She scurried down the alley, hurrying home. "Oh Allah, please don't let father be home." the little Muslim girl prayed. Running through the marketplace, she kept her head down, praying that no one would notice her. Feeling her head covering starting to slip, she reached up and grabbed it, wrapping it back around her head. She hurried down another alley, pausing to catch her breath. She hadn't meant to be gone so long, but the Americans had been so interesting. She just didn't want to leave. They sounded so funny when they talked and the young American had a funny accent.
The girl started running again, fearing her father would surely be home by now. She puzzled over the American's reaction when she said that she had to go home. He hadn't wanted her to leave, saying it was too dangerous. She just laughed at him, saying she knew her home better than him. she had lived here her whole life, after all. Yet the streets were strangely silent. Not even the old lady from the corner was around. The girl paused, scanning the streets, looking for some sign of life. "Allah, please don't let the Americans be right." she prayed, heading straight across the street to her house.
Suddenly, her brother came running out of the house, screaming at her to run. "Run, Jasmine, run!", he yelled, grabbing her wrist as he went by. As he dragged jasmine down the alley, there was a loud explosion. Yanking free, she turned around, only to find that her house, the building she had moments ago tried to enter, was now burning. "No!", she screamed, running towards the burning house. Before she could reach it, strong arms came at her from the side, lifting her up and carrying her away. Suddenly, the Americans were everywhere, some trying to calm her, others keeping people in their houses, and others still trying to put out the fire.
When the strong arms holding her finally set her down in a chair, she saw it was the young American with the funny accent. "how did you know?", Jasmine asked. "your brother", the American said. "He told us that someone had threatened to kill your family if we continued talking to you." Jasmine was silent, thinking about who would have done this. Her father was loved by almost everybody. None of their neighbors would have killed them. Father was kind to everyone. And Allah! Father was true to Allah, and Allah promised to protect those who were devout! The Americans had told her that her god wasn't real. Maybe they were right....
The girl started running again, fearing her father would surely be home by now. She puzzled over the American's reaction when she said that she had to go home. He hadn't wanted her to leave, saying it was too dangerous. She just laughed at him, saying she knew her home better than him. she had lived here her whole life, after all. Yet the streets were strangely silent. Not even the old lady from the corner was around. The girl paused, scanning the streets, looking for some sign of life. "Allah, please don't let the Americans be right." she prayed, heading straight across the street to her house.
Suddenly, her brother came running out of the house, screaming at her to run. "Run, Jasmine, run!", he yelled, grabbing her wrist as he went by. As he dragged jasmine down the alley, there was a loud explosion. Yanking free, she turned around, only to find that her house, the building she had moments ago tried to enter, was now burning. "No!", she screamed, running towards the burning house. Before she could reach it, strong arms came at her from the side, lifting her up and carrying her away. Suddenly, the Americans were everywhere, some trying to calm her, others keeping people in their houses, and others still trying to put out the fire.
When the strong arms holding her finally set her down in a chair, she saw it was the young American with the funny accent. "how did you know?", Jasmine asked. "your brother", the American said. "He told us that someone had threatened to kill your family if we continued talking to you." Jasmine was silent, thinking about who would have done this. Her father was loved by almost everybody. None of their neighbors would have killed them. Father was kind to everyone. And Allah! Father was true to Allah, and Allah promised to protect those who were devout! The Americans had told her that her god wasn't real. Maybe they were right....
