Tabiat – In my native tongue it means ‘Nature’, but to me it also means Father.

Mother has told me not to speak our language now we are here. People do not like strangers here. She tells me I am to speak how they speak. I do this, but still they laugh. I say things wrong, and they make fun of the way their words sound from my mouth. The boys in my class push me and they make fun of me.

Today three of the bigger boys, the worst of them all, they told me I should go back home. I was angry, I swore at them and punched them. But the teachers punished me, they gave me detention after class. The boys waited for me outside of the school.

They tell me to go home, but Tabiat is my father, wherever there is nature that is my home.

I was scared and tried to run home when I was let out. The boys chased me and shouted at me.

It is a long way to our house; I could not run the whole way. They caught up with me. They pushed me down and hit me. I squirmed and broke free, ran into the woods. They chased me and said they were going to kill me. I was hit with a stone one of them threw and the others laughed. They laughed because I was crying.

There is a small brook in this town; it is where I was able to escape to. The boys said they would drown me, that no one would ever find me. They said no one cared if the foreign boy disappears. I believe them. I broke off a branch to defend myself, I struck out and I managed to hit one on the arm. This just made them angrier. He punched me and broke my nose. They pushed me into the water and kicked me.

Then they stopped. I stood up and saw their faces; they were terrified. I knew why.

Tabiat is my father. He had come. He was angry.

They ran away, the boys, as the shadow loomed over me. I could feel his outstretched hand.

Tabiat had not come for them. Tabiat is my father.

I promise I will not break any more branches father.

I promise, I will not.

Please father, do not hurt me this time.

Please…