When refugees do manage to reach another country safely, they aren’t always welcome. When they are waiting to see if a new country will take them in, they are called asylum seekers.

14

Chapter 2

“He doesn’t talk”

It rained a lot that next Wednesday, so Sam thought maybe Hasan wouldn’t turn up for the five-a-side training. But he was there before anybody else, waiting by the goal. The rain was running down his face. There was another boy with him.

“This is Faisal,” Hasan said. “He doesn’t talk.”

Sam stared at Faisal. His face was like a mask. “He’s got to say something.” 15

Hasan gave a shrug. “He doesn’t say much to me. He never talks to strangers. He has seen too many bad things.”

What does Hasan mean? Sam thought, but he didn’t ask. It might be rude.

Soon, the other boys started to turn up. Jack Rigby arrived in his car. “Where’s John?” he asked, looking around.

“He’s dropped out,” Jordan said. “He’s fed up of losing. We all are.”

Jack frowned.

“That isn’t a very good attitude,” he said. “You can’t win every match.”

“We don’t win any of them,” Jordan said. “We’ve only won twice all season.”

“So what have we got to do, boys?” Jack said. He tried to sound cheerful. 16

“Try harder?” was one answer.

“Cheat,” another boy said, and everybody laughed.

“You’ve got to work for each other,” Jack said. “You’ve got to play as a team.”

He looked over at Hasan and Faisal.

“I see we’ve got two new players. Come over here, lads. I’ll have to get you registered.”

He wrote down the boys’ details. “I’ll have to talk to your parents,” Jack said.

“Faisal doesn’t have any,” Hasan said.

“What do you mean, ‘doesn’t have any’?” Jordan wanted to know. “Who does he live with?”

“He lives with his foster parents,” Hasan explained. 17

“How did he get here then?” Jordan asked.

“Lorries,” Hasan answered, “and a boat.”

Jordan laughed. “Are you trying to be funny?” he asked.

Hasan shook his head and stared back as if Jordan was trying to play a trick on him. “You wanted to know,” he said, “so I told you.”

Jordan was getting angry now. He didn’t like the new boys.

Jack split the boys into two teams and blew the whistle to start the game. “We’ve got too many for five-a-side,” he said. “One or two of you will have to sit out. I will take boys off from time to time and bring others on to replace them. That way, you will all get a turn.”

Sam got the ball from the kick-off and rolled it to Hasan. He was facing Jordan. He poked the 18ball between Jordan’s feet and ran round him, slotting the ball into the net.

1–0.

“You got nutmegged,” Sam shouted as he jogged past Jordan.