In the heart of the sprawling desert, the village of Al-Widian was nestled between high sand dunes. Its houses were built of mud, its alleys were narrow, and the people had known each other for generations. At the southern edge of the village, Kareem lived in a small house with crumbling walls, which he had inherited from his father. He was a thin man, his dark complexion a testament to the harsh sun, and his eyes held the remnants of unfulfilled dreams. His wife, Salma, was known for her beauty, but also for her sharp tongue and extreme love of money.
Next to them lived Abdul Razzaq, the mosque’s imam, a wise man whom everyone respected. Abdul Razzaq would sometimes stand by Kareem during his times of hardship. In the market, Fares owned the largest storehouse for dates and grains, a man of wealth and power whom the villagers never refused a request.
For months, an illness had been creeping into Kareem’s body, exhausting him with a cough and weakening him, so he could no longer work in the fields. He tried to hide his fatigue from Salma, but she saw that a man’s weakness was the beginning of his household’s downfall. Salma constantly compared her life of poverty with Kareem to the homes of the rich in the village, especially Fares’s house.
One night, Kareem sat on the doorstep, watching the moon while his chest tightened with pain. Salma, who was preparing dinner, launched into hurtful words, accusing him of being helpless and failing to provide for her. Kareem tried to explain that the illness was severe and he needed time to recover, but she showed no mercy. The argument escalated to a point where the neighbors could hear their shouts. Umm Hassan, their neighbor, intervened to calm the situation, but Salma had already made up her mind. That night, Salma threw her husband out of the house, leaving him with only his old cloak and a wooden staff. Kareem walked into the dark alleys of the village, not knowing where to go, with the cold biting into his bones.
He stood in front of the mosque for a long time, then decided to leave the village for the desert. Kareem began his unknown journey toward the sands, unaware that fate had something he couldn’t imagine in store for him. Dawn was approaching as he walked alone between the dunes. His steps were slow, but in his heart, there was a strange determination to move forward. He carried only his worn-out cloak and his staff.
On his way, he passed a dead palm tree trunk and sat down to rest. He remembered the words of Sheikh Abdul Razzaq, who once told him: “Sometimes, Kareem, we don’t know the good that Allah has hidden for us until we lose everything we thought was important”. As he gazed at the desert, he saw a skinny dog approaching cautiously, looking hungry and thirsty. The dog stopped at a distance, watching Kareem with shiny eyes. Kareem took out a dry piece of bread from his pocket and threw it to the dog, which ate it ravenously. Kareem smiled faintly, feeling a sense of companionship after hours of solitude. He continued his walk, and the dog followed with steady steps.
As the sun set, Kareem found shade under a large tree and sat down. The dog came closer and lay down beside him, then closed its eyes. That night, Kareem dreamed that he was walking with the dog on a long road that ended with a great golden door. He woke up without knowing the meaning of the dream, but he felt a strange sense of peace.
In the morning, he decided to look for a better place that would protect him from the sun’s heat and had water to drink. They walked together for hours until they reached a sandy depression with an old well covered by stones. Kareem lifted the cover and found the water clear, so he drank until he was full and filled a small hole for the dog to drink as well. That moment was the beginning of a strange friendship between a man and a dog in the heart of the desert. Kareem did not know that this friendship would one day lead him to the richest and most dangerous moment of his life.
Days passed, and Kareem lived by the well, surviving on small birds he hunted or wild plants he found, and the dog never left his side. The dog, which Kareem decided to name “Wafi” (Loyal), would go out in the morning looking for food and return before sunset with his prize.
One night, the wind was howling, and sand was swirling. Kareem sat, holding his cloak tightly, while the dog stared into the darkness. Suddenly, Kareem heard distant noises, like screams. He stood up, holding his staff, and the dog ran ahead of him toward the sound. They reached a high sand dune, and at its base, he saw a man lying on the ground, half-buried in the sand. Kareem rushed to his aid and discovered he was an old sheikh wearing a torn robe. The sheikh sat up, breathing with difficulty, and whispered: “Beware, my son, the desert is not what it seems. There are things buried for years, waiting for someone to uncover them”. Before Kareem could ask what he meant, the sheikh quietly passed away. Kareem dug into the sand and buried him there.
That night, he couldn’t sleep, replaying the sheikh’s words in his mind. With the first light of dawn, Wafi began to bark continuously and headed toward the eastern desert. After a long distance, the dog stopped at a lone tree in the middle of the sand and sniffed the ground insistently. Kareem knelt to examine the area and noticed that the soil here was softer. He began to dig slowly with his staff. After an hour of continuous effort, his hand hit something hard under the sand—it was an old wooden lid. He used a thick log to flip it over, revealing an ancient box covered in strange carvings. The dog approached cautiously, then backed away with a low whine.
Kareem sat for a moment, then slowly opened the box. A golden gleam shone from inside, revealing small bags filled with ancient dinars and silver jewelry studded with precious stones. Kareem froze, unable to believe his eyes. In the midst of the shimmer, he noticed an old folded paper tied with a tattered black string. He took it out and carefully opened it, finding faded words that read: “This money is for the orphans, and he who takes it unjustly will not find peace”. His heart trembled, and he suddenly remembered Sheikh Abdul Razzaq’s words about the orphans’ inheritance. He sat until the sun set, thinking about the fate of this treasure. He decided to close the box and rebury it temporarily.
That night, he had a terrifying dream: he saw small children staring at him with tearful eyes, their voices saying, “Give us back our right”. He woke up gasping, and he knew that what had begun at this tree would not end easily. He woke up with the sunrise, having decided to leave the box for a while to clear his mind. But before he could leave, he saw three men on camels approaching from a distance. The men exchanged silent glances, and then one of them said: “We lost something valuable, and whoever has it will not escape”. Kareem felt a coldness run through his veins. Fortunately, the men did not notice the excavation site. After an hour of searching, they left grumbling. Kareem realized that this treasure was not as unknown as he had thought.
At midnight, Kareem saw a shadow moving on the dunes, followed by another, then a third. He realized they were the same strangers. Kareem quickly put out the fire and hid behind a pile of sand. They started digging silently, making his heart beat wildly. The dog let out a loud bark and ran toward them. Kareem took advantage of the chaos and lunged at them with a thick staff. He quickly grabbed the box and dragged it away from the tree. One of the men shouted: “You won’t get far, that money is not yours!”. But Kareem ignored them and continued to run. He realized he was no longer just a poor man facing life, but a guardian of a heavy secret. He decided to disappear from the village’s sight.
He chose to walk north, where there were a few oases. After hours of walking, he reached a small oasis. An old, dignified sheikh was sitting by the well. The sheikh invited him to sit and asked him where he was going. The sheikh said: “Security, my son, is not in the place but in your heart, and if you carry what attracts greedy hearts, you have brought danger wherever you go”. But as darkness fell, Kareem saw two shadows moving near the palm trees, and he felt that danger had followed him here. He left the oasis in silence.
Two days later, he spotted a large caravan in the distance. He approached it cautiously. A middle-aged man named Salem welcomed him. Salem offered Kareem to join them in exchange for helping with some of the camels. Kareem gratefully accepted, without mentioning anything about the box. The dog walked beside him, watching the strangers with wary eyes. He noticed a large man with a long sword on his back, who was called Abu Zeid, the caravan’s guard. That night, Kareem felt a movement near his belongings and saw Abu Zeid searching his bags. He felt that the man was suspicious of him.
One morning, as Kareem was getting water, a boy in the caravan stumbled over his cloak, revealing a corner of the wooden box and a flash of gold. The boy’s eyes widened in astonishment, and he let out a cry that attracted the attention of some men, including Abu Zeid. Abu Zeid approached with heavy steps and said: “What are you carrying?”. Kareem replied coldly: “Old belongings I inherited from my father”. Salem came and asked what was happening. Kareem tried to downplay the matter. But he felt all eyes were on him. That night, two shadows crept between the tents toward Kareem’s cloak. The dog felt their movement, stood up suddenly, and let out a sharp bark. Kareem woke up, grabbing his staff. Some men from the caravan came out of their tents, including Abu Zeid, who grabbed the first thief. Salem ordered them to be expelled.
With the first light of dawn, Kareem prepared his belongings and decided to leave. Salem approached him and said: “You know you won’t find safety in running away, just as you didn’t find it with us”. Kareem did not reply and went on his way. After a few days, a city wall with high gates appeared before him. He entered the big market, and the next day, he saw a face he knew among the crowd: it was Salma wearing a luxurious dress, and behind her walked Fares. Kareem felt a sharp bitterness. He returned to the inn, wondering how Salma had become Fares’s wife. The innkeeper came to him with a warning: “Be careful, someone is asking about a stranger who arrived a few days ago”. Kareem felt that Fares and Salma’s presence in the same city was no coincidence. On the third day, he saw Fares staring at him from a distance with narrowed eyes.
Kareem became more cautious and moved the box to a secret cave outside the city. He began to sell some small gold pieces to turn them into capital to enter the world of trade. He used the experience of Salem, whom he met by chance in the market. Salem helped Kareem buy a small caravan. Over the months, his name became known among merchants. One night, Salem brought him news: “One of Fares’s men is watching your storehouses and counting your caravans”. Kareem realized that Fares was beginning to suspect him.
Kareem decided to take another step: he bought his first piece of land in his old village. Fares learned about it a few days later and was furious. Salma felt a vague sense of unease. Meanwhile, one of Kareem’s caravans was attacked. But Salem advised him to respond with force. The name of the mysterious merchant became the talk of the village. Fares ordered his men to track every deal. One of Fares’s men, named Jaber, pretended to work with Salem. One night, Jaber crept into the cave where Kareem hid the box. But the dog noticed the strange movement and began to bark loudly, forcing Jaber to flee.
Kareem told Salem what had happened, but the latter’s expression was unusually tense. Kareem did not know that Salem had received an offer from Fares the night before: a lot of gold in exchange for revealing the identity of the mysterious merchant. Salma’s pressure on Fares increased. Meanwhile, Kareem decided to start a bigger project: building grain storehouses. But as the project neared its start, one of his caravans loaded with gold disappeared. Kareem felt that there was a betrayal from within.
Salem finally decided to go to Fares’s gathering. Fares said: “Just his name, and the rest is yours, enough gold for a lifetime”. Salem whispered: “He’s a man from outside the village”. Fares was not convinced and promised him more if he brought decisive proof. The next day, one of the biggest landowners in the village died suddenly without known heirs. Salem, driven by greed, leaked the news to Fares. Fares arrived quickly, and a fierce bidding war began. Kareem entered the gathering himself and succeeded in buying the land at a doubled price. He left knowing that someone was working against him from the inside.
Kareem decided to test Salem’s loyalty. He set up a plan involving a fake plot of land for sale. He asked him to keep it a secret. The next day, Fares knew about the supposed land. Kareem smiled inwardly, for he had confirmed that the betrayal came from the person closest to him. Meanwhile, Fares was planning his first direct ambush. On a moonlit night, Kareem left with his dog, heading toward the cave. Fares’s men followed him, but the dog sensed them and barked. Kareem changed his course toward another valley, leaving a false trail.
In the market, a rumor spread about a large caravan carrying rare goods that would arrive soon. Kareem decided to use this caravan as a trap for both Fares and Salem. The large caravan entered the city gates, led by a huge camel carrying a decorated wooden box. Salem approached Kareem and whispered: “This caravan is a great opportunity”. But Kareem entered the bidding and raised the prices, completely disorienting Fares. In the end, Kareem won the rarest items. When Fares tried to leave, a boy stopped him, shouting: “This is the man who was asking about the mysterious merchant”.
In the evening, Kareem devised a final plan to expose Salem. On a quiet night, he summoned Salem and told him a great secret: “Tomorrow, I’m going to the cave to get the gold, and I need you with me”. Salem’s eyes widened. Kareem instructed him not to tell anyone. But secretly, Kareem sent a messenger to Fares, informing him that Kareem was going to the desert alone with a huge fortune. At dawn, Kareem and Salem left the village, walking toward a narrow valley. Halfway there, the dog suddenly disappeared, so Kareem sent Salem to look for it. As Salem walked away, Fares’s group appeared from behind the rocks, blocking the path. Salem rushed back, his eyes gleaming with fear. Kareem stood calmly and said: “Finally, you’ve gathered”. Fares shouted: “Where is the gold, you deceiver?”. Kareem smiled and said: “Perhaps you’ll know after you discover who sold you the illusion”. Fares turned to Salem in anger.
The situation quickly turned into a physical struggle between Fares’s men and Salem. Salem’s voice rose as he tried to defend himself, but he was exposed when one of Fares’s men shouted: “You’re the one who sent us the false messages!”. Fares was shocked and ordered his men to arrest Salem. Then Kareem pointed to the desert, and the dog appeared, leading a caravan of camels loaded with rare goods. These goods belonged to Fares but had been sold at a public auction due to his debts. At the sight of this, Fares’s heart sank, and he knew that what he owned was no longer his. One of the villagers shouted: “The properties in the market are now in Kareem’s name, even your house, Fares, is up for auction!”. Fares backed away, his face burning with shame. Salem tried to run, but the dog blocked his way. Kareem approached Fares and said: “Wealth is like a mirage. You see it in front of you, then it disappears, just as you disappeared from the truth”. Fares hung his head, unable to reply.
Kareem returned to the village on his camel, surrounded by people. After Fares’s fall, Salma began to notice the grim changes in her life. One evening, Fares returned exhausted and said to her: “Everything is over, Salma. No house, no land, not even respect”. She replied coldly: “I don’t want to live with a broken man”. The next day, Fares left, leaving the door open behind him.
Days later, news of Kareem’s expansion reached Salma. One night, a messenger from Kareem’s palace knocked on her door, carrying an offer to work in the palace for a lucrative wage. Salma agreed immediately, unaware she was walking into a trap. In the morning, she entered the palace and saw Kareem sitting on a luxurious chair. He said to her: “Welcome to your new place. Here you will work in the kitchen and clean the palace corridors”. Every step she took made her feel humiliated.
Meanwhile, Salem was secretly frequenting the village. As for Fares, he had resorted to working as a guard in the palace storehouses. One hot morning, Kareem received a report from one of his loyal men about Salem’s movements. At night, Kareem sent his men to raid the place where Salem was meeting with strangers, and they found him negotiating to sell maps of Kareem’s lands. They caught him red-handed and took him to the palace. Kareem said to him: “The second betrayal, Salem”. He ordered his guards to take him to the same prison as Fares. Salma trembled, unable to believe what she was seeing.
Days passed heavily at the palace, and Fares was trying to earn Kareem’s trust by working in the storehouses. One day, Kareem discovered that some valuable goods had mysteriously disappeared. He had a disguised guard watch Fares at night. Indeed, the guard caught Fares stealing. In the morning, Kareem summoned Fares and said: “Do you know what’s worse than being poor? Being a traitor and a fool at the same time”. He ordered his guards to tie him up and take him to the same prison that held Salem. Salma stood helpless, watching her husband being led away.
After Fares was imprisoned, Salma was completely alone. Kareem left her with difficult chores. One night, Kareem invited the village elders to a large banquet and had Salma serve the food. He deliberately called her by name in a loud voice: “Salma, hurry up with the water for the guests”. She felt humiliated.
The next day, a guard brought her news that Fares had tried to escape but failed, and his sentence was extended. Despair took hold of her, and she remembered the moment she had thrown Kareem out of his house. She woke up to violent knocking on her door. She walked to the hall where Kareem was waiting with the village elders. He said in a calm but harsh voice: “Today, you will witness something you will never forget”. He then signaled to the guards, who brought Fares from prison, tied up and emaciated. Kareem said: “This man you chose over your first husband betrayed you before he betrayed me”. He ordered the guards to separate Fares from her. Then Kareem approached Salma and whispered: “Justice sometimes takes time, but when it comes, it restores everything to its rightful place”. He stood before everyone and told them how he was thrown out of his house and how he found the treasure in the desert. He turned to Salma and said: “You were the cause of my downfall, and today you are a witness to my rise, not just as revenge on you, but as a lesson to anyone who wrongs or takes the rights of the weak”. He ordered her to be released from her work but forbade her from entering the village again. Salma left the palace, realizing that wealth and status are fleeting. As for Kareem, he sat on his balcony with the old dog beside him, smiling calmly.
