♡

With a price on his head and his family endangered, Javier is forced to leave behind all he has ever known and flee to an unknown country. It turns out crossing the desert is far from the hardest things awaiting him...

A post wondering about Javier's scars got me thinking about his backstory, which gave me an idea for a story I had to write down. Heed the tags.

Finished wordcount: 46k

rated M on AO3

Reblogging this to share the fanart @carpathiians drew for my birthday

My story and hope for survival😭

I am Israa Alwan, a young woman who once had big dreams and was ready to achieve them. After years of hard work and study, I finally received my degree in Early Childhood Education. It was an indescribable joy, knowing I was about to start my journey as a teacher, to help shape young minds and walk alongside them in their first steps toward knowledge.

But my dream didn’t last. The war came and turned my life upside down. My home, which was once a safe haven, is now rubble, and I am left with only a few belongings and a shattered bag of dreams. Now, I am without a home, a job, or any sense of security. I move from place to place with my family, searching for a shelter to protect our children and the sick from the cold winter and the scorching summer.

My brother Shadi, who has always been my strength and support, now bears the heavy responsibility of caring for our entire family, doing everything he can to protect us and provide us with the bare essentials, despite the harsh conditions😭😭😭

Today, I reach out to you, driven by a shared humanity, seeking your support to help us survive and find a way out of this life that was forced upon us.

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