Nina Prentice is a teacher who was has worked in the middle East and other countries. Because her mother is Italian, English is her second language. She remembers well how hard it was to spell in English when she first went to school,but it got much easier when she fell in love with reading. She likes going abroad to learn new languages and new ways of cooking. She now lives near oxford, where she writes,goes walking and works in her garden.
‘Help! Help! He’s going to kill me!’
Hearing the screams, Shirkuh ran through the dark streets of
the town. Suddenly he came around the corner of a building.
A soldier was holding a knife to a woman’s neck. Her eyes were
wild and afraid. Shirkuh didn’t stop to think. In a minute, the
two men were fighting for the knife. In another minute, the
soldier was dead, his blood bright red on the ground.
Late that night, Ayyub heard a soft knock at the door. It was his
brother Shirkuh asking for news.
‘The baby hasn’t come yet. The mother’s having a bad time.’
The father looked at his brother. ‘Why are you hurrying?’
‘Ayyub. I’ve just killed a man by mistake, but I was angry.’
‘Shirkuh! Why did you do this? It’ll be difficult for us here in
Tikrit. The man’s family will make trouble.’
‘I couldn’t stop myself. While I was coming home, a woman
called out for help. A soldier was going to kill her. I didn’t want
to hurt him. It was an accident. But now Governor Zengi says
that all our family must leave at once or we’ll be in danger.’
‘Oh, Shirkuh! You’re a fighter. You’re stronger than most men.
But when you’re angry, you stop thinking. It’s always been this
way, but I can’t leave until the child arrives.’