Youssef lamlih

A City Beneath the Ashes of Silence

Under a gray sky, the city stood as a faint shadow of what it once was. Streets that had once bustled with life were now mere echoes of a deadly silence, and walls that had once carried the laughter of children had turned into monuments of death. The remnants of destroyed homes blended with the rubble, silently telling the story of the pain that had descended upon this place.

The cold winds carried the ashes of memories, passing through open windows like ghosts whispering the names of those who had gone. In a narrow alley, an old woman sat clutching a torn piece of cloth, perhaps a fragment of her daughter’s dress, or maybe just an illusion she clung to in order to feel their presence.

Graves spread like tumors on the edges of the city, yet they were not enough to bear the weight of the souls that had departed. Sorrow lingered in every corner, clinging to every stone and every tree. Even the birds had abandoned the city’s sky, as if afraid the dust might weigh them down.

The river, which had once embraced its banks with love, had become a continuous lament. Its waters were no longer clear but mixed with tears and blood, carrying stories heard only by the silence.

Amidst all this destruction, a small child stood, his eyes filled more with wonder than sadness. He searched for something he could not name, perhaps a comforting embrace, or a toy buried beneath the rubble. But all he found was emptiness—an emptiness like a wound that would never heal, a reminder of all the city had lost and would never regain.

The city wept, but no one could hear.

Youssef lamlih- Morocco

Short Introduction 

Youssef Lamlih is a Moroccan writer and novelist,

Born in 1991 in Guelmim, Morocco.

He have contributed to electronic books and literary works.

Presented by: Mariam Abidat