第15节

  【】nttellifheeorhassan.</p>

  “started,”hassansaid.hesandabrightgreenkserandfadedrduroypants.sunlight,isahepinkscarabovehisliphadhealed.</p>

  suddenlyie.eliketheheatofablisteringsun.thise.</p>

  “iotsureitoflyakitetoday,”isaid.</p>

  “itsabeautifulday,”hassansaid.</p>

  ishiftedoriedtopeelgazeaourrooftop.“idontknoe.”</p>

  theeppedtoeand,ihingthatseplenty.thatfortabletohavesooneyouneeded.</p>

  “nonster,”isaid,feelingalittlebetter,toownsurprise.</p>

  hesled.“nonster.”</p>

  “areyousure”</p>

  heclosedhiseyes.nodded.</p>

  ilookedtothekidsscaeringdohestreet,flingingsnoisabeautifulday,isntit”</p>

  “letsfly,”hesaid.</p>

  itoaybehassanhaddeuphisdreaadeupoot,thesillydreaadliftedsoofay.ybeishouldtakeoffshirt,takeasinthelake.</p>

  “letsdoit,”isaid.</p>

  hassansfaarkedistakablesignature.helickedhisfingeraup,testedther,hedkickupdusttoseeyhandsuntilhassanstopped,aboutfiftyfeetapicathleteshoedal.ijerkedthestringtossedthekite.</p>

  adeupndaboutgod.butydiniyatylips,itteredit.itookadeepbreath,exhaled,andpulledoring.ieadeasoundlikeapaperbirdflappingitse.ihandedhihespool,holdingontothestring,andhespunitquicklytorolltheloosestringba.</p>

  atleasttingforprey.berdoubled,andred,blue,andyelloyhair.theelift,kethese,hassahespool,hishandsalreadybloodiedbythestring.</p>

  sooingstartedandthefirstofthedefeatedkitestheskylikeshootingstarseoneshoutedreportsofafightbreakingouttreetsdown.</p>

  ikeptstealingglanenjoyefailthatinddriftedhthekite.</p>

  theyingdouygazebae.itangledabiteiatientandtriedtocutfroelow.</p>

  upanddophantly,their.ihadhassanholdthestringandsuyfingeragainstjeans.</p>

  berofsurvivingkitesdybefiftytoadozen.i.iddeittothelastdozen.ikakeaheguysedthislong</p>

  pletrapsliketheoldliftanddive,hassansfavoritetrick.</p>

  bythreeo.shadoyneckyheart,likesnoe.</p>

  eyeskeptretuingtoabluekitethathadbeehour.</p>

  “hoanyhashecut”iasked.</p>

  “iuntedeleven,”hassansaid.</p>

  “doyouknoightbe”</p>

  hassahehadhebluekiteslicedabigpurpleoneandsier,hedothert.</p>

  afterahirtynutes,onlyfourkitesreined.andiediuldhardlykeaove,asifeverygustofyfavor.idneverfeltsoinnd,soluyeyesoffthesky.ihadtoninutesandedlikealaughabledreahatinghadsuddenlybeereality:iteaherguy.thebluekite.</p>

  thetensionintheairybloodyhands.peoplepingtheirfeet,edntuandfriedpakoradriftedfroooftopsandopendoors.</p>

  butalli</p>

  ...</p>