October 28th. Day nine Releasing

My door flies open:

-          You go!

Immediately I start panicking: They will not release me in the middle of the night! What will they do to me? Will I be transferred again?

-          Where?

-          Home

-          I don’t believe you; you’re lying!

-          Come!

I do not want to get up; I am too scared; I am still shocked of yesterday’s massacre. But I have no choice. Meantime a second guard has entered my cell, forces me up. I look outside; see other guards at the end of the corridor, which scares me even more. When I come closer, I see their smiling faces. When they see my terrified face they start laughing. Then comes Samir, smiles.

What if it was true?

-          I will believe it until the door is shut behind me!

Samir takes me through different offices; I sign a lot of documents. Then I recover all my belongings; all, except for my photo chip. After that we enter the office of the prisons director; Samir introduces him as General Al Faouat. The general apologizes for this regrettable mistake, advises me to forget all this as fast as possible, not to talk about it. Then he leaves his office and comes back with a tie. I can’t believe my eyes! Is he really trying to buy my silence with a silly tie?

One hour later I get my bicycle and sign the release register.

Samir brings me to the exit door, shuts it behind me.

We are in the middle of the night.

Now I am allowed to believe it, allowed to start crying.

But I do not cry. I feel nothing.

Slowly I cycle to Damascus centre, book a room in the first hotel I can find.

Now, I am writing a book about this travel. There will be many more details which I have not posted here.