help and that he was burned. Outside the three friends ran
for the river, putting as much distance between them and the school as possible.
Aliâs slingshot had not missed.
The news spread quickly around Sharidure. Secretly the townspeople were proud that
someone dared to defy the principal, that he had been embarrassed, and had his suit
soaked in hot tea. They also wondered who could pull off such a stunt. No one seemed
to know. Of course, the principal tried to find out. He thought it had to have been
a gun and that someone tried to kill him. He called Kabul to report that, and asked
for guards to protect him. He also packed up his things and left on the next bus.
Meanwhile, the three teenagers sat by the river, trying to think of what to do next.
They were sure the principal would try to find out who fired a stone through his
window. They were pretty sure no one saw them. When it was dark, they walked back
to their homes, carefully avoiding the main street and the school. Shireen asked
Ali where he had been all afternoon and if he heard the news. âI was fishing with
some friends. Whatâs the news?â
âSomeone tried to shoot the principal. He wasnât hit, but he did get a lapful of
hot tea. I wish I could have seen it. Everyone is talking about it. He called Kabul
and asked for soldiers to protect him, then left for Bamiyan. Everyone is wondering
who did the shooting. They are also proud someone dared to do it.â Shireen had no
idea her brother was the daring someone.
âWow, now thatâs some news. I wish I had seen it, too. Maybe it was one of the resistance.
I heard there are some people who are beginning to fight back against the Russians.
Soldiers probably will be coming to our little town. That will be scary and awful.â
Ali tried to sound convincing, especially about wishing he had seen it. He was very
glad that everyone thought it had been a bullet and not a stone, because he was well
known for his accuracy with a slingshot.
Hassan came home later that evening and also asked Ali where he had been that afternoon.
He really didnât think Ali had been involved in the shot at the school, mainly because
he knew Ali didnât have a gun. When Ali said he had been fishing, Hassan was relieved
and moved on to his other news. âOne of my friends in Bamiyan called to tell me that
he had seen two Russian jeeps with eight soldiers getting ready to head west toward
Sharidure. He thought they would leave later in the evening.â Hassan said he knew
someone in the resistance, the Mujahedeen. He thought these men needed to know about
the Russian soldiers coming to Sharidure. He looked at Ali, and father and son read
each otherâs thoughts. They didnât want even their family to know anything about
what they were thinking. It was dangerous for anyone to know anything about the Mujahedeen.
âAli, I need your help in finishing a project at the shop.â
âOf course, father.â
***
This was his son, his son whom he loved, his son whom he had carried all those times
when he couldnât walk. Ali was also part of a long line of men who had resisted even
the great Ghengis Khan when he came to invade their land. Hassan also knew Ali was
under the suspicion of the stupid principal, the lackey of the Russians. He knew
Ali would be watched every day. He had been trying to think of how to protect his
son from these newest invaders, these nonbelievers from the north. He believed God
had been watching over Ali and had been part of the reason why Ali could now walk
like any other man.
Hassan did not reveal any of these thoughts to Ali. When they got to the carpenter
shop, Ali knew he wasnât there to help his father finish a project, but he didnât
know just what his task would be. âMy son, it is no longer safe for you to be with
us in our home. You must leave to begin your life somewhere else. I have some ideas,
but first you must let the Mujahedeen
for the river, putting as much distance between them and the school as possible.
Aliâs slingshot had not missed.
The news spread quickly around Sharidure. Secretly the townspeople were proud that
someone dared to defy the principal, that he had been embarrassed, and had his suit
soaked in hot tea. They also wondered who could pull off such a stunt. No one seemed
to know. Of course, the principal tried to find out. He thought it had to have been
a gun and that someone tried to kill him. He called Kabul to report that, and asked
for guards to protect him. He also packed up his things and left on the next bus.
Meanwhile, the three teenagers sat by the river, trying to think of what to do next.
They were sure the principal would try to find out who fired a stone through his
window. They were pretty sure no one saw them. When it was dark, they walked back
to their homes, carefully avoiding the main street and the school. Shireen asked
Ali where he had been all afternoon and if he heard the news. âI was fishing with
some friends. Whatâs the news?â
âSomeone tried to shoot the principal. He wasnât hit, but he did get a lapful of
hot tea. I wish I could have seen it. Everyone is talking about it. He called Kabul
and asked for soldiers to protect him, then left for Bamiyan. Everyone is wondering
who did the shooting. They are also proud someone dared to do it.â Shireen had no
idea her brother was the daring someone.
âWow, now thatâs some news. I wish I had seen it, too. Maybe it was one of the resistance.
I heard there are some people who are beginning to fight back against the Russians.
Soldiers probably will be coming to our little town. That will be scary and awful.â
Ali tried to sound convincing, especially about wishing he had seen it. He was very
glad that everyone thought it had been a bullet and not a stone, because he was well
known for his accuracy with a slingshot.
Hassan came home later that evening and also asked Ali where he had been that afternoon.
He really didnât think Ali had been involved in the shot at the school, mainly because
he knew Ali didnât have a gun. When Ali said he had been fishing, Hassan was relieved
and moved on to his other news. âOne of my friends in Bamiyan called to tell me that
he had seen two Russian jeeps with eight soldiers getting ready to head west toward
Sharidure. He thought they would leave later in the evening.â Hassan said he knew
someone in the resistance, the Mujahedeen. He thought these men needed to know about
the Russian soldiers coming to Sharidure. He looked at Ali, and father and son read
each otherâs thoughts. They didnât want even their family to know anything about
what they were thinking. It was dangerous for anyone to know anything about the Mujahedeen.
âAli, I need your help in finishing a project at the shop.â
âOf course, father.â
***
This was his son, his son whom he loved, his son whom he had carried all those times
when he couldnât walk. Ali was also part of a long line of men who had resisted even
the great Ghengis Khan when he came to invade their land. Hassan also knew Ali was
under the suspicion of the stupid principal, the lackey of the Russians. He knew
Ali would be watched every day. He had been trying to think of how to protect his
son from these newest invaders, these nonbelievers from the north. He believed God
had been watching over Ali and had been part of the reason why Ali could now walk
like any other man.
Hassan did not reveal any of these thoughts to Ali. When they got to the carpenter
shop, Ali knew he wasnât there to help his father finish a project, but he didnât
know just what his task would be. âMy son, it is no longer safe for you to be with
us in our home. You must leave to begin your life somewhere else. I have some ideas,
but first you must let the Mujahedeen
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