Festival day:

 

It was festival day and all the people were happy celebrating Eid festival. This day people wear new and beautiful clothes, and visit each other while others go to entertainment places and watch traditional dance and other entertainments.

 

I was not part of the celebration–instead, I was selling bread on the street to support my family. I wanted to be part of the happiness, but since my father was away I had to sell bread. I was the only child who could help the family by selling bread on the street. On that day I was busy selling bread on a wheelbarrow and going around City Street and the market.

 

Two local militias with two machine guns came nearby me and said: ''Hey little boy give us the tax’’ I refused and I said to them ''I can’t pay it. I don’t have money’’. Then they intimidated me and said ''When we came back you have to pay the tax or we will confiscate the wheelbarrow’’.

 

They came back and I was extremely scared when I saw them. One of the militia said ''Are you ready to give us the tax’’ and I said again ''I can’t afford to pay it’’ after that they took my wheelbarrow by force and I confronted them physically. Other people nearby gathered and requested me not to fight with the militia since they are cruel. The two militia took my wheelbarrow into the local station and I went after them asking to release my wheelbarrow, Instead they put me in the jail. The jail was dark and there were many insects. My face became like a slippers. I started to cry, and all my clothes were wet because of sweating. Suddenly I heard a voice out of jail, and it was my mother’s voice. I cried one time mom as a young child. ’’Help me mom, take me home’’. She cried ’’I can’t my dear’’.