Chapter seven in Hassan's point of view
The wind whipped around my face as I happily went, on Amir's orders, to retrieve the bright blue kite that the happened to cut down. There it was…on top of a pile of rubble was the kite. I stopped to pick up the kite for Amir. I grinned to myself as I imagined the look of joy across Amir's face. The look he would have when he held the kite up and proudly showed his Baba. It was a shame that the only reason Amir's baba would smile at him, the way Ali always smiled at me, was because he won a kite but it was ok. I heard something shift behind him and when I turned around I saw Assef, with his icy blue eyes, and his gang probably looking for the kite…that I was currently holding in my hand. He tried to hide it behind his back and get away quickly.
My eyes widened as I heard Assef shout "Hazara!" and I turned to run. I ran as quickly as I could down the road, passing many people whom I hoped would save him from the gang of tormentors. If they saw me, none stopped to help so I kept running until there was nowhere left to run. I turned down an alley hoping to escape them but I had no luck as the surrounded me. Not wanting to harm Amir's kite, I set it on a small pile of scraps and turned to face the trio in a defensive position. Assef stood in front of me, flanked by two boys that I recognized only because they were the children of Amir's Baba's friend. Assef was grinning while he twirled his brass knuckles slowly.
Where is your slingshot, Hazara?"Assef said grinning softly as he twirled his brass knuckles in his hand, "What was it you said? 'They'll have to call you One-Eyed Assef'. That's right. One-Eyed Assef. That was clever. Really clever. Then again, it's easy to be clever when you're holding a loaded weapon."
The grin fell from his face and was replaced by a twisted smirk that chilled me to the very bone. He took a step closer to me and said, "But today is your lucky day, Hazara," he said smugly. "I'm in the mood to forgive. What do you say to that, boys?"
He turned and looked at the others practically willinjg them to say something.
"That's generous," One of them, the one on the right uttered quickly, "Especially after the rude manners he showed us last time." He sounded scared and that fear in his voice worried me.
"Bakhshida. Fogiven. It's done." He waved his hand in dismissal and dropped his voice a bit. Not enough that I had to strain to hear but enough to chill me. "Of course, nothing is free in this world, and my pardon comes with a small price." I almost raised my eyebrows at that.
"You're a lucky Hazara," Assef said, looking like he was almost going to laugh, "because today, it's only going to cost you that blue kite. A fair deal, boys, isn't it?"
I looked at the kite sitting there on the scrap pile. It was Amir's kite. He won it without cheating and when he brought it home, his Baba would be so happy that maybe, just maybe, he would pick Amir up and hug him with pride.
"That's fair."The one on the right said quickly. I listened to that as I strenghtened my resolve.
"Nothing is free." The one on the left said as if to will everything in their favor.
"More than fair." The one on the right stated, his eyes pleading with me to give in and give away the kite.
Looking at the all I opened my mouth and said "Amir Agha won the tournament and I ran this kite for him. I ran it fairly. This is his kite." There I had said it.
"A loyal Hazara. Loyal as a dog" I practically heard a chuckle erupt from Assef but he held it down. The other boy, the one on the right laughed nervously but he shut up quickly.
"But before you sacrifice yourself for him, think about this: Would he do the same for you?" I thought about this and the first thing that came to mind was yes. Of course he would help me, he was my friend.
Assef continued, "Have you ever wondered why he never includes you in games when he has guests? Why he only plays with you when there is no one else is around ?" I had wondered that, but in the end decided to let it go. Amir and I were friends and were bonded in a way that couldn't be broken. Of that I was sure of.
Assef carried on his hateful tiraid, "I'll tell you why, Hazara. Because to him you're nothing but an ugly pet. Something he can play with when he's bored, something he can kick when he's angry. Don't ever fool yourself and think you're something more."
I felt myself go red. Not from embaresment but from anger. That's where he was wrong! I was something more, I was Amir's bestfriend. I was the one that was always there and would always be there for him; and, he would do the same for me. I was sure of that with every fiber of my being. With all of my heart I told him, "Amir Agha and I are friends"
"Friends?" He laughed at me. He actually laughed! "You pathetic fool! Someday you'll wake up from your little fantasy and learn just how good of a friend he , bas! Enough of this. Give us that kite."
Angrily I bent down and picked up a rock; I took pleasure in seeing him flinch and step back a few steps while looking scared.
"Last chance, Hazara." He sounded like he was warning me. I didn't heed his warning though. He shruggedas he said, "Whatever you wish."
He made a motion with his hands and the next thing I knew, the boys were circled up in front of me closer than they had been before.
"I've changed my mind," Assef said. "I'm letting you keep the kite, Hazara. I'll let you keep it so it will always remind you of what I'm about to do." After that he dashed at me, I threw the rock at him and it hit him in the forehead but ultimately I was tackled to the ground.
After being beaten, I was forced onto the ground and my pants were removed. My hands were pinned behind my back and I could feel someone's boot on my neck. The trio was talking in hushed whispers, and then it got louder.
"I don't know," One of the boys was saying, but I wasn't sure which one. "My father says it's sinful."
My eyes widened in wonder. There was a huge list of things that could be considered sinful to the group of boys. What were they going to do to me?
"Your father won't find out," Assef said as if talking to small child, "And there's nothing sinful about teaching a lesson to a disrespectful donkey."
The boys shifted slightly, I could tell by the pressure on my arms, and said, "I don't know."
"Suit yourself," Assef said slightly put off before he turned to the other one and asked, "What about you?
"I …well…" the other boy stuttered to Assef.
"It's just a Hazara," Assef said as if trying to make his case.
"Fine," Assef snapped. "All I want you weaklings to do is hold him down. Can you manage that?"
I felt them both nod eagerly, probably relived that they were exempt from any type of punishment for not going along with Assef. I felt Assef take his boot off of my neck and walk around to where my feet were. He grabbed me roughly by my hips and I heard his belt buckle come undone. The sound of fabric falling seemed painfully loud. I felt him step closer to me and then pain.
Terrified I looked around trying to find away to get away, to go anywhere but here. As I turned my head to the opening of the alley, I saw a person standing there trying to hide. Looking closer, I saw that it was Amir. He looked scared, almost as distressed as I was. I opened my mouth to call his name but then I realized why he wasn't helping me, he was worried about his well-being. He was more concerned about his own safety than mine. He wouldn't save me, my best friend was too frightened to help me, and this saddened me. I knew Amir well enough to know that he was a good person but a bit of a coward; and, I was a Hazara. Looking at him again, I let my eyes soften in understanding because no matter what, he was my best friend. Accepting my fate, I turned to the wall, but not before seeing his eyes cloud with tears. Even after this, he would always be my best friend.
I let myself slip into a dream realm where I wasn't able to feel any pain. Where I wasn't there to hear Assef's words or sense how he was wounding me. After what felt like forever, it stopped and I was thrown rapidly into reality. Assef pulled and buckled up his pants and I felt the pressure on my arms ease up. While I tried in vain to gain some balance, Assef went over and picked up the kite. He threw it at me, laughing as the small weight sent me crashing to the ground again. From the ground I turned to look at all the boys again. Two of them were at the alley's opening, but not Assef, no. He was there a few feet away. I glared up at him and before turning to catch up with his cronies I heard him say, "I hope your precious friend enjoys the kite. You went through a lot to get it for him."
I turned away and he laughed as he met the other two at the mouth of the alley. When he left, I broke down. After eternity, I finally felt well enough to stand up and I went to look for Amir. I found him and met him under a leafless birch tree. I knew that I looked bad
"Where were you? I looked for you" He said scanning me up and down, I knew that he was looking for evidence that I was ok. I handed him the kite and he looked at me like was his savoir. His eyes asked why I went through all the trouble to get the kite for him, his eyes showed how worried he was. I started to say that he was my best friend but my voice couldn't handle it so I stopped. After waiting a second, I finally was able to say, "Agha sahib will worry."
With that I hobbled back to Amir's home. I left him at the door and instead of walking back to my house; I stood under the window of the study and looked up. I saw Amir and his Baba hugging with the kite on the table next to them.
I hope Amir never asks why I went through all of the pain just to get his kite, because I'll tell him that I did it all just to see his Baba hug him; because, no matter what, he was my best friend.