1.2161659-4064281058
Mohammad Ali and Zayed Khami were friends of Khalifa Saeed, one of the children killed in Monday’s fire. Image Credit: Shafaat Shahbandari/Gulf News

Fujairah: Mohammad Ali, 14, Zayed Khami, 13, and Khalifa Saeed, 12, were a trio of cousins who went about their young lives together in Rul Dadna until Sunday.

Now, one of the three, Khalifa, has departed in a tragic accident that left the entire country in a shock.

Sitting in a corner behind the mourning tent set up in Rul Dadna, Mohammad and Zayed were quiet, but dignified for their age.

ALSO READ:

•  Faulty living room lights sparked deadly blaze
•  Day after tragedy, village reeling in shock
•  ‘Memory of 7 little bodies in shrouds will haunt
•  Schools mourn their beloved pupils

Speaking to Gulf News, Mohammad who was closest to Khalifa said: “We were always together and went to the same school.

He loved studies and enjoyed going to school. If on some days I didn’t feel like going, he would come and pull me out of my house. This just doesn’t seem real.”

In a small village where one is mostly surrounded by relatives, the only friends one has are cousins. “We loved spending time together. Khalifa loved football and we would go to the farms every day and play football. We had a lot of fun. It is just unbelievable that things won’t be the same again,” Zayed said.

Both Mohammad and Zayed said they couldn’t bear to go to Khalifa’s house as it would be too traumatic.

“We can’t go back there. It would be unbearable to not find our friend there. We will miss him for a long time and we pray that all our cousins are in paradise,” Zayed said.