At first it was just a normal chat, but gradually it turned into a close friendship where we spoke on WhatsApp every day. We shared our lives, studies, thoughts, and dreams. It was a genuine connection.
Later, when the hijab protests intensified in Iran, she took part in them as well. One day she posted a status: her body beaten, her face covered in blood. That image has never left my mind. It was the first time I truly understood how brutal the things we see as “news” are in real life.
Time passed. Because of life’s busyness, our contact reduced and conversations became rare. Still, she often told me about her dream: to study well, somehow move to Canada or the UK, settle there, and then bring her family to safety.
When the hijab protests intensified again, I noticed that her WhatsApp account had been deleted. I assumed she must have escaped. After some time, I found her ID on Telegram, and we would talk occasionally there.
Recently, as the situation in Iran worsened again, she came to my mind. I sent her a message.
A few days later, she replied. Reading that reply sent a shiver through my body… but along with it came a deep relief, the relief of knowing that she is still alive.
The message attached here is her own reply.
Names and details have been hidden for privacy.
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