p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: center; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"PROLOGUE/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Juhi! Pass the ball to me!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pi's whiny voice carries across the field and I don't listen. I keep pushing the ball with my feet trying to make it to the other goal post. Soccer is a hard game to play - especially when you have only three players. It's warm and the sun is out. Families enjoying the first day of summer fill the park./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I kick the ball forward and hope it makes it to the end. It does! I stick my tongue out at Pi in triumph. "You /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"wish/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" you could be as good as me!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""At least I'm not a ball hog!" Pi says with as much venom as an eight-year-old can muster up. He turns around, "/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dad!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Juhi's being a ball hog /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"again!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan turns around and faces us. He was busy fixing up the picnic table but is now giving us his full attention. "Come on Juhi, we talked about this. Make sure to pass to Pi and Ji Ah equally!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I don't like sharing with Pi and Ji Ah. They aren't as good as me and they always leave me out of their games. I huff as I stomp towards the other two. "Look at what you did! You got me in trouble again." Pi is always being nasty to me because he wants to show off to Ji Ah. It's not /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"my/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" fault he doesn't know the rules of soccer. And it's not my fault that I'm better. I get angrier as I think about it and I start to pick up speed, charging towards Pi. I ball up my fists darting at him. I can hear him start to scream./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Dad! Dad! /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dad!"/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" he cries out while trying to run away. "/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Stop it!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"" I finally make it to him and I push him down. Even though we're the same age I can easily take him down. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"What a baby./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stop crying! You big fat baby." I say to him as he keeps crying. I look back. "Shhh! He's coming over here!" Parwan slowly starts to walk over to us. He doesn't look angry but his normally cheerful face doesn't look happy. I knew I was in trouble. I look at Ji Ah while standing up, "You better tell him it was Pi's fault."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ji Ah's eyes widen in fear and she tries to hide behind her coal black hair. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She's the same as Pi. A big fat baby./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I used to think that Ji Ah and I could be friends, but I know that she only wants to be friends with Pi. I'm just the tag along. I don't have many friends. Besides Parwan. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Or Pi and Ji Ah, I guess./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan keeps walking to where we all are and crouches next to Pi. He helps him stand up and asks, "What's wrong?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pi sniffles before pointing back at me. He says, "Juhi is trying to hurt me again."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is this true?" He's looking at Ji Ah and waiting for her to confirm. She looks like she's about to say something but I try stopping her from speaking by giving her glares. "Juhi?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I stop frowning to look over at Parwan. His face falls and he looks sad. I want to tell him that it's not my fault. "He started it!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We talked about this. No being mean to your brother." I sulk. This isn't fair. I watch as Parwan embraces Pi and looks over him, checking for injuries. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's not /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"really/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" my brother." I say. "He's just a big meanie!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Juhi!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"" Parwan only uses his loud voice when I've done something really bad. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"true/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"! He's /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" my brother! When my parents come back for me-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That's enough, Juhi." Parwan says sternly. I stop and look over at the three of them. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""When they come back-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Please/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"." Parwan looks tired. He's explained to me before that they aren't going to come back, but it doesn't make sense. Not even a little bit. I feel wetness on my face and my head feels heavy. I look up and the sun is still blazing. My ears burn up and I feel like the world is starting to look green./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""They will! They're coming back!" I want him to agree and say it's okay, and that they /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"will/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" come back to play with me. I want the same hugs that he gives to Pi, and I want them from my parents. It's not fair that stupid Pi and Ji Ah get everything. They get to have parents,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" and/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" friends, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" they get to share everything. I wipe my face trying to rub off the tears. The world is turning green. Not just some things but /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"everything/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" looks like throw-up. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I look at Parwan, and his sand coloured skin looks green. My head feels soupy and I sit down in the field. Everything is the colour of pea soup. Glancing back at where everyone else is I can see another man who was not there before. He's standing like a knight in green metal armour. He's holding a sword and he looks dirty; like he's been outside for too long. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I stop rubbing my tears to inspect the man more closely. He seems to be stomping his foot, and squatting. The harder he stomps the more the ground rumbles. With each rumble he pulls up boulders and rocks above his head; making them begin to rotate and fly off./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Can anyone else see this?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I cower back and cover my head with my hands."There's a man and he's moving rocks with his mind!" I point back to where the man is standing. I don't want to get hit by the rocks./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan's eyes widen before he turns around to scan the field for the man, he gestures for us to stand together. Pi and Ji Ah turn around excited to see what I'm pointing at. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan turns back to face me. He lets out a long breath before saying, "There is no man there. Juhi,please stop playing games."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's there! He's right there!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" I can see him/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", why can't you?" I ask. The man is walking towards us and I can't stop staring right at him. I get closer to Parwan, wanting to hide behind his legs. "He's coming to us right now."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Alarm replaces my original anger as the man slowly starts limping over. I can see his mouth moving but I can't hear what he's saying. I go cold as he finally gets close enough for me to hear. I look up at Parwan to tell him, "He knows my name."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan leans down to face me, his eyes meet mine. My lip quivers and I feel a lump forming in my throat. I want this strange man to leave, and I want everything to be normal colours again. "Hey Juhi, it's okay. It's not real. It's just a dream, okay?" He holds me close and I sob into his neck. Hiccups escape as his dark beard scratches my face, but I don't care. I hold onto him tightly. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I slowly open my eyes. The green is gone. The ground isn't rumbling, and the scary man is gone. I face Parwan again and he looks at me like how he looks at Pi and says, "I won't let anyone hurt you."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Juhi! Pass the ball to me!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pi's whiny voice carries across the field and I don't listen. I keep pushing the ball with my feet trying to make it to the other goal post. Soccer is a hard game to play - especially when you have only three players. It's warm and the sun is out. Families enjoying the first day of summer fill the park./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I kick the ball forward and hope it makes it to the end. It does! I stick my tongue out at Pi in triumph. "You /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"wish/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" you could be as good as me!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""At least I'm not a ball hog!" Pi says with as much venom as an eight-year-old can muster up. He turns around, "/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dad!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Juhi's being a ball hog /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"again!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan turns around and faces us. He was busy fixing up the picnic table but is now giving us his full attention. "Come on Juhi, we talked about this. Make sure to pass to Pi and Ji Ah equally!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I don't like sharing with Pi and Ji Ah. They aren't as good as me and they always leave me out of their games. I huff as I stomp towards the other two. "Look at what you did! You got me in trouble again." Pi is always being nasty to me because he wants to show off to Ji Ah. It's not /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"my/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" fault he doesn't know the rules of soccer. And it's not my fault that I'm better. I get angrier as I think about it and I start to pick up speed, charging towards Pi. I ball up my fists darting at him. I can hear him start to scream./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Dad! Dad! /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Dad!"/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" he cries out while trying to run away. "/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Stop it!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"" I finally make it to him and I push him down. Even though we're the same age I can easily take him down. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"What a baby./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Stop crying! You big fat baby." I say to him as he keeps crying. I look back. "Shhh! He's coming over here!" Parwan slowly starts to walk over to us. He doesn't look angry but his normally cheerful face doesn't look happy. I knew I was in trouble. I look at Ji Ah while standing up, "You better tell him it was Pi's fault."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Ji Ah's eyes widen in fear and she tries to hide behind her coal black hair. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"She's the same as Pi. A big fat baby./spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I used to think that Ji Ah and I could be friends, but I know that she only wants to be friends with Pi. I'm just the tag along. I don't have many friends. Besides Parwan. /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Or Pi and Ji Ah, I guess./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan keeps walking to where we all are and crouches next to Pi. He helps him stand up and asks, "What's wrong?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Pi sniffles before pointing back at me. He says, "Juhi is trying to hurt me again."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is this true?" He's looking at Ji Ah and waiting for her to confirm. She looks like she's about to say something but I try stopping her from speaking by giving her glares. "Juhi?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I stop frowning to look over at Parwan. His face falls and he looks sad. I want to tell him that it's not my fault. "He started it!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We talked about this. No being mean to your brother." I sulk. This isn't fair. I watch as Parwan embraces Pi and looks over him, checking for injuries. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's not /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"really/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" my brother." I say. "He's just a big meanie!"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Juhi!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"" Parwan only uses his loud voice when I've done something really bad. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""It's /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"true/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"! He's /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"not/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" my brother! When my parents come back for me-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That's enough, Juhi." Parwan says sternly. I stop and look over at the three of them. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""When they come back-"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Please/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"." Parwan looks tired. He's explained to me before that they aren't going to come back, but it doesn't make sense. Not even a little bit. I feel wetness on my face and my head feels heavy. I look up and the sun is still blazing. My ears burn up and I feel like the world is starting to look green./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""They will! They're coming back!" I want him to agree and say it's okay, and that they /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"will/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" come back to play with me. I want the same hugs that he gives to Pi, and I want them from my parents. It's not fair that stupid Pi and Ji Ah get everything. They get to have parents,/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" and/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" friends, /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" they get to share everything. I wipe my face trying to rub off the tears. The world is turning green. Not just some things but /spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"everything/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" looks like throw-up. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I look at Parwan, and his sand coloured skin looks green. My head feels soupy and I sit down in the field. Everything is the colour of pea soup. Glancing back at where everyone else is I can see another man who was not there before. He's standing like a knight in green metal armour. He's holding a sword and he looks dirty; like he's been outside for too long. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I stop rubbing my tears to inspect the man more closely. He seems to be stomping his foot, and squatting. The harder he stomps the more the ground rumbles. With each rumble he pulls up boulders and rocks above his head; making them begin to rotate and fly off./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Can anyone else see this?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I cower back and cover my head with my hands."There's a man and he's moving rocks with his mind!" I point back to where the man is standing. I don't want to get hit by the rocks./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan's eyes widen before he turns around to scan the field for the man, he gestures for us to stand together. Pi and Ji Ah turn around excited to see what I'm pointing at. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan turns back to face me. He lets out a long breath before saying, "There is no man there. Juhi,please stop playing games."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""He's there! He's right there!/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" I can see him/spanspan style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;", why can't you?" I ask. The man is walking towards us and I can't stop staring right at him. I get closer to Parwan, wanting to hide behind his legs. "He's coming to us right now."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Alarm replaces my original anger as the man slowly starts limping over. I can see his mouth moving but I can't hear what he's saying. I go cold as he finally gets close enough for me to hear. I look up at Parwan to tell him, "He knows my name."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Parwan leans down to face me, his eyes meet mine. My lip quivers and I feel a lump forming in my throat. I want this strange man to leave, and I want everything to be normal colours again. "Hey Juhi, it's okay. It's not real. It's just a dream, okay?" He holds me close and I sob into his neck. Hiccups escape as his dark beard scratches my face, but I don't care. I hold onto him tightly. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; text-indent: 36pt; text-align: justify; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: 'EB Garamond', serif; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I slowly open my eyes. The green is gone. The ground isn't rumbling, and the scary man is gone. I face Parwan again and he looks at me like how he looks at Pi and says, "I won't let anyone hurt you."/span/p