What Strange Paradise

Amir becomes acclimated to life on the deck of the Calypso. Umm Ibrahim shares some fruit with him. At one point, Kamal’s cell phone chimes; the knowledge that the ship has cell service again causes a brief commotion on deck. However, the signal fades quickly. Kamal asks Maher, a Palestinian and former English literature student who passes his time on board reading, if his bandaged fingers hurt. Maher evidently burned his fingerprints off with acid. Kamal tells him his visa was rejected after three years of waiting because he failed to fill in a single box on his application; he is crossing with a forged green card. He was a former student revolutionary who did time in Scorpion Prison. Mohamed advises him to use this to his advantage: The horrific conditions at Scorpion are well-known to Westerners. Kamal and Walid both had British caseworkers named David.

Amir asks where they are going. Kamal asks Mohamed why he let a child aboard all alone. Mohamed says that once they land, Amir and his uncle will find people to help them; however, he also advises Kamal to keep quiet and not ask any more questions for the time being.