Mud City

Mud City — page 7 — finish the story Then maybe they’d leave her alone She pictured the pastureland in her mind and for a moment she was taken away from the noise dirt and smell of the refugee camp I was sitting up with the sheep one dark night guarding them because sheep are so stupid they can’t look after themselves The other shepherds big grown men were asleep I was the only one awake I sat by a small fire watching the sparks fly up into the sky like stars There was an eerie silence in the hills All I could hear was the sound of the shepherds snoring Then suddenly a wolf howled Shauzia howled like a wolf Some of the children gasped and some of them laughed and the women in the embroidery group nearby stopped chatting for a moment That was followed by another howl and then another howl There was a whole pack of wolves in the forest wanting to gobble up my sheep I stood up and saw the wolves begin to creep out from the shelter of the trees They wanted to eat the sheep but first they had to deal with me I counted four then five then six seven giant wolves coming toward me tense on their haunches ready to spring I bent down and grabbed two burning sticks from the

Mud City — page 8 — fire I held them up just as the wolves jumped at me They were hungry and strong but I was angry that they had disturbed my quiet night so I was more than a match for them I kicked at them and waved the burning sticks until they were so tired out that they collapsed at my feet and fell asleep In the morning they were so embarrassed they simply slunk away back into the forest grateful that I didn’t laugh at them Hello children Mrs Weera swept into the compound like a strong wind Every time you tell that story you add another wolf she said whooshing past her into the hut Shauzia jumped to her feet and followed her inside Mrs Weera I need to talk to you Another one of our secret girls schools has been discovered by the Taliban Mrs Weera was saying to her assistant We must see what we can Mrs Weera But Mrs Weera ignored Shauzia Shauzia felt Jasper’s solid dog-body beside her and it gave her strength Mrs Weera I want to be paid she shouted That got Mrs Weera’s attention You want to be paid For telling stories Whoever heard of such a thing Not for telling stories

Mud City — page 9 — phys-ed teacher legs of hers Mrs Weera Shauzia shouted I need to be paid Mrs Weera came back Which is it Want or need I’m sure we all want to be paid but do we need to be And are you not already being paid Did you not eat today Will you not sleep under a roof tonight I will not back down this time Shauzia vowed to Mrs Weera was already striding away on those strong herself I told you my plans when I first came here I told you I’d need to earn some money but you’ve kept me so busy with your little jobs I haven’t had time to look for real work I would have thought bringing comfort to your fellow Afghans in a refugee camp could be considered enough real work for a lifetime A lifetime Shauzia exclaimed in horror You expect me to do this for a lifetime I didn’t leave Afghanistan just to live in mud She flung her arms at the mud walls surrounding the Widows Compound knowing that on the other side of them in the regular part of the refugee camp were more mud walls Maybe the whole world was mud walls now and she’d never get away from them Mrs Weera gave Shauzia a hard look This isn’t that France nonsense again is it

Mud City — page 10 — It’s not nonsense She thinks she’ll just go to the sea hop on a ship sail to France and be welcomed there with open arms Mrs Weera announced to the growing crowd that had gathered to see what the excitement was As others laughed Shauzia realized that was what she hated the most about living in a refugee camp She couldn’t even have an argument in private She wants to spend her life sitting in a cornfield Mrs Weera continued It’s a lavender field Shauzia thought but she didn’t bother saying anything And I don’t want to spend my life there I just want to stay there long enough to get the sound of your voice out of my head Why won’t you go into the nurses training program like I arranged for you In a few years you might be able to work as a nursing assistant and earn money that way The sea isn’t going anywhere Neither as far as I know is France A few years I can’t spend a few years here I’ll go crazy I’ll be like her Shauzia pointed at the crazy woman A woman with no name she had been found rocking and moaning on the streets of Peshawar Aid workers had brought her to the Widows Compound She

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