第15节

    【】nttellifheeorhassan.

    “started,”hassansaid.hesandabrightgreenkserandfadedrduroypants.sunlight,isahepinkscarabovehisliphadhealed.

    suddenlyie.eliketheheatofablisteringsun.thise.

    “iotsureitoflyakitetoday,”isaid.

    “itsabeautifulday,”hassansaid.

    ishiftedoriedtopeelgazeaourrooftop.“idontknoe.”

    theeppedtoeand,ihingthatseplenty.thatfortabletohavesooneyouneeded.

    “nonster,”isaid,feelingalittlebetter,toownsurprise.

    hesled.“nonster.”

    “areyousure”

    heclosedhiseyes.nodded.

    ilookedtothekidsscaeringdohestreet,flingingsnoisabeautifulday,isntit”

    “letsfly,”hesaid.

    itoaybehassanhaddeuphisdreaadeupoot,thesillydreaadliftedsoofay.ybeishouldtakeoffshirt,takeasinthelake.

    “letsdoit,”isaid.

    hassansfaarkedistakablesignature.helickedhisfingeraup,testedther,hedkickupdusttoseeyhandsuntilhassanstopped,aboutfiftyfeetapicathleteshoedal.ijerkedthestringtossedthekite.

    adeupndaboutgod.butydiniyatylips,itteredit.itookadeepbreath,exhaled,andpulledoring.ieadeasoundlikeapaperbirdflappingitse.ihandedhihespool,holdingontothestring,andhespunitquicklytorolltheloosestringba.

    atleasttingforprey.berdoubled,andred,blue,andyelloyhair.theelift,kethese,hassahespool,hishandsalreadybloodiedbythestring.

    sooingstartedandthefirstofthedefeatedkitestheskylikeshootingstarseoneshoutedreportsofafightbreakingouttreetsdown.

    ikeptstealingglanenjoyefailthatinddriftedhthekite.

    theyingdouygazebae.itangledabiteiatientandtriedtocutfroelow.

    upanddophantly,their.ihadhassanholdthestringandsuyfingeragainstjeans.

    berofsurvivingkitesdybefiftytoadozen.i.iddeittothelastdozen.ikakeaheguysedthislong

    pletrapsliketheoldliftanddive,hassansfavoritetrick.

    bythreeo.shadoyneckyheart,likesnoe.

    eyeskeptretuingtoabluekitethathadbeehour.

    “hoanyhashecut”iasked.

    “iuntedeleven,”hassansaid.

    “doyouknoightbe”

    hassahehadhebluekiteslicedabigpurpleoneandsier,hedothert.

    afterahirtynutes,onlyfourkitesreined.andiediuldhardlykeaove,asifeverygustofyfavor.idneverfeltsoinnd,soluyeyesoffthesky.ihadtoninutesandedlikealaughabledreahatinghadsuddenlybeereality:iteaherguy.thebluekite.

    thetensionintheairybloodyhands.peoplepingtheirfeet,edntuandfriedpakoradriftedfroooftopsandopendoors.

    butalli

    ...