The trees are thick and I know this valley so well. I decide to try to catch up with my family. I'm sure I can move faster than them. They might be waiting for me, or maybe my father has returned to our village to look for me. I decide to check the village just in case, but I hope not, as the soldiers are probably still there. After thirty minutes I am standing behind some trees near my old home. It is burning. All the huts are burning. The soldiers are not there, and nor is my father. Everything has been destroyed and my old life is gone. Maybe this is a sign; maybe God is telling me my future is not here in the valley. I am scared but something deep inside me is excited. I turn and head up the valley to find my parents and to find my future.
Today is not hot. Walking is easy and although I am alone, my heart is full of hope. When I find my family I will tell them how brave I was, how I killed one of the soldiers and took his gun. They will be proud of me, proud of their daughter. But why am I crying? I can't stop the tears. Can't stop seeing the image of the soldier's blood. His face twisted in shock as I shoot him. His eyes as the life went from them. I didn't care about him, but now I feel so bad. He was a bad man but I shouldn't have killed him. God will punish me.
Night comes. I am surprised that I haven't yet found my family. Perhaps they didn't wait for me. Why not? I continue walking but it is so difficult to see ahead as there are heavy clouds and no moon. I cannot stop though, I must continue. After a while it gets cold and I have to stop and try to keep warm. I can't sleep but I am so sleepy that I feel crazy. I wake up sweating. I must have fallen asleep. I look around me into the dark night. On the horizon is the first light of the new day. At least I know which way is north now. I stand up and continue walking. Me feet are sore and my legs ache. I look at my storybook. It gives me hope. The soldiers gun feels heavy and reminds me of the bad thing I did, but I need it. I am hungry. Today I must walk a long way.
On the third day, the land becomes dry and there is nothing to eat and little water. I know I must find the refugee camp soon, or I will die. In the afternoon I see a group of people in the distance. They look like my people, not soldiers. After a while I catch up with them, but do not recognize them. The eldest man tells me they are from a village down the valley and left before the soldiers came. They all look very weak and two of the children look ill. I wonder if my parents and young brother are still alive, or whether they died out here in this dry place. This group has not met my parents, but I am invited to travel with them. It is good to be with other people, and to be able to talk for the first time in four days. I am lucky because the elder knows this area well and knows how to reach the border and the refugee camp.
I sleep well, but when I wake up, the group of people is gone. They left and took the money, gun and my water bottle. I am alone again. By the side of last night's fire is my storybook. It is half-burned. They tried to burn my future. I realize that I cannot trust anyone. Everyone is a liar. I follow their footprints in the dusty ground. When I find them I will kill them, just like I killed the soldier. I walk on and on until I come to a long cliff. Should I try to climb up and over it, or should I try to walk around it? I don't know what to do. The ground is rocky and there are no footprints to follow. If I make the wrong choice, what will happen? I must make the right decision.