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She liked that

It reminded her a bit of her uncle, how he had watched her aunt when Nasha first came to live with him That was before Boko Haram had killed everyone who tried to stop thee So race of God, she’d escaped to her uncle’s hohold He’d had the foresight to shave her head and dress her in boy’s clothes “Noher to work in the field with the otherto catch the eye of the terrorists in their hunt for new fighters A self-educatedfor every situation When she’d complained after the first day about a blister on her hand, he’d told he

r, “A blister will heal, yet—”

“When can I go to school?” she asked, not wanting to hear yet another of his old proverbs

Her stateered hi her “Everything you learned in school, you forget You are no longer a girl Even to the boys you ith—especially Chuk,” he said, na to keep that a secret Tell the Do you understand?”

“No,” she replied, tears springing to her eyes

“A whisper released is like feathers soaring in the wind You cannot catch theht land”

“But—”

He grabbed her blistered hand, pain coursing through her fingers as he squeezed theirl, they’ll take you away They’ll …” His gaze flicked to an empty chair at the table, where her aunt used to sit He paused and gave a deep sigh He’d never spoken about what had happened to her, why she was no longer there, and Nasha had never dared ask

“I’ no idea what she’d done to rouse his anger

He said nothing at first, just watched the tears slipping down her cheeks Realizing he still held her hand, he let loose, suddenly pulling her into his ar You’re a boy now You’re Nash”

“But I’m not”

“You are And you can never tell anyone different If they find out …” He held her away froet you out of here However long it takes But until then, you must do as I say Understand?”

She nodded “But when can I go to school?”

“They hunt the schools Destroy theirls It’s not safe”