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Joshua Haynes ** __The lost friend__ ** We were still on the island but still no sign of the others, but still I cannot believe that the ship sank quickly into the water. All I could remember was a loud thump from under the deck, the boat came to an immediate stop throwing every one to the floor. I hit my head and was knocked unconesuch. Tom was able to wake me so we could escape safely with our families. When we got to a nearby deserted island it came as a to every one that tom was not on the boat, his mother burst in to tears with my mother comforting her witch left the though in my head did he get on the wrong boat, did he even get off the boat at all horrific though going through my head of him drowning it made me feel sick in. His mother wanted to back and search for him but we couldn’t go back at the time because it pressure that came from the ship when it was sinking could also sink our life raft so another day came to a close with still no sign of any one else. The idea came to me in a dream that the raft that he was on could of forum the same island that we did but on a different side or time so I chose to explore the island that we found. I got a length of vine and tied it to my body so that when I walk the vine must be straight indicating that I did not walk in a circle and get lost I learnt some in survival class so I know what plants are edible and witch have poisons. I began my journey. I sorted the rations and saw a flair gun but that might not be very useful under the treetops, I said my good byes and left. I began to make a trail with the knife and rope I found in the first aid kit and tied it to the end of a long bamboo rod to cut a trail a head of me so I can see if there is a hole or cavern below. I began to go deeper into the tall grass. I stumbled on to a cave my survival teacher told me to never go into a cave because you will always need a bright light source and u has to absolutely have to flexible just in case of an emergence like there would be water in the cave and it could rise at a rapid pace drowning or crushing you. I continued my search for the others, when the over whelming sensation of hunger came over me I remembered that I had not eaten in two days that meant that my energy level was low. I saw a large dove on a rock and though to my self that would make a good meal, the first thing that came to mind was to use the flair gun to shoot it but then what if the flair misses I will a meal and even more important a flair, I made a quick choice to shoot the flair I took a deep breath loaded the flair into the gun took aim and shoot straight in to the bird. The roar of an open fire, the smell of roasting bird it was magical but I wish that I could of enjoyed it but the thoughts of tom dead, I almost could not eat. After eating, putting out the fire then continued on, the grass was beginning to clear and I could hear the waves crashing on the shore, I ran as fat as I could out of the grass to a heart braking surprise, tom’s body ling on the waters edge I could not believe my eyes I ran through the sand down to the water and grabbed his body and dragged him out of the water on to the sand, with his last breath he said “I knew you would find me you are a true friend I will always be with”.

Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara and the son of Amir's father's servant, Ali, spend their days in a peaceful Kabul, kite fighting, roaming the streets and being boys. Amir’s father (who is generally referred to as Baba, "daddy", throughout the book) loves both the boys, but seems critical of Amir for not being manly enough. Amir also fears his father blames him for his mother’s death during childbirth. However, he has a kind father figure in the form of Rahim Khan, Baba’s friend, who understands Amir better, and is supportive of his interest in writing stories. Assef, a notoriously mean and violent older boy with sadistic tendencies, blames Amir for socializing with a Hazara, according to Assef an inferior race that should only live in Hazarajat. He prepares to attack Amir with his steel knuckles, but Hassan bravely stands up to him, threatening to shoot Assef in the eye with his slingshot. Assef and his henchmen back off, but Assef says he will take revenge. Hassan is a successful "kite runner" for Amir, knowing where the kite will land without even watching it. One triumphant day, Amir wins the local tournament, and finally Baba's praise. Hassan goes to run the last cut kite, a great trophy, for Amir saying "For you, a thousand times over." Unfortunately, Hassan runs into Assef and his two henchmen. Hassan refuses to give up Amir's kite, so Assef exacts his revenge, assaulting and raping him. Wondering why Hassan is taking so long, Amir searches for Hassan and hides when he hears Assef's voice. He witnesses the rape but is too scared to help him. Afterwards, for some time Hassan and Amir keep a distance from each other. Amir reacts indifferently because he feels ashamed, and is frustrated by Hassan's saint-like behavior. Already jealous of Baba's love for Hassan, he worries if Baba knew how bravely Hassan defended Amir's kite, and how cowardly Amir acted, that Baba's love for Hassan would grow even more. To force Hassan to leave, Amir frames him as a thief, and Hassan falsely confesses. Baba forgives him, despite the fact that, as he explained earlier, he believes that "there is no act more wretched than stealing." Hassan and his father Ali, to Baba's extreme sorrow, leave anyway. Hassan's departure frees Amir of the daily reminder of his cowardice and betrayal, but he still lives in their shadow and his guilt. Five years later, the Russians invade Afghanistan; Amir and Baba escape to Peshawar, Pakistan and then to Fremont, California, where Amir and Baba, who lived in luxury in an expansive mansion in Afghanistan, settle in a run-down apartment and Baba begins work at a gas station. Amir eventually takes classes at a local community college to develop his writing skills. Every Sunday, Baba and Amir make extra money selling used goods at a flea market in San Jose. There, Amir meets fellow refugee Soraya Taheri and her family; Soraya's father, who was a high-ranking officer in Afghanistan, has contempt of Amir's literary aspiration. Baba is diagnosed with terminal oat cell carcinoma but is still capable of granting Amir one last favor: he asks Soraya's father's permission for Amir to marry her. He agrees and the two marry. Shortly thereafter Baba dies. Amir and Soraya learn that they cannot have children. Amir embarks on a successful career as a novelist. Fifteen years after his wedding, Amir receives a call from Rahim Khan, who is dying from an illness. Rahim Khan asks Amir to come to Pakistan. He enigmatically tells Amir "there is a way to be good again." Amir goes.