“
Alright then.” Ahlan replied gratefully as he climbed aboard the caravan and collapsed onto a jumble
of pillows and blankets, exhausted, all the liveliness drained out of him.
A sudden and unexpected jolt woke Ahlan. He sat up and looked around, his vision blurry. He saw
through the tattered cloth roof that the sun had already risen. Rebiya turned to face him.
“
I have a few pieces of bread left. Do you want any?”
Ahlan shaked his head in response, and asked “You speak the dialect, are you from Kashgar?”
Rebiya laughed bitterly. “I’m not from anywhere. I get to Kashgar, and in three days I collect some
people and goods to turn around and come back here. Home? This dusty road is my home. And when the wall
goes up they will take away even that from me. I don’t know where to stay yet. You are lucky to be re-joining
your family in Kashgar.”
In a flash Ahlan’s wild plan loomed in front of him. An expression of realization plastered his face.
“
Oh...I’m not meeting my parents there.”
Rebiya nodded but did not say anything. A silence hung in the air as they continued on the dry road.
Both Ahlan and Rebiya knew the present situation wasn’t the best but they didn’t know what the right one
would be. They also both knew that a caravan would not turn around just for an eleven year old boy’s silly
mistake. The clomps of the camels stopped. They had arrived at an oasis.
Ahlan had never seen such a place. Different looking people speaking incomprehensible languages and
wearing strange clothes. The smell of camels was everywhere. Men were either telling stories, eating or
sleeping. As Rebiya led his camels to water he noticed a man in the distance, he jogged towards him and they
embraced.
“
My brother. Where are you heading?”
“
China. I need to pick up some cargo.” Replied the man. Rebiya glanced at Ahlan, and spoke softly to
his friend for several minutes. Afterwards, he turned back to Ahlan.
“
You will just have to believe me on this one. My brother is heading to China-you can trust him. He
won’t mind taking you there too. And maybe, if I’m lucky, I’ll eat a bowl of noodles at your family’s shop
someday.”
On the bumpy trail toward China, Ahlan spent hours thinking things he never had thought before.
About growing up, and about hope. And he felt so small, but hopeful. Finally he sighed and said out loud “So
many things to learn from life.” Including how big the world is, and understanding that no matter where you are
you can rely on your family, but sometimes you have to rely on a stranger.
* * *