,! ,/> ,pupil's ,di>y ,5try by ,fiza
,pa?an
  ,de> ,di>y1
  ,i _h a wond];l "d at s*ool td4 ,i got
a /> & ,i,0m go+ to tell y all ab x4
  ,i,0m ei<t ye>s old1 b ,i,0m ! talle/
boy 9 ! class4 ,i1 & ! o!r kids 9 my
nei<borhood1 /udy at ! s*ool d[n !
block4 ,actually1 \r s*ool 0 once "s?+
t]rible2 x 0 a 4gu/+ ,*ri/ian *ur*1 "s?+
call$ 8,ca?olic40 ,! s*ool (ficials tore
x d[n & made x 9to a prop] s*ool = u
kids4
  ,s1 ,i w5t to s*ool td4 ,i 0 ! f/ "o
"! s ,i got ! bi7e/ t$dy be> to d my
tra9+ )4 ,! kids :o 7 late got t$dies t
7 way too small1 ! *1p "os t \r soldi]s
/ole f ! h&s ( flee+ ,jewi% kids 2f !y
%ot !m 9 ! h1d4
  ,my t1*] made u d \r practice tra9+ 9
! morn+4 ,he h&$ u \r da7]s4 ,we ea*
*eck$ ) \r f+]s if !y 7 %>p 5\<4 ,s9ce
,i 0 e>ly to class1 ,i got to
demon/rate4 ,i put ! da7] on ! neck ( !
t$dy & slit x ! way my t1*] _h        #a
tau<t me to d4 ,! o!r /ud5ts foll[$ me1
b ,i 0 ! be/ at cutt+ (f t$dy's h1d4
  8,! jugul>10 my t1*] scold$ ano!r
/ud5t :o 0 cutt+ ! wr;g "p ( ! t$dy4 8,!
jugul> & d x sl[ly2 x %d make !m cry40
  ,af da7] practice 0 ov]1 we all sat &
s++ practice 2gan4 ,s++ is important2 x
t\*es s\ls & br+ !m clos] to ,god4
  ,we sang ! na;nal an!m4 ,t1*] sd ,i 0
! be/ s+] & patt$ me on ! h1d4
  8,n[1 :o "ks a gd ,5gli% s;g1 a hymn =
\r na;n80 \r t1*] ask$4
  ,e kid 0 /ump$4 ,!y knew pl5ty (
,5gli% s;gs1 "s ( !m 7 ,am]ican4 ,b y
c\ldn't s+ ^? s;gs anymore4 ,!y knew
8,if ,i ,0 ,yr ,boyfr0 by t ,ju/9 ,bieb]
nonbeliev] & 8,t's ,:at ,makes ,y
,b1uti;l0 by ,"o ,direc;n1 ano!r gr\p (
nonbeliev]s",-may ! devil plague !m6
  ,b no "o knew a hymn 9 ,5gli% to \r
cause4 ,n a s+le kid4 ,well1 "ey"o
except me6
  ,i rais$ my h& & t1*] smil$4
  ,he ask$ me to /& up & s+ 9 place4
  ,! o!r kids turn$ to look at me4    #b
,!y 7 j1l\s 2c !y 7 n z sm>t z me4
  ,i put my h&s 2h my back & /ood /rai<t
l ,i d :5 s++ ! na;nal an!m4 ,i op5$ my
m\? & 2gan to s+3
  ,we = ! sake ( ,allah h come "u !
bann]1
  ,we = ! sake ( \r ,caliph h torn ! _w
as"u2
  ,we = ! sake ( \r rap$ si/]s w kill !
"os responsible1
  ,we = ! sake ( \r na;n w die1 b n 2f
we 2come 9cr$ible4
  ,i didn't "k ! m1n+ ( .1rap$1 b daddy
_h tau<t me ? s;g :ile we 7 flee+ ,9dia
to come "h1 to ? l& ( milk & h"oy4
,daddy tau<t me a lot ( s;gs & hymns z
we fl$ ,9dia4 ,we alm got cau<t1 b \r
fake passports "w$4 ,daddy is s sm>t4
,he is n[ "w+ z a soldi] "h4
  8,bravo1 my son10 my t1*] sd1 & he
%ook my h&4 ,! o!r kids clapp$1 b "s
spat on ! gr.d ) 4gu/4
  8,bravo1 my son10 my t1*] sd ag1 hold+
me by ! %\ld]s & look+ 9to my eyes4 8,y
>e a gem ( a man alr4 ,y get a /> =   #c
?40
  ,& ,i did2 a /> made ( metal %9+ l
gold1 ! "os soldi]s put on _! uni=ms4 ,i
0 s pr\d t ,i c\ldn't /op smil+4
  ,! t1*] !n sd x 0 alm "t = pray]s1 b
2f t1 did any ( u kids "k :o we 7 deep 9
\r he>ts8 ,_m kids answ]$3
  8,we >e ,allah's b.s+ 9 fle%40
  8,we >e ! t]ror ( ! ,we/]n]s40
  8,we >e ! protectors ( \r fai?40
  8,we >e true wor%ipp]s ( ! almi<ty40
  ,b ! t1*] sd all _! answ]s 7 wr;g4 ,i
knew t too1 2c ,i knew ! r1l answ]4
,t1*] !n ask$ me1 8,tell me1 son1 :o >e
we80
  ,i smil$1 fiddl+ ) my gold /> 2f
answ]+3 8,we >e m5 :o love d1? j z "s p
love _! life2 we >e soldi]s :o fi<t 9 !
"d & ! ni<t40
  ,my t1*] clapp$1 & s did ! o!r kids1
except = ! "os :o yet ag spat on ! floor
& gave me angry looks4
  ,we sp5t ! re/ ( ! "d pray+1 go+ to !
mosque t 0 once a *ur*4 ,!y call$ x
.1,lu!ran1 : s.ds s ugly4 ,i !n       #d
came home1 & "h ,i am writ+ 9 ? di>y1 :
,daddy gave me to record ! fun "t ,i,0m
hav+ "h 9 ? new c.try1 ! place ": ,allah
truly lives ) 8 2lov$ p4
  ,i,0m s happy to h e>n$ my />4 ,i'll
we> x tm to ! next 2h1d+ on ! ma9 squ>e
( ^? bad m5 :o 7 try+ to escape h1v51 ?
place ": we /ay4 ,i love 2h1d+s4 ,i take
pictures ( x on my uncle's cell ph"o4 ,i
love ! blood1 snapp$ b"os1 & torn ve9s !
be/4
  ,tm1 \r class w burn crosses at !
2h1d+4 ,i w burn n a cross1 b a small
/atue ( ,m>y1 "m ( t prophet :o s9n$ ag/
u4 ,i've n"e burn$ h] 2f1 n 2c ,i hav5't
gott5 a *.e to d s1 b 2c 4 4 4 h] eyes1
h] eyes :5 !y look at me >e funny4
  ,well1 x's "t to g = pray]s4 ,i %
write lat]4
  ,yrs alw1
  ,alif ,%ifaq ( ! ,,isis *n brigade1
  #c ,bel ,anif ,man.n1
  ,sultan ,salad9 ,road1
  ,raqqa1
  ,,isis ,syria1                      #e
  ,m>* #ab1 #bjae4
  "9
  ,af ! fall ( ,,isis 9 ,raqqa1 an
,am]ican soldi] ) 8 5tire t1m 7 on !
gr.d = 9spec;n purposes4 ,x 0 ! ye>
#bjag1 & ! :ole c;y _h be5 raz$ to !
gr.d4
  ,! ,am]ican soldi]'s "n 0 ,emmanuel1 &
z he walk$ ov] ! imm5se quant;y ( ru2le1
he spott$ "s?+4
  ,x 0 a di>y4 ,a bit batt]$ due to !
bomb+1 b 9 gd %ape4
  ,! h& ( a prete5 0 f.d hold+ a p5 2s
x4 ,! h& only4 ,n ! re/ ( ! body4 ,!
body _h be5 9c9]at$4
  ,emmanuel lift$ ! di>y & du/$ x4 ,he
took x al;g ) hm1 jump+ ov] a pile (
du/y t$dy be>s ) _! ?roats cut4
  8,c;y ( ! d1d10 ,emmanuel 9ton$1 z he
op5$ ! di>y to r1d4 ,! f/ ?+ he r1d 0 an
9scrip;n 9 black 9k f a f.ta9 p54 ,x 0
d"o 9 calligraphy",-skill;lly d"o4
  .7,we >e m5 :o love d1? j z y love yr
life1.'
  .7,we >e ! soldi]s :o fi<t 9 ! "d   #f
& ! ni<t4.'
  ,emmanuel si<$ & turn$ a page4
  "9"9"9
  ,copy"r ^c#bjbj ,fiza ,pa?an




















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