Day 35

We're almost in Australia! We are on the warship which is speeding towards the coastline. Instead of feeling excited upon the reaching of Australia, I am disappointed as Mum & Dad's boat have not arrived. Rashida said that they could be at the jetty waiting for us so Bibi and I leaned out of the boat and squint at he jetty but they're not there.Andrew came over and puts his hand on my shoulder and promised that he will find the other boat. We had reached Australia and the people were separated into tents. I decided that we should go exploring but Andrew is giving me a strange look. I give it a thought why Anderw was doing that and i understood, it'd be pretty mean if we went sightseeing when our parents could be shipwrecked on a remote island, waiting to be rescued. I give Andrew a grateful look, Australians are really good at thinking of others.

Day 34

The Australian serviceman whose name is Andrew, carried me and Bibi onto the waraship and he could see how scared we were. Bibi had already slept but I'm not so I went to chat with Andrew, who had just brought two platets of fish fingers, chips and peas as he thought that we might still be hungry. I asked Andrew where are Mum & Dad which he replied that they had a plane out looking. Also, he was trying to apologising to us for being a little late in rescuing us as there were paperwork. When I started eating again, I heard a familiar sound-it was Omar! He is back!

Day 33

Suddenly, I heard screaming and the yelling of the people on the deck and they sound terrified. I ignore the screaming and continued scooping out the water as I had no strength for anything else until someone called my name. It's Rashida and she is alive! We stagger onto the deck and my mouth falls open, towering over us, is a HUGE warship. they have guns longer than our whole boat, they also have rockets and machine guns which are all pointing at us causing everyone to panic and running to protect their loved ones. I'm not scared because I recognised the warship's flag, it was the flag of Australia and the Australians had come to rescue us!

Day 32

After the crashing of the huge wave, I have lost both Rashida and Omar. Thank goodness, Bibi is still with me as our belts are tied together with her headcloth. We were scooping out the water in the boat caused by the wave for a long time but doing this doesn't seem to be working. Also, all of us were numb with cold, dizzy of exhaustion and starvation. This is simply torture for Bibi who is only ten and looks pale in the face with her lips blue. Lots of people are looking at her, I suppose they can't believe a female can keep going for this long. They don't how but I know the reason why she can go this long.

Day 31

I was having my football dream again, dreaming that I was kicking the football and having Mum & Dad among the spectators. My hips hurt but I will still dazzle the crowd with my footwork when I suddenly heard Bibi's scream which woke me up from my dream. Now I knew why Bibi screamed, a huge wave was about to crash on us!

Day 30

The people at the front of the boat suddenly started screaming. I see that another boat is approaching, for a moment I think that that was the boat Mum & Dad are travelling on but it is too big. The people on that boat are holding onto weapons and people on this boat are whispering among themselves saying a word which makes me feels very scared. The word is PIRATES! I thought that the smugglers are going to fight the pirates but they don't which makes me feel puzzled. The pirates are trying to drag girls onto their boat, I tried to help Bibi and Rashida by helping them to hide their hair and etc. Finally, the pirates went off and the smugglers abandoned us in the middle of the ocean with a boat full of starving people. What should we do next....

Day 29

Bibi is having a fever and she keeps asking how many days have we been on the boat. I think Bbi is thinking of how many days we can survive as the food & water has finished this morning. Also, today is Bibi's birthday. It is already bad enough that we are being stuck out here in the middle of the ocean. Rashida, Omar and I wished Bibi a happy birthday. We talked about how the Australian government celebrate your birthday by bringing all sorts of goodies to your house. I think this must be Bibi's worst birthday celebration....

Day 28

I wake up and found that I am not seasick anymore! The chief smuggler is saying that we had paid the wrong amount for the trip and need to pay more. I do not have any money with me, I suppose nobody have much money with them now. The smugglers are rummaging the bags of the people searching for valuable items. Thank goodness, Rashida has the watch that her father gave her which save our life. I am so grateful to Rashida and her father.

Day 27

I distributed some of the bread that I made and Omar said that I was a GENIUS. I am seasick. Rashida help me knot a shirt on my head to keep the sun off and gave me a sip of water. I hope we get to Australia soon where there is laughing people, a kind government and where we get to reunite with Mum and Dad.

Day 26

I hope that I would be able to bake bread on this boat. The other smugglers are fascinated by what I am doing which is making bread on a disel engine except for the nasty one who is asleep. I want to cook this bread quickly as I had left Bibi on the deck. It was really good of Rashida to let me use the flour to make bread. The area under the deck is awash with water. I hope the boat isn't leaking.

Day 25

The teenage girl invites us to sit with her on the blanket. Bibi was looking at the soup pot with a mixture of longing and hatred. The girl introduced herself as Rashida and told us about her background. Rashida gave us a sardine each and some water. Bibi does not ike sardines but she managed to swallow the sardine down with a gulp of water. I picked up the football and showed Rashida some football tricks. Rashida unzips her suitcase and gave us some sun protection cream, ignoring Omar. I realise what is more precious to us than anything else is FLOUR.

Day 24

We are sailing to Australia and things are not so good. The deck is so crowded and everyone is sitting so close together just like sardines packed in a can. Bibi is hungry but I'm not as I don't feel hungry when I am missing Mum and Dad and having a headache. I saw people queing up for soup and I went too. The person in front of me was wrapped up in a blanket and as she was not close to the pot, the sailor pulled her closer to the pot which the blanket caught fire. I helped to put out the fire and handed the blanket back to the teenage girl, she did not have herself covered from head to toe which left me in shock as most girls are supposed to do so. When the teenage girl talked to us, I like her already.

Day 23

I need to move fast in order to get on to the other boat which Mum and Dad are on. I tried to get help from one of the smugglers, but he dosen't care and threatens us that if we did not keep quiet, he will throw us out of the boat. We went to sit on the deck and Bibi started crying. The boy that wanted to steal my ball whose name is Omar also has his parents on the other boat. We are trying to be patient.

Day 22

Bibi has vanished under the water. I went into the water trying to save Bibi. I spotted her. She clings onto me making me so hard to pull her up to the surface. Thankfully, somebody is pulling us up to the surface and I found myself lying on the deck of the boat. Every part of me is numb. I grab Bibi and hold her so nobody will be able to take her away again. I tried to find where Mum and Dad are and I found them on the other boat which is moving faster away from us than ever. What can I do to get to Mum and Dad?

Day 21

Suddenly, everyone is rushing to get on the boat. We had lost Mum and Dad amongst all the crowd and they are getting further and further away by all the crush of the people. Bibi wanted to get the ball back so that we could go according to our plan but without a ball, we could do nothing. Suddenly, the boy that wanted my ball tried to help us get the ball. He slipped and fell into the water. I went to seek help but nobody is listening. Bibi was thrown over the side of the boat by the sailor whom I tried to get help from. I hope nothing happens to Bibi...

Day 20

We had got off the plane and were being shut in a hot stuffy house for ages with only one meal of noodles a day. We saw how the boat that we are going to travel on look like. The wooden sides looked splintery. Bibi kept asking Mum which one was our boat even though she had been asking for a millionth time. While we are waiting to get on to the boat, we practised our ball tricks and some people looked shocked as they probably have not seen a girl playing football before. The boy who had tried to steal my ball was here again, he wanted to get the ball due to the deal that we had made last time. The boy wanted Bibi to be his girlfriend if I wanted my ball back. Bibi was angry and gave the ball such a hard kick that it bounced off the the side of one of the boats and disappeared between the boat and the dock.

Day 19

The plane had taken off. We should be excited because this was our first flight but we were not the least bit excited. I was trying to take my mind off the candlestick by trying to imagine what Yusuf is doing now, dreaming about the tiny pieces of his football. One of the overhead cupboard doors just fell off, old planes simply cannot take all this bumping and jolting. I was thinking of all the things inside this aeroplane, like its functions and etc. Now with nothing to protect us, we are going to look out for each other.

Day 18

This was the first time I had been inside an airport. I had only seen an airport on TV once. We were on the bus and I was trying to tell Mum some fond memories of her friends in the village to cheer her up which apparently did not work. All our bags were being fling on to the tarmac and being put into the boots of taxis, Dad was scared that he will never get to see his bag again so he did not let go his grip on the bag but he eventually did. We need to pass through a security check to ensure that we are not carrying any weapons before we can board the plane. Metal objects are forbidden and I remembered that Mum's candlestick was made of solid metal and jewels but there were no flashing red lights when Mum passed through the security check. Mum's candlestick was not here anymore, she had sold the candlestick which had kept our family safe for years. Without it, we are not protected anymore.

Day 17

The government had spies everywhere, I think that they must be here because they had spotted Dad and had told the local police to arrest him. I tried to plead with the police but Dad was giving me pleading looks to me instead of the police which left me in complete confusion. I saw Dad giving a stack of paper money to the police so he is paying the police not to arrest him. I wondered where did he get so much money from. Mum asked Dad when are we leaving. Dad said that we are going to Australia in the next couple of days. I told Bibi all the information about Australia that I had found out from the man earlier. Mum still looked miserable, there must still be some more bad things that we have not discovered yet.

Day 16

An idea struck me. I decided to bake bread, this could help feed the hungry people in this camp and the smell of bread can attract Dad so that he would be able to find me. I just need flour, water, salt and an oven to bake bread. I knew how to build an oven out of dirt, I could get flour and water from the people easily but not salt, nobody would pack salt at this point of time, so baking bread seemed out of the question. The boy who tried to steal my ball, grabbed my hand saying that he will bring me back to my family either for a dollar or my football. The boy was pulling me towards a car which was parked there,there were two dressed like English Premier League managers giving out tickets. People were pushing and shoving, I also wanted tickets, I tried to show them my football tricks but there were too many people and I ended up getting nothing and the managers also started driving away. I was finally back at my own tent and I saw Dad being surrounded by uniformed police!

Day 15

I have never saw such a big crowd in my life before. This refugee camp has many tents with lots of people. We are trying to pitch our tent and at the same time trying to find a way on how we can get to Australia. While I was practising my football antics, a small boy came towards me, trying to sell a bottle of drinking water which I declined the offer politely. Suddenly, he made away with my ball when I kicked it towards him. I tried to keep up with him and ended up in a different part of the camp where tents are worn and ragged, the people looked sickly because of hunger. I went to block an oncoming truck trying to get the attention of the driver to help the people in this camp. A man wearing a shirt with a flag unknown to me got into a conversation with me, which I got more information about Australia, where girls could play football not like here in Afghanistan. I tried to tell Mum abd Dad about the information that I got but I am lost in this different part of the camp. I an not going to give up so easily.

Day 14

Bibi was getting more and more impatient as time passed, questioning Mum every now and then, wanting to know when we will reach our destination. Bibi and I were lying under smelly old sacks in the back of the lurching, noisy, cold truck, causing us to feel rather impatient. Finally, I found out where exactly are we heading. We were going to Australia, a place where there is certainly no team in the English Premier League and I do not know where its exact location is. Dad had chose Australia as it is too far for the government to locate us. Suddenly, we heard some voices outside, but after a conversation with the driver, the truck took off again and we had reached the border.

Day 13

We were already out of the football stadium, trying to find out where Mum and Dad were. Of course, Mum and Dad did not know that we had witnessed the whole incident at the stadium. While Bibi was crying, a vehicle stopped at the place where Dad had parked his car moments before. Out came Mum and Dad, we hugged each other for a while, then went to pack our things and paint the taxi in another colour so that the government would not recognize. I also heard Dad said that he was going to sell the taxi which he had driven for years, which might cause him to feel pretty down. I am having thoughts of my new plan again.

Day 12

We went to the football stadium. I was trying to hide the gender of Bibi by getting her to wear my clothes which appeared to be very baggy on her. We were trying to find Mum among all that crowd. An army truck was there, with lots of women having their hands tied up, trying to warn us that what the consequence was when women play football. I finally found Mum among the women, she was trying to run away from the soldier. The soldiers had Mum at gunpoint but Dad managed to save the day by rescuing Mum in the nick of time.

Day 11

I had just woken up on the floor of my Dad's taxi. Mum was still not here yet, as usual when Bibi woke up, she was hoping to find Mum. Dad was going to leave us at the shop to go to the football stadium, probably he had the same plan as me. How I wish Mum and Dad are really going to convince the government football official.

Day 10

We were going to the city. The three of us, Dad Bibi and I had to leave without Mum. Everyonewas still chattering about the EXPLOSION and what vivid imaginations they had, claiming to have found bits of us. I will miss Afghanistan, but at least the four of us can still stay together as one family.

Day 9

The perfect way to get football practice is in the night when the whole town seems to be sleeping. I was practising my ball tricks when I heard a familiar voice. Bibi had sneaked out, she saw me creeping out and was also looking for Mum and Dad. Within seconds, she flicked the ball, with her AMAZING SKILLS and talent, she gave the ball one hard kick. The ball thumped into our house door and EXPLODE! Our house was gone, the government had blown up our house.

Day 8

I was watching football just a few moments ago in Yusuf's grandfather's house,which gave rise to an idea. I thought that if I could play football really well and represent Afghanistan, perhaps the government would stop being cross with my parents for running an illegal school. For this plan to happen the way I wanted, I need to practice on my football skills.

Day 7

I was so angry and shocked at the same time. This piece of shocking news had come too suddenly which cause my mind to be in a state of whirl. We had to leave for good and I went to pack my stuff. All of us did not want to leave, everyone looked so miserable, for once I am determined to find a way for us to stay.

Day 6

Bibi was a much better football player than me. Dad and Mum were so gloomy, I found out that it had nothing to do with me breaking the windoes but because of a much graver thing-the governmant had found out about our illegal school. We have to leave right NOW!

Day 5

This was the worst day ever! Even going back to my own house, I still need to creep back just because of playing football. Worse still, girls are not allowed to step out of the house without a parent and Bibi did it. Also, I was being accused of something I never did but eventually did which was breaking a window of Mr Nasser and ended up being escorted back home by our father.

Day 4

My dear sister, Bibi had stepped on a mine, thank goodness there was no explosion. I could not afford to lose this sister, I tried to help her get off the mine by slipping my leg onto hers so that she could get off. Bibi was supposed to run away but she was back again in a few moments. We hugged each other and fell off the mine but nothing happened, no explosion , no anything! What a close shave for the both of us!

Day 3

I was just trying to get my beloved ball back that I loved as a sister. I was so afraid that the tank would move and crush my dearest ball causing it to explode. I couldn't bear for that to happen. Something funny happened , the tank started to back off and I ran to get my ball. I was so happy that I could finally retrieve my ball. A happy ending!

Day 2

Today Bibi and I had such a shocking experience! Bibi kicked the ball so hard that it was in the next gully. There was a tank there and it so happened that it suddenly moved causing my heart to almost popped out. I was really rooted to the ground at that time and it should be the most shocking time of my life!

Day 1

I am so mad about football and I had a so great game today. That was totally awesome. I played with my friend and they were all so good at the game, especially Yusuf, and he had only one leg! Then something terrible happened, Bibi went to play and that was something that she CANNOT even do as she is a GIRl! Though she did played very well, and scored a goal, she had still done something ABSOULETELY wrong!