Vahan Kenderian is a twelve year old kid from a wealthy Armenian family in Turkey. His life changes for the worse when his older brothers start suspecting something when their dad and uncle are taken away by Turkish police. They knew that a few years ago there was an Armenian massacre and they worry it is about to happen again. People are taken from their homes, several men are killed and women beaten. Vahan then has to watch as his older brothers are shot right in front of him. Vahan is not killed and neither is one brother, two sisters, his mom and grandmother. They are taken to a place called Goryan’s Inn where they are held prisoner. While being prisoners one of Vahan’s sisters takes a poison to kill herself, so she doesn’t have to be raped …show more content…
He takes up with a group of Turkish refugees and starts pretending he is deaf and mute. They do not know he is Armenian. When they figure out he is not a deaf mute he has to run away again. He stays at an orphanage, and pretends to be a girl. Until one day Dr. and Mrs. Tashian are looking for a boy servant to help them out with their place. They take Vahan in even though they think he is kinda sickly. The Tashian are very loving toward Vahan and soon treat him like hes their son. He makes a friend with the girl next door who is the German consul’s companion. They quickly become close, and she ends up pregnant with the consul’s baby and is kicked out. She also comes and stays with the Tashians. After giving birth to a baby boy she soon dies of a fever. The Tashians want to raise the baby but the consul takes it away. Mrs. Tashian is taken with grief and dies a few days later from a stroke. Vahan decides to leave once again and gets a job as a wagon driver for the Turkish army. Dr. Tashian gives him so money before he goes. Vahan wants to get to Constantinople where he is safe. He pays to get on a boat and its a rough trip. He finally makes it to Constantinople where he dreams of all his