“buttodayisyourluoodtive.doyousaytothat,boys”</p>

“thatsgenerous,”kalblurted,“especiallyaftertherudennersheshoe.”heorinhisvoice.theniuood:</p>

heind.</p>

assefissivehand.“bakhshida.fiven.itsdone.”hisvoicedroppedalittle.“ofurse,nothingisfreeinthisypardonesallprice.”</p>

“thatsfair,”kalsaid.</p>

“nothingisfree,”waliadded.</p>

“yourealuckyhazara,”assefsaid,takingasteptooday,itsonlygoingtostyouthatbluekite.afairdeal,boys,isntit”</p>

“rethanfair,”kalsaid.</p>

evenfrhaentandiranthiskiteforhiiranitfairly.thisishiskite.”</p>

“aloyalhazara.loyalasadog,”assefsaid.kalslaughwasashrill,nervoussound.</p>

“butbeforeyousa,thinkaboutthis:</p>

eforyouhaveyoueveres,yourenothingbutanuglypet.sothingheplayethinghekickethingre.”</p>

“araghaandiarefriends,”hassansaid.helookedflushed.</p>

“friends”assefsaid,laughing.“youpathetiedayyoullyourlittlefantasyandleajusthohis.giveusthatkite.”</p>

hassanstoopedandpik.</p>

assefflinched.hebegantotakeastepback,stopped.“lastce,hazara.”</p>

hassansansthatheldtherock.</p>

“everyoutonedhiserat,tookitoff,foldeditsloely.heplaceditagainstthewall.</p>

iopeh,alstsaidsothing.alst.therestoflifeghthavetuedoutdifferentlyifihad.butididnt.ijustched.paralyzed.</p>

asseftionedingahalfle,trappinghassaninthealley.</p>

“ivegednd,”assefsaid.“iettingyoukeepthekite,hazara.illletyoukeepitsoitindyouofabouttodo.”</p>

thehassan,knoghiotheground.alfollowed.</p>

i</p>

...</p>