Letters from a Refugee

Letter 1: From Mistalia

Uncle Aamir,

We are in trouble. It happened so suddenly, one minute the twins and I were playing and the next minute men barge past dad and search the house. They upturned most of the chairs and tables, it looked like they were searching for something in particular. Sun and Moon looked like they had just stepped in a landmine, their faces ashen. The men looked at them as if they were vermin that shouldn't have even stepped foot in an house. I wanted to punch them at that moment, the only thing that stopped me was dad's worried face and the twins shaking hands. I settled for glaring at them from under my burqa, they ignored me and kept destroying our house. I guess that's the cost of being a girl.

After a while they stopped looking and went up to dad and had a conversation with him. While they were doing that, the twins asked me what was happening and what would happen to us. I told them that dad would make sure we were safe, that everything would work out and that mum was up there somewhere watching over us. That seemed to calm them down and they stopped looking so terrified, I smiled at them but inside I was anything but. I kept moving my hand to feel the pendant hanging from my neck, the only part of mum I had left. Some time later they left after exchanging a look with dad.

Once we couldn't see them anymore, we all looked towards dad. The twins were upright and not leaning on me so I threw the burqa of my head to reveal the oversized pants and t-shirt. I know, I know, it wasn't really a good idea but how could I disrespect mum's memory like that? She always told me that you should never stop being who you are for anyone, even if who you're is illegal in the government's eyes. Anyway, the minute dad turned around I knew something was very wrong, he had the same look in his eyes that he had when mum was taken. He took a deep breath and said the words that I was afraid of hearing the most, "they found out, they think we are doing something illegal."

My breath got stuck in my throat, that was, as you know the worst thing that could have ever happened. We had a hidden cupboard in the basement that held the books, stationary and teaching tools we used to teach girls. We also have a rule in our house that burqas are not necessary, and a phone for me and dad that is hidden from prying eyes. We are very careful, so how could they have found out? Dad only did all those because he didn't want mum's work to be for nothing. I felt like breaking down and crying at that moment, to just do what any normal ten year old would do but one look at the twins faces stopped me. They looked like someone had just told them that there was such a thing as films and cameras in the world, confused without a clue as to what's happening. So, instead of doing what I wanted I lifted my head and asked dad what we were going to do and what had happened.

Dad told us that they were going to come back in five hours so we had to leave in the next hour. He told us to pack everything we could into the suitcases we had and to be ready to leave in the next thirty minutes. The twins immediately ran off to their room and i followed them after sharing a look with dad. I rushed to my room and took out the things I wanted to take, the photo of mum hidden in the back of my dresser, my phone, two pairs of clothes and mum's jacket. After a second of thought, I rushed to the cupboard and pulled out as much food and water as I could carry in my arms and the folder at the back of the burqa shelf that was wrapped in a light blue burqa. After about ten minutes everything was stuffed, I mean packed, into the suitcase, the pendant was still hanging from my neck and my hair was tied back with the only hairband I needed.

I went into the Sun and Moons' room to help them pack. A short while later everything was packed and we were ready to go wherever dad was going to take us. Dad wordlessly gestured for us to follow him out to the car and i covered myself with the burqa before leading the twins out. I was feeling like maybe everything was going to be okay when The twins looked at me and asked if mum was going to come with us. I didn't know what to say so I just ruffled their heads and smiled before looking at dad. He smiled at me before starting the car.

What do you think i should have told them? Where do you think Dad is taking us? Is everything going to be ok? When are we going to be ok? Most of all, Do you think that we will survive to tell the tale? What was mum like?

Please write back soon,

Your favourite niece,

Mistalia