaled became more invested in teaching and reading. He missed Hannah, but she’d married, had children, and separated in recent years.

One day, Hannah called Khaled when she heard about the revolution. They began to see each other again in the weeks following. When they were together, Khaled imagined how things could’ve been if he’d behaved differently toward Hannah years prior.

Khaled checked in with Mustafa, who informed him that he and Hosam were fighting together. After the call, Khaled felt jealous that his friends were together. He then visited Hannah and they discussed the revolution before having sex.

Khaled kept up with the revolution on social media. He saw many photos of Mustafa and Hosam together. One night, he and Claire met up. She revealed she was moving back to Ireland but asked him not to tell Hosam.

Khaled found a video of Mustafa, Hosam, and the other revolutionaries searching for Qaddafi. Similar clips emerged online in the following days.

On October 21, 2011, The Guardian released an article announcing Qaddafi’s death. That night, Hosam emailed Khaled describing his involvement in Qaddafi’s capture and assassination. He admitted that the ordeal had changed him.

Hosam and Mustafa became increasingly embroiled in the affairs in Libya in subsequent months. Hosam even became Minister of Culture for a time. Shortly thereafter however, Hosam stopped working in such public roles.

In the meantime, Khaled translated The Given and the Taken. The friends kept up and Hosam gave him updates about his parents’ well-being. He urged Khaled to come to Benghazi, but Khaled decided to visit Walbrook in Cornwall instead.

The night before, Hosam told Khaled about a visit he’d had with Mustafa years prior.

Khaled remembers a dream he had as he nears his flat. In the dream, a woman told him his friend was in trouble. When he raced to find Mustafa, he discovered a corpse in his bed. Mustafa surfaced and the friends argued about how the room’s temperature would affect the corpse. Khaled then woke up and was overcome with longing to see Mustafa.

Khaled tells himself he’ll return to Benghazi to see his family. As he nears his flat, Hosam texts him a photo and says he has arrived in Paris. Khaled considers sending him a photo of his neighborhood but doesn’t. He’s overcome with a longing to be in his flat, to sleep, and wake up to a normal day. Inside, he finds his and Hosam’s mugs on the counter. He makes his bed and removes his coat.