Last Moments

$18

Synopsis

Airport

In a cramped, oppressive room, a young woman faces the terror of an uncertain fate at the hands of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Her demeaning encounter with a cruel captain showcases the pervasive fear and powerlessness experienced by many under the regime.

Prison

The reader follows an unnamed protagonist, numbed and broken from his incarceration, as he experiences the morning before his execution. With shades of Arthur Koestler’s Darkness at Noon, as he contemplates his life and imminent death, the brutal reality of state violence and the psychological torment inflicted upon political prisoners in Iran are starkly revealed. His perceptions blur; he has little to no feeling left. As the other prisoners are summarily shot by the firing squad, the reader experiences in a visceral way the brutality of the regime.

Family

Rojan, a heavily pregnant woman with two small children, frantically prepares to search for her detained husband, Atta. Despite assurances from her family, she feels an impending doom. Her struggle represents the anguish of countless families torn apart by unjust imprisonment and executions, underscoring the relentless anxiety and fear that pervade their lives.

Car

A routine car ride through a city in turmoil turns into a nightmare for Hamed. Whilst relating what he sees to his family via videocall, the tension escalates as he becomes aware, vaguely, that while all is chaos outside the car something is also very wrong inside it. This story captures the vulnerability and unpredictability of life in Iran, where any brief second can become a fight for survival.

Home

Forming a follow-on story to the story ‘Car’, the reader follows the reaction of Hamed’s family as they realize something has gone horribly awry, shattering their sense of security. The story highlights the fragility of every family in a country where one can be caught in the cycle of violence without even taking part in protest.

Hospital

Amidst the sterile environment of a hospital, a wounded protester clings to life. The hospital, typically a place of healing, becomes another arena for fear as the medical-staff protagonists – a brave doctor and nurse – navigate the risks of treating individuals targeted by the regime. This narrative underscores the pervasive impact of political oppression, even in places meant for care and recovery. Each story in Last Moments is written with in direct, though still poetic language, with a cumulative effect that, although harrowing, maintains a hopeful message and will stay with the reader long after they’ve finished reading.