Like Xuanzang and company , Ahed had grown up hearing stories of Sun Wukong and his incredible powers . She used these stories of heroics and bravery to compare with her own life and struggles , using them for , as a child does , to imagine that she , instead of being a child refugee and running away , is having adventures to a faraway land with Sun Wukong as her companion , and them fighting demons together , as her childish mind tries to protect her and shy her away from the traumatic events that are actually occuring around her .
In her mind , she was Xuanzang , with Sun Wukong as her companion and helping her through the journey . Her family were Pig and Sand , people that were just along for the ride , but key to her story nonetheless .
Every time she felt overwhelmed , she would take out the little comic book that Xu Hui had given her . She would trace the images of every page for the thousandth time as her main source of comfort .
This latest journey she hoped would be her family ’ s last . Her mother took the keys to their house , their passports , photographs and all her gold , and tied them in a tight wad to stick in her waistband . Her father Shahid had stayed behind , telling her and her brother Fares to take care of their mother Mumina .
From their home they traveled by sea to the Turkish coast , their boat nearly capsizing in the turbulent seas crossing the Aegean sea across to Lesbos . They had to stay more than a month in a no man ’ s land . Her mother traded her wedding dowry for the family to buy a passage through , travelling on foot from Greece to Macedonia , hoping to cross to Germany .
When a country barred refugees like Ahed from entering and caused them to move on even further into Europe , it wasn ’ t because the government was selfish to her . No , it was because there was a dangerous creature that was blocking their way that she and Sun Wukong weren ’ t destined to fight , and so they moved on .
When she and her family barely had enough food and water to stay alive , it was because this was a test for endurance and patience , and that she and Sun Wukong would be rewarded for their patience once they settled down and this time period passed .
This time , she thought , our next great adventure will be to face off against a giant fire-breathing dragonlike creature . We ’ ll fight him together , me and Sun , and though it may be hard in the beginning , we ’ ll win in the end . Just like that ! ‘ Cause we two together are greater than any other force in this world ! We ’ ll defeat anything , or anyone that stands in our w-
But Ahed could only hide behind daydreams for so long . “ Hey .” A hand was shaking her shoulder . “ Hey . Hey . Snap out of it !” “ Wh- what is it ?” She sat up straight and looked at the person who had shaken her out of her stupor , Fares .
“ Mom said we have to eat breakfast , then leave this place .” Her brother stood up and walked to where their parents were .
She sighed . Every day they moved from place to place , not able to stay in one area for long , her parents desperately searching for a place to settle down for at least a couple more years , for her and her little brother to settle down and have a chance to learn to read .
As they prepared to leave , a soldier ’ s voice suddenly blared through a loudspeaker , speaking in broken Arabic , “ The border has closed . There will be no one crossing anymore .”
Her mother was desperate and traded her last gold , her wedding ring , for a passage . They were eventually given a chance to pass , but they were forced to cross in the evening .