On the mountains she traveled. She walked having only two pairs of boots to wear. With no particular journey in mind except one, to find an answer. In her mind the only way to get an answer was to be closer to God. She felt she could only be closer if she was higher, so she traveled.
She, we will call Aubrey was only fifteen years old. Aubrey ran away from her parents who she felt never protected the children, but hired them out to neighbors and friends. She came from a village in Torkaman. While a very small village, poor and quiet, there were some families who, related to the rich were able to hire Aubrey. Mainly she was also allowed to work across the border where she was severely beaten and so much more abuse came to her.
Aubrey had one close friend,a boy name Mana. She told him in the homes across the border she saw television and what that was like. She told him she saw people praying and Mana would shush her, reminding her it was sin to witness and tell others of another God from other countries. Yet Aubrey said, "Mana, I tell you God is true and I have to find him and ask him why he lets this happen to us. look at our people. We are hungry, cold, sick, and yet happy, but I am not happy Mana I am sick with not being happy. We are to accept our punishments as we deserve it, but Mana we don't deserve it. On this television it tells me our families are to love us and protect us."
Mana tells Aubrey, " Aubrey they will kill you or they will never let you outside again until you are an old woman if they know you see and talk about this God. Aubrey did you tell anyone about your punishments and what some men did to you?" She answered, yes, Mana I did. I tell one woman who tells me she believes in this other God and she will run away with me to protect me, that I am to tell her when I will leave." Mana says, Do not tell her Aubrey. I know of that woman. She turns us children in and we are never heard from again. Others know only that we know we are in the home and never let out, but some of us are killed." Aubrey believes him.
They tell each other good-night and the next day Aubrey is to work for that woman again across the border. The woman asks Aubrey, when will she leave as soon as Aubrey starts to clean. Aubrey is now suspicious but decides to tell her, in two weeks she will leave. On her way home Aubrey is thinking about how she will bundle her clothes for cold climbing and footwear. She waits and watches.
It is the second day when she sees Mana and asks him if he has boots and anything like food for her to take. Mana tells her he will get her boots from his uncle who repairs shoes and boots for the villagers and he will get food from scraps that he can find. It takes two more days and Mana meets with Aubrey. Mana loves Aubrey, and tells her if she does not leave he will marry her. She tell him she loves him too, but she loves this new man God too, so she must find him first and get answers.
On the fifth day she returns to the lady across the border and again the woman asks, when will you leave and can I go with you. Aubrey asks her what if we are caught and what will you tell them. The woman says we will not be caught because we will be killed and then tells Aubrey so it is in nine days you will leave? I will wait here and when you come to clean, we will walk like we are just walking. Now Aubrey tells her, but we will have to have supplies and won't the patrols ask to see our packs. The woman says, I will tell them we have food for strangers and we are helping others who walk to give them strength. Aubrey knew she was lying. Aubrey was also told by Mana that this woman gets paid to turn in traitors.
It is now the sixth day and Aubrey met with Mana. He asked again when are you leaving and please don't go I want to marry you soon. Aubrey told him, but we are young and I am leaving tonight at midnight when everyone is asleep. I will travel from the back of my home to the next mountain I can see.
Mana had tears in his eyes. He told her, my heart will follow you and one day I will be close and we will marry. I love you Aubrey. They kissed on each others cheeks and said goodnight and goodbye.
It was now midnight and Aubrey quietly stole out of her house. As she neared the mountain she thought she saw a shadow and would now be caught, but she went forward to face who it was. It was Mana. They hugged and she asked if he was going. He said no, he couldn't as there was only enough food and clothes extra for one, but to tell her again he loved her and would see her again one day.
As she was about to turn and leave, he said, "wait Aubrey, I have a gift for you". He handed her a black book and she asked what is this book? Mana said, "it is called a Bible, and talks about that God man you have heard of, so now in your travels you can read about this man". He handed her another pack with boots and food and gloves and a small shovel to dig with for shelter. Mana was a very good friend. They turned quickly from one another, he to go home and she on her travels to find this man called God.
Mana arrived at his home and a light was on. He was afraid. No one should be awake. Mana lived with seven family members and it was an uncle who was awake. The uncle ask where he went to in the middle of the night. Mana lied of course and told the uncle he thought he heard someone trying to get in the window so he went outside to find and kill them to protect his mother. The uncle patted his head and told him he was a good son. They went back to sleep. Mana cried quietly for his Aubrey.
Early the next morning the village was wakened by the village bell which meant an emergency. Villagers gathered at the bell to hear the news, Aubrey was gone and that she slept in her bed, so someone must have stolen her. Mana smiled inside himself feeling that was good they thought what they did. The villagers thought surely, someone across the border must have taken and sold her, and were told to go home and pray for Aubrey's family.
Late that afternoon an uncle came to see Mana's father. Mana was outside the door but knew what they were yelling about. The uncle was accusing Mana's father for stealing a pair of boots as Mana's father had small feet. Mana was smiling. He didn't like his father very much. Mana was hopeful things would stay this way. The uncle went on yelling in a high voice which brought officials. He told them, my nephew stole a pair of my boots. A search was made and boots were not found. They made the uncle stop his charges. Mana felt very good, thinking all this would soon go away.
But it didn't. It was late afternoon when an official came to Mana's home with this woman. She said Aubrey did not come to work and let them know Aubrey would run away, that she talked one time of a boy named Mana, so Mana must know. Mana was taken from his home and kept away for four days and nights. when he returned he was thinner with dark circles under his eyes. He had strap marks across his body. The official told his father he had a son who is either stubborn, strong or stupid and they will watch him closely to see if he goes where Aubrey went.
Mana went to his bend and his mother came with a wash cloth. She whispered to him, "Mana I know you know. I heard you and Aubrey. I am proud of you." He smiled and slept.
She, we will call Aubrey was only fifteen years old. Aubrey ran away from her parents who she felt never protected the children, but hired them out to neighbors and friends. She came from a village in Torkaman. While a very small village, poor and quiet, there were some families who, related to the rich were able to hire Aubrey. Mainly she was also allowed to work across the border where she was severely beaten and so much more abuse came to her.
Aubrey had one close friend,a boy name Mana. She told him in the homes across the border she saw television and what that was like. She told him she saw people praying and Mana would shush her, reminding her it was sin to witness and tell others of another God from other countries. Yet Aubrey said, "Mana, I tell you God is true and I have to find him and ask him why he lets this happen to us. look at our people. We are hungry, cold, sick, and yet happy, but I am not happy Mana I am sick with not being happy. We are to accept our punishments as we deserve it, but Mana we don't deserve it. On this television it tells me our families are to love us and protect us."
Mana tells Aubrey, " Aubrey they will kill you or they will never let you outside again until you are an old woman if they know you see and talk about this God. Aubrey did you tell anyone about your punishments and what some men did to you?" She answered, yes, Mana I did. I tell one woman who tells me she believes in this other God and she will run away with me to protect me, that I am to tell her when I will leave." Mana says, Do not tell her Aubrey. I know of that woman. She turns us children in and we are never heard from again. Others know only that we know we are in the home and never let out, but some of us are killed." Aubrey believes him.
They tell each other good-night and the next day Aubrey is to work for that woman again across the border. The woman asks Aubrey, when will she leave as soon as Aubrey starts to clean. Aubrey is now suspicious but decides to tell her, in two weeks she will leave. On her way home Aubrey is thinking about how she will bundle her clothes for cold climbing and footwear. She waits and watches.
It is the second day when she sees Mana and asks him if he has boots and anything like food for her to take. Mana tells her he will get her boots from his uncle who repairs shoes and boots for the villagers and he will get food from scraps that he can find. It takes two more days and Mana meets with Aubrey. Mana loves Aubrey, and tells her if she does not leave he will marry her. She tell him she loves him too, but she loves this new man God too, so she must find him first and get answers.
On the fifth day she returns to the lady across the border and again the woman asks, when will you leave and can I go with you. Aubrey asks her what if we are caught and what will you tell them. The woman says we will not be caught because we will be killed and then tells Aubrey so it is in nine days you will leave? I will wait here and when you come to clean, we will walk like we are just walking. Now Aubrey tells her, but we will have to have supplies and won't the patrols ask to see our packs. The woman says, I will tell them we have food for strangers and we are helping others who walk to give them strength. Aubrey knew she was lying. Aubrey was also told by Mana that this woman gets paid to turn in traitors.
It is now the sixth day and Aubrey met with Mana. He asked again when are you leaving and please don't go I want to marry you soon. Aubrey told him, but we are young and I am leaving tonight at midnight when everyone is asleep. I will travel from the back of my home to the next mountain I can see.
Mana had tears in his eyes. He told her, my heart will follow you and one day I will be close and we will marry. I love you Aubrey. They kissed on each others cheeks and said goodnight and goodbye.
It was now midnight and Aubrey quietly stole out of her house. As she neared the mountain she thought she saw a shadow and would now be caught, but she went forward to face who it was. It was Mana. They hugged and she asked if he was going. He said no, he couldn't as there was only enough food and clothes extra for one, but to tell her again he loved her and would see her again one day.
As she was about to turn and leave, he said, "wait Aubrey, I have a gift for you". He handed her a black book and she asked what is this book? Mana said, "it is called a Bible, and talks about that God man you have heard of, so now in your travels you can read about this man". He handed her another pack with boots and food and gloves and a small shovel to dig with for shelter. Mana was a very good friend. They turned quickly from one another, he to go home and she on her travels to find this man called God.
Mana arrived at his home and a light was on. He was afraid. No one should be awake. Mana lived with seven family members and it was an uncle who was awake. The uncle ask where he went to in the middle of the night. Mana lied of course and told the uncle he thought he heard someone trying to get in the window so he went outside to find and kill them to protect his mother. The uncle patted his head and told him he was a good son. They went back to sleep. Mana cried quietly for his Aubrey.
Early the next morning the village was wakened by the village bell which meant an emergency. Villagers gathered at the bell to hear the news, Aubrey was gone and that she slept in her bed, so someone must have stolen her. Mana smiled inside himself feeling that was good they thought what they did. The villagers thought surely, someone across the border must have taken and sold her, and were told to go home and pray for Aubrey's family.
Late that afternoon an uncle came to see Mana's father. Mana was outside the door but knew what they were yelling about. The uncle was accusing Mana's father for stealing a pair of boots as Mana's father had small feet. Mana was smiling. He didn't like his father very much. Mana was hopeful things would stay this way. The uncle went on yelling in a high voice which brought officials. He told them, my nephew stole a pair of my boots. A search was made and boots were not found. They made the uncle stop his charges. Mana felt very good, thinking all this would soon go away.
But it didn't. It was late afternoon when an official came to Mana's home with this woman. She said Aubrey did not come to work and let them know Aubrey would run away, that she talked one time of a boy named Mana, so Mana must know. Mana was taken from his home and kept away for four days and nights. when he returned he was thinner with dark circles under his eyes. He had strap marks across his body. The official told his father he had a son who is either stubborn, strong or stupid and they will watch him closely to see if he goes where Aubrey went.
Mana went to his bend and his mother came with a wash cloth. She whispered to him, "Mana I know you know. I heard you and Aubrey. I am proud of you." He smiled and slept.
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