In the Shade of Sidrat

The book presents heartfelt stories about people who experienced the war in the Chechen Republic. They did no harm to anyone: men, women, children, the elderly—they simply wanted to live, learn, work, fall in love, raise children, and be content. When war erupted, their dream was to stay alive, and for their loved ones to survive. In the face of war, representatives of all nationalities united as one people, for they were all created by the One Almighty for peace and creation on Earth.

© Maryam Nashkhoeva, 2024

ISBN 978-5-0065-1004-3

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Maryam Razambekovna Nashkhoeva is a writer, translator, English language teacher and Сandidate of Philological Sciences, employee of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Associate Professor of Chechen State University, author of numerous scientific works on linguistics and a public figure.

Maryam Nashkhoeva is a member of the Writers’ Union of Russia, the Women’s Union of Russia and NATE – the National Association of English Language Teachers. She is also an Ambassador of the Eurasian Creative Guild ECG London.

She was nominated for the All-Russian National Literary Prize “Writer of the Year – 2017” in the “Debut” category for her story “Sing me a Lullaby, Dad!”. She was also nominated for the “Heritage – 2017” literary award for her story “The Smell of Happiness”. In addition, she was nominated for the Russian National Literary Prize “Writer of the Year – 2019” for her story “In the Shade of Sidrat”. She has been nominated for the “Writer of the Year – 2020” award in the “Debut” category for her story “Dazzling Mind”, and for the “Writer of the Year – 2021” award in the “Debut” category for her short story “The Locket”.

Maryam’s stories were also published in the collections “Catalogue of MMKVA-2021”, “RSP. Prose 2021” and “Anthology of Russian Prose 2022”. Her short story “The Smell of Happiness” was included in the youth literary anthology “Debut – Constellation of Words and Colors” of young writers and artists of the Chechen Republic in 2020.

Maryam Nashkhoeva’s contribution to the development of Russian literature was also marked by the medals “Ivan Bunin 150 years”, “Fyodor Dostoevsky 200 years” and “Anna Akhmatova 130 years” struck in honour of Nobel laureate Ivan Bunin, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Anna Akhmatova. The medals holding the status of public awards were awarded by the President of the Russian Union of Writers D.V. Kravchuk.

Maryam was also awarded the medal of the Women’s Union of Russia at the presentation of the book “In the Shade of Sidrat” at the House of Nationalities in Moscow. The medal is awarded to exceptional women for their creative and professional achievements.

The book is edited by Vera Norova-Lukina.

In everyone’s life, there are moments they are eager to frequently recollect, quietly closing their eyes and trying to reproduce every detail of these beautiful events. People want to go back to the past for even a moment, experience the same emotions, see the dear people they cherish, and become as happy as they used to be in those magical moments. There are also moments you try to hide in the farthest corner of your mind so that you would never experience the poisonous emotions waving your mind again: fear, hopelessness, despair, and emptiness.

With his eyes closed, dam was lying on a sofa pierced by shards and covered with an old cotton blanket. The fresh spring March wind was blowing in through the windows, gently stroking the semi-transparent torn tarpaulins that covered the broken windows. Happy moments of his life emerged in his memory: his last pre-war birthday, his father’s kind look, his mother’s tender embrace. Then everything changed with the roar of planes, explosions of shells, and his consciousness clouded with gunfire, cries for help, and his heart began to beat harder, his breathing quickened. The faces of loved ones, their tears, and last words flashed before his eyes.

Adam quickly opened his eyes, unwilling to bring back the recent bloody events to his memory. Indeed, just a couple of months ago, he had never thought he would survive.

Adam slowly got up and went outside to take a breath of fresh air. Standing on the porch of a stranger but almost familiar house, Adam looked up at the boundless, clear blue sky – everything seemed so peaceful and calm.

“Admiring this tranquil sky for a long time, one might think there was no war at all”, – he whispered to himself gazing at the yard. Then Adam slowly walked towards a tree standing separately and proudly in the far corner of the yard. There was a small stool under the tree. He approached the tree, sadly looked at its broken, dried branches, sat on the stool, and uttered:

“How many tears have I shed sitting here under your tortured branches? How many people have I buried next to you on cold frosty days? Only the Almighty knows! Look, it’s spring outside! Soon the first buds will appear on your branches, followed by the first sweet cherry. Keep blooming, like a beautiful paradise tree, giving its sweet fruits to innocent souls. Look at the traces of the Almighty’s mercy, how He revives the earth after death