The Kite Runner:Sohrab's Story

3

I picked up a biscuit as Sohrab tumbled down the stairs.I spotted a book in his hand as be came to sit opposite me.

"I...recorded everything that's happened,my baba and Rahim kaka taught me enough for me to be able to write stuff down.I'd right short words,on anything I found,whenever I could,and just reading those words reminded me of the whole day,or incident,"He started,drawing in a deep breathe,he then reached for the book placed beside him and held it out to me,"When I came to America,I started school,learnt english,and wrote down the full detail,it wasn't so much that I wanted to preserve my horrid life,but because I needed to vent my anger,my sadness,and I found I could do it through writing,writing it down felt like I had told somebody,but hadn't."
He continued.

"And you're okay if I read it now?"I asked him reaching out to take the book.

"Who better to know me if not someone who doesn't know me."He smiled sadly.

"Thank you."

"What for?"He looked up

"Well,you're basicaly just letting me read...you.You've bled your heart out on this book,and now,I'll be able to see it and it'll be better than reading a third person manuscript,so thank you."

He smiled and nodded,"Yeah."

I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it,"Even though I'm my baba's son,I've lived more of my life with Amir Kaka and Khala Soraya,and I feel I need to become like Amir Kaka,I want to become more like him,he gave his diary,his story to Uncle Khaled,I'm giving mine to you,following his footsteps."

"You seem...older,somehow you seem older than 23."I said to him.

"If you've seen the things I have,been through the things I have,lived the life I have,you become like me.I saw the world in all its gruelsome beauty when I was just ten! I had a childhood,which wasn't a childhood,nowhere close,so I am 40,if you will."

I blinked back my tears,that was the problem with the world,children who were brought up to the sound of gunshots rather than to the sound of their mother's lullabies,if they had mother's,were bound to age in dog years.

I pressed my lips together as he continued,"Back in Afghanistan,when baba was alive,he used to tell me about how he and Amir Kaka used to play all day long,wander long distances from home,alone.Climb,duck,seek,they'd go for an adventure everyday,I wondered when I would do that,when I'd be allowed to wander around with a friend,but no one did make friends at that time,I didn't know why,then,but now I know.Nobody could be sure the new 'friend' they made wasn't a spy,neighbours for generations had turned away from each other,who would want to come close?"
He did seem 40,the way he talked,I'd heard my grandmother say 'When you reach my age,you'll have seen the world,you can't see it before you become as old as me',well grandma,here you have it,you definitely can see the world before you're 70,even before you're 30.

"And to think that the kids living in places not under siege just waste away inside their houses,slaving off infront of a tv,or a game,or a phone,they don't know,neither do they understand the freedom they have,they don't get that there's a whole world for them to explore out of the bounds of their house,it's their's to take,they don't realise it."Sohrab continued.

I nodded,unable to speak because of the truth in the words.

I heard the front door close and footsteps started our way,"Hide it!"Sohrab said and I quickly stowed it into my bag.

"You guys done?"Soraya poked her head into the living room.

"Just about Khala."Sohrab said,she nodded and walked away as Sohrab grabbed a paper and pen.

"Here's my number,you can read through the journal and give me a call if you need anything else."He said hastily,casting nervous glances at the door.

"Okay,thank you,"I stood up and walked to the door just as Auntie Soraya poked her head back in,"Oh you're leaving? Please,stay for dinner."

"No,I really must get back,thank you."I said courteously and walked to the door,the two of them following me,"Allah Hafiz."I turned to them then walked out.

Hailing another taxi I made my way back to the hotel,anxious to settle in and open the journal which seemed to burn through my bag.

»«§»«

"Good evening,yes I would like to order the grilled lemon caper salmon please,yes,yes that will be all,okay thank you."I put down the phone and breathed deeply.

I will start reading once I have food in my stomach,I thought as I padded into the bathroom.

I sat on my bed switching through channels on the tv when the bell rang,I rubbed my hands together,FOOD!

"Evening madam,your food."The waiter wheeled in the trolley a.d went back to the door,"Would you like anything else?"

"I guess chocolate cake couldn't hurt."Ah chocolate cake,what a good idea.

"Would you like milk chocolate,white chocolate,molten lava..."He listed.

"Milk chocolate will be just fine,thank you."I smiled at him and he went off to the elevator.

I lifted the cloche off the plate and tucked into the food on it,I was just about done when the bell rang again,I smiled to myself,choclate cake,here I come!

I opened the door and saw Sohrab standing there,shifting his feet nervously.

"Hi?"To say I was shocked to see him there would be an understatement.

"Hello...um,here's my number,please call if you have anything to ask,don't come home?"He thrusted a piece of paper towards me.

"Sohrab,you already gave me your number..."I said slowly,trying to figure him out.

"Oh...okay well,goodnight."He turned around and started towards the elevator.

"Sohrab?"I called after him,"Are you sure you don't want to talk,I have chocolate cake coming."

He turned to look at me and shook his head 'no',"I'm sorry to have disturbed you."

I walked towards him,"You're acting sort of strange,come on."I tugged at his sleeve.

"It's...nothing,actually,I just had a bad feeling,so I came to check if you got back fine."

"Oh,thank you...um yeah that was really nice of you,thanks."I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks.

"Yeah."He waved as the elevator doors shut.

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A/N

Hey readers
Please remember to VOTE,COMMENT and SHARE.
Also we have Eid,and then im leaving for vacays,so it might be a month before I update,once again,thank you so much for sticking with the story lovelies.

xxAreej