outoftheerofeye,isathetent.handstenselyduginherarits.unlike,shedgraduallyabandoetsatengaginghitheunanssohrab.ing.</p>

iyindexfingeraup.“ireertheyfinger.“,ithink.”</p>

sohrabhisearlobeandshiftedonhisfeet.saidnothing.ithoughtofsorayaaskihsagoeeranyre.</p>

“didievertellyouyourfatheradetheneighborhoodkids.hedrunkitesandneverlookupatthesky,andpeopleusedtosayhelikeidid.yourfatherchasinganyshado...knew”</p>

anotherhalfdozenkiteshadtakenflight.peoplehadstartedtogatherinupsinhand,eyesgluedtothesky.</p>

“doyoueflythis”isaid.</p>

sazeboune.backtothesky.</p>

“okay.”ishrugged.“lookslikeillhavetoflyittanhaii.”solo.</p>

ibalahandandfedaboutthreefeetoftar.theyelloedaheendofit,justabovethegrass.“lastce,”isaid.butsohrabapairofkitestanglinghighabovethetrees.</p>

“allright.hereigo.”itookoffrunning,sneakerssplashingrainpuddles,thehandyhead.ithadbeensolong,sonyyearssinyself.iletthespoolrollihandasirahestring.istoppedandtued.lookedup.sled.highabove,kite,kingthatoldpaperbirdflappingitsoingsinkabul.ihadntfloerushingback.</p>

ifeltapreseoandlookeddoe.</p>

“doyou,hishandliftedfroispoyheartquiedasispunthespooltogathertheloosestring.w</p>

...</p>