Today, my brother accidentally stepped on our four-day-old chick,
Sending her to a slow struggle between life and death.
I watched, transfixed, at how her little feet kicked continuously.

What amazed me is that despite her little time here alone, she still fights
Though her end is near.

I wonder:
If it were me,
How would I leave?
Will my death be so instant that my brain won't quickly notice the searing pain?
Or will it be slow and agonising like the little chick's?

I marvel at her short life
As she will be leaving with a clean slate
And go to a place where she'll never feel pain.

I fear for my mysterious end
I fear for my heap of sins and endless whims
I fear for our negligence that this life is but several days.
As we live each day to that moment where everything will be like a distant dream.
I hope for us that we don't wake up to reality when it's already too late.

May Allah give us beautiful endings and may we die with
*lailahaillallah* in our hearts (ameen)