DAY SIXTEEN

Dear Diary,

I decided to back bread.

The smell will attract dad, and he will be able to bring me back to the tent.

But then someone grabbed me. It was the boy who had tried to steal my ball.

I instinctively protect it.

He offered to take me back to my family. I decide to trust him.

Then a big modern car passes by us.

The boy tells me it is the 'United Nations' and that they give the people out here tickets.

I think that these people can help me and my family and the boy to get to Australia.

I try to get their attention but I don't succeed.

There are too many people.

Oh no.

The United Nations men are going back into their car.

I try to find the kid, but i can't.

I walk around for ages.

Then i finally see dad.

But i see something not that good as well.

Dad is surrounded by uniformed police.

Oh no.

Jamal.

DAY FIFTEEN

Dear Diary,

We are at a refugee camp.

I offered a boy if he wanted to play with me. He says yes.

Instead of passing it back, he takes it and runs!

I'm so angry!

I run after him, but as i am getting closer, he drops the ball.

I want to catch him and whack him on the head. But i don't because I realise I'm lost.

This place is full of sick people!

I see a truck with a red cross. I run after it to try and tell them that there are tons of sick people back in the camp.

I finally stop them.

The man says that the people are just hungry not sick.

I mention that I'm going to Australia soon.

The man introduces me to another man, with yellow hair, a red nose and blue eyes.

I've never seen anyone like that before.

He must be from Australia!

He tells me great things about Australia.

I'm so glad that mum and dad chose such a wonderful place that I could sing.

But when they leave, i realise that I'm still lost.

What kind of a desert warrior am I?

Jamal.

DAY FOURTEEN

Dear Diary,

We're stuck in the back of a stinky old truck, full of sacks.

It smells like there's been goats in them.

I ask mum and dad where we are going.

They say we're going to place called Australia, which i think is really, really far away.

Mum says that it's a safe, happy place where the government won't find us.

After the truck stops, there are men shouting outside of it.

I'm so scared i grab both mum and dad's hands.

Then, thank god, the truck starts moving again.

That's when dad says goodbye to our country.

Jamal.

DAY THIRTEEN

Dear Diary,

Dad comes back with mum.
They are safe.
I've never been so happy in my life.
Dad and Mum tells us that we are going on a trip, a long way away, and that we need to leave soon.
I am thinking that if I go somewhere else and become a football star, then come back to Afghanistan, I might be popular enough to form a new government.
I hope it will work.

Jamal.

DAY TWELVE

Dear Diary,

It wasn't a football trial.
Women were there, covered from head to foot.
They were being punished.
Mum was there.
She escaped.
Thank God.

Jamal.

DAY ELEVEN

Dear Diary,

Dad drops me and Bibi at an old shop.
He asks us to stay there while he goes to pick mum up.
But then he accidentally tells us that he's gping to the football stadium.
That's when i realise that Mum and Dad are going there to explain to the government how our football skills will help Afghanistan get a national team.
This is fantastic.
I decide that since that's their plan, they're going to need us there as well.
I really hope this will work.

Jamal.

DAY TEN

Dear Diary,

Dad says that Mum has gone to the city.
She wants Dad to take us to somewhere safe, and that we'll meet her tommorow.
I believe Dad because he never lies unless it's to protect someone.
But i'm also guilty about Yusuf's ball. I offered to give mine to Yusuf, because I blew his up.
Yusuf won't accept it. He says that we'll need it where we're going.
I hug him to thank him, because I'm afraid that I will cry if i say anything.
Then Dad tells us we have to leave. We get into the taxi and Dad makes us lie down o the floor.
I tell Bibi that no matter what, our family will always be together. Just like Machester United.
I really want to believe it's true.

Jamal

DAY NINE

Dear Diary,

I snuck out to play football.
But then Bibi finds me and wants to play.
I'm impressed with her, she's such a natural.
She made a magnificent kick and then it banged onto the door of our house.
Then it exploded.
Dad swore. He nevers swears. Unless it's about the government.
That makes me realise that the government has blown up our house.
It's not fair.

Jamal.

DAY EIGHT

Dear Diary,

I've thought of a plan that will stop the goverment from making us leave.
My brain has just gone 'overboard'.
I think that if I get very good at football, I might inspire the government to start a national team. And they might stop being angry at my parents.
I think it's a brilliant plan.
But to get good, i need practise.

Jamal.

DAY SEVEN

Dear Diary,

I'm scared and angry.
I don't want to abandon my home.
I know my and dad don't want to either.
I saw dad stroking his oven. It's been in his family for three generations. And now he has to leave it.
He and mum look so miserable.
None of wants to go.
I've decided that I need to find a way for us to stay.

Jamal.