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The story shows that Ali :
• Experienced several serious losses , including the death of his father in an explosion .
• Experienced repeated sexual abuse from his stepfather .
• Escaped and spent some time in a large refugee camp .
• Struggles after being resettled in a new country : he feels guilt for his mother , concern for his younger siblings , and has no faith in his stepfather .
• Is depressed , sad , unable to eat , solitary , passive .
Ali lived with his family in a village surrounded by hills . His father had a small shop near the market . Ali ’ s mother always encouraged Ali to study and to help his father in the store . He was very close to both his parents .
War became part of their everyday life . The children went to school , the adults worked , the market bustled with people from all over the area . Every afternoon , Ali ’ s father came from the store , and they sat down to eat and talk about the day , the store , the market , and plans for next day . Ali dreamed of becoming a successful businessman .
Ali , Northern Iraq
One day Ali and his father went out to look for some herbs that grew in bushes on the outskirts of the city . About five hundred metres from his home , Ali ’ s father suddenly shouted , “ Watch out !” and there was a loud explosion . Ali ’ s father had stepped on a landmine . Ali was all alone in the field with his dead father . He felt a great pain in his chest , his feelings were confused , and he did not understand what had happened .
After this incident , Ali and his family went through a very difficult period both financially and socially . Ali was plagued by nightmares and flashbacks about what had happened to his father . Every night he dreamed that his father came from the store , suddenly there was an explosion , and his father disappeared . An enormous anxiety gripped him ; he felt scared , he tried to look for his father , but could not find him . He was overwhelmed by frustration and sadness . Every night Ali woke up screaming . He no longer wanted to eat and stopped meeting his friends . He did not want to go to school . His dreams of becoming a trader like his father evaporated . Overwhelmed , he did not want to think about his future anymore .
After a while , Ali ’ s mother remarried . Ali was initially happy to have a new father figure . But then his new stepfather came into his room when he was asleep and abused him sexually . He did so night after night . His nightmares and traumas , which had weakened for a while , reappeared . Ali again felt desolate , sad and distant , and this time his mistrust affected his relationship with his mother . He preferred to be out of the house and was late going to the market . When it got dark , Ali was afraid to go home but did not know where else to go . His mother saw his pain but did not understand the cause ; she thought the old trauma had returned .
Ali decided to go away . He remembered that some of the older boys in the market had spoken of a man who , for money , could help him leave the country . Early one morning , Ali took money from his stepfather ’ s savings and boarded a truck alongside other young people , men , and some women with children . It was dark , and the person