One day, as she was hiding behind the gateway to watch the cars go by, a man drew her attention. He kept looking at her with a smile, his back against a tree. He was waving at her. She immediately shut the door and ran to her sisters.
The next day, she sat in the same spot to check whether the man was still here. He had not moved an inch, and kept gazing at her. He waved hello. Samana shut the door, evermore intrigued. She did not mention a thing to her sisters. The following day, she left the playground with the same vague excuse. The man was still there. He called Samana by her name, which surprised but also reassured her. He asked her to come meet him. Samana paused, glanced quickly behind her shoulder then, reluctantly, began crossing the street. She felt a sudden, wonderful rush, lik
