The sun is going down over the sea. The light is

that golden color you only get at the end of the

day. The camera pans over a row of large

apartment buildings along the shore. It stops on

a large hotel, where it pulls back to show a...

scattering of people entering the main door. They

are mostly elderly people, in their 70's and 80's,

moving slowly but smiling and chatting as they

enter, arm in arm.

It's Erev Pesach and they are going to a fancy

Seder at the hotel dining room.

Camera comes in close to focus on a family; Saba,

Safta, Ima, Abba and a young girl maybe 12 years

old. The girl is walking arm in arm between her

Imma and Abba, talking animatedly and smiling.

They enter the hall together.

The camera pulls back, still following the two

couples and the child. Behind them a few paces we

see a tall woman with dark, shoulder length hair.

We only see her from behind -- she is wearing a

long coat and is walking quickly, taking long

strides. The camera switches angles and we see

her from the front. Her collar is up and she's

wearing large glasses.

She has a beard and mustache.

She disappears inside the front door right behind

the others.

The camera pulls back so we can see the entire

hotel now. We are about a half-kilometer away.

The sun continues to go down; the gulls fly low

over the water.

Suddenly an enormous explosion erupts, blowing out

the walls on the side of the building facing the

sea; a gigantic angry red fireball blooms out of

the black smoke billowing over the shore. Debris

geysers into the air through a huge hole in the

roof.

Flames lick through the holes where the windows

used to be. Nothing moves on the street for a few

long moments. Then people begin to stagger out of

the building onto the sidewalk.

Another moment passes and we can hear the sirens.

The credits roll.

(copyright 2002 by Ara Rubyan.)