FARZANA 8

The long-awaited has now arrived. The first-ever letter for me from the outside world. Everyone in B14, including Arifa, crowds around. Letters are a rarity here, it's as if we dropped off the edge of the world.
"Read it aloud," Malali insists.
I eagerly tear it open, read it myself first. "Sorry Farzana, can't write ever again. Only allowed to say I got here safely. Parents say I have to forget all this, get on with a normal life. Your Friend, Arezou."
Not trusting my voice, I pass it to Nilo to read.
Amira bristles, "that really bites. Those parents of hers need a good kick where the sun don't shine."
Malali chimes in, "nah, you know that's just the father. Now a mother would know her child is scared starting out in a new place. Any form of friendly encouragement would be good."
Next several minutes, the B14 girls make lotsa rude comments about Arezou's father. Gradually it runs outa energy.
Nilo turns to Arifa, "you didn't say a word. What's your take?"
Arifa points out the window, "whaddya see out there? Moonscape. This is the very end of the earth. Maybe even dropping off its edge. Think anyone with any choice in life would be here? Arezou's father is right. Now she's a Brit. And you Farzana, sooner you accept that, better it'll work out for you."

I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I'm gonna do it. Thin, I'll soon starve. Heck with it, I've had enough.
Suppertime, Nilo shakes my shoulder, "come on, think I'm stupid? I see what you're up to. Ain't gonna work. That tough MP sgt will just force-feed you. It's happened before. So, get up, join us for chow."
What can you do? As I swing my feet onto the floor, Malali ruffles my hair, "that's the spirit."

It's a long, slow-moving line. I finally step forward to discover I'll spend the summer as assistant to Nasiba, that is the Lt with the purple hair clasp. What on earth does she actually do? It's a mystery.
My first morning, Nasiba sets out a pot of tea, "now you see, the nature of my duties is such I have very little to do during summer vacation."
And the rest of the year, from what I've heard.
"So I asked for your help this summer and the CO kindly agreed."
Doubtless so girls from another barrack don't take it upon themselves to rid the world of Cannibal Princess.
"The job itself, beans, you and I can do in an hour a week." Wicked smile, "you and me, gonna write a book."
I groan inwardly.
"Sci fi. We're gonna take these clowns here, immortalize them is a sci fi adventure."
"Lt, what sort of story line did you have in mind?"
"Off in the future, there's this spaceship. Crew of 235, all Afghan women of course. 2,000 school-age girls, passengers. The ship ends up crashlanding on a moonscape planet."
"Lt, isn't that hitting a little close to home? They could fire you."
"No Farzana, CO's orders. Figures it could get us good publicity."
"Lt, if it flops, you'll get the blame. Succeeds, the organization will hog all the credit. Why even bother?"
She grabs my collar, bends so she's looking me straight in the eye. "Listen up, you little twerp. For years, everyone's been acting like I'm a total nutbar. I would love to flash the finger at the lot of them. And you, you'll help, or you'll end up on KP. Got it?"
"Lt, you got 2 seconds to remove your hand or it's an assault charge."
She does, blushing, "we-ell?"
"Ok Lt, you probably are insane. As for me, jury is still out on that one. But a novel sounds more fun than KP."
"Good, knew you'd come around. Let's start on ideas for main characters."
We decide tentatively on a dozen or so main characters. Then she says, "hasta be in the first person. Much more authentic, more gripping than third person. First person as seen through the eyes of a ten-year-old passenger."
I groan inwardly. Why me, God?
"It isn't enough to write just a novel for adults or just a children's novel. We want a crossover, appeal to both. Isn't it, ironic, Farzana?"
"Ironic, Lt?"
"Think of it. Who is more viewed as a social leper in the adult crowd than me? Or in the kid crowd but you? So us 2 outcasts gotta write a book immortalizing all this."
"Lt, the gods have a sadistic sense of humor."
"Don't they just?"
She declares lunch break. I leave the office ahead of her and just automatically turn toward the student mess.
"Where you going?"
"The mess, Lt."
"Come on, members' mess."
"Lt, I'm not allowed to eat there."
"You are. During the summer when we work together."
Oh no, gonna be a long summer. Maybe I should just give up, choose KP.
Once we're seated, "ok, some rules. We don't discuss the book at lunch time. Don't wanna end up committing homicide."
I smile wanly. Not wishing to disclose any personal information, I just let her talk. I glean all sorts of information about the organization, some valuable, some highly suspect. When I grow up, should be a spy. Eat you heart out, Mata Hari.
We resume our work, "ok, set moral tone. All goody-goodies? All baddy-baddies? Mix?"
"Lt, make em all goody-goodies, the reader's gonna give up in Chapter One. Make em all baddies and what happens? Gotta keep one-upping each other. Soon gets too far-fetched. Need a mix."
"Gotcha, few nutcases like you and me for variety. Few paragons of virtue. Few who'd make sailors blush with shame."
It seems funny and I laugh. She hugs me, "see. It'll work after all. Now the heroine, the 10-year-old. Needs a gimmick, something that makes her totally unique. Let's make her a reincarnated Nazi."
"Not a good plan, Lt. Offend too many readers."
"You make a suggestion then."
"Doesn't emote, been so since birth. Makes her a good observer, Lt."
"Nah, hitting too close to home. How bout someone who died, came back to life?"
I can't help it, start crying. She hugs my tight, "just make her abnormally shy. Doesn't form friendships, but an eagle-eye observer."
I smile wanly, "good as any, Lt. Go with it if we don't think of something better."
She grins, "as it turns out, planet produces fabulous crops of dope."
"So Lt, start with a sixpack of MP's."
"As the girls get older, pick up the habits of their elders, soon it's five dozen MP's."
"Lt, earth calling, please come in."
"Very funny, Farzana, whaddya mean by that?"
"Lt, as funds run out, you can't pay the MP's anymore. No one does outcast work like that for free. Anarchy reins."
"Nah, too chaotic. How bout, no dope at all? Nah, too boring. I got it - seasonal - grows for a month every year, but won't keep, perishable."
"So Lt, a wild month every year, followed by a lot of what?"
"Boredom, like here."
"Lt, there's a reason people read. For most, it's to escape, be entertained, not to learn. Boredom, they already got enough of that in life."
"True. But in real life, the calendar measures. In book life, page-count does. You could spend 50 pages on a one-night party, then 2 pages on a whole school semester."
It starts to dawn. I look at her, for the first time with respect. "You got it, deathly boring to the participants, exciting to the reader."
"When the CO agreed to loan me you, I could tell it was only to isolate you, for your safety. But now I'm glad we're together, make a good team. Ok, a historical preambe. A logical explanation of how the-then Afghan government can afford a ship. Can't even afford teacher chalk now."
"Lt, being the principal dope exporter, they cashed in. Four cars in every driveway, the lot."
"Nah, wouldn't fly. See then all those girls would be spoiled, change the story too much. How bout, obsolete, donation from the Americans? Then people stay basically the same."
"So Lt, they eventually get rescued? Or stay forever?"
"How bout, few years, then rescued by a US vessel? Give the girls time to grow up, a coming-of-age story. Now remember, we don't wanna offend westerners, merely tell them about us."
"So here's your gimmick, Lt. The heroine is American. For whatever plausible reason, she's the only westerner aboard."
"No way, make her Canadian. Too many people hate Americans. No one hates Canadians, they're harmless. The girl is growing up with a burning desire to be an anthropoligist. She's about to get lots of experience at it, up close and personal."
"And after that, Lt, she decides to be a cook or stockbroker instead."
"It's brilliant, Farzana. Allows her to come out and ask questions an Afghan wouldn't. Everyone just humors the foreigner, answers her questions."
Would have been nice to get that reception here, instead of learning on the dead run.