COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Amir has calculated that it takes about four seconds from the moment a bullet leaves his AK-47, to the moment his enemy is lifeless on the ground.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

“Count yourself. It’s actually quite a long time,” he says the second time we meet.

The shots from the automatic weapon also sound different than when you hear them in action films. A little less bang. More like metallic clicks.

But then you never see film heroes freezing through the winter like Amir did, trying to fall asleep on the cement floor of an abandoned Syrian classroom. They never seem bored, waiting with cellphones with absolutely no signal in one hand and lukewarm cups of tea in the other. They don't fight over who should get the bread. Try to blame the next guy for the mistakes. Have bad breath.

In Amir’s world, the heroes are Sunni extremists fighting for a global Islamic Caliphate. The enemies are the infidels. Weeds to be removed from the face of the earth.

Jakob (center) at his fifth birthday party. Amir is to the left. As in the preceding picture, Amir's face has been pixelated to avoid disclosing his identity. (See editor's note at the end of the story.)

Jakob Sheikh