第50节

    【】stadiuis,itisapartofourliveshere,aragha.thesavagesaatoesandnaan.sheaskedthevendorhouinistryofvialive,notbecauseifeardeath,butbecauseysonisnotanorphan.

    ikhansahibandihavetaughthioreadaisandbuyhininsharenauandif,ipayhiokehisnkeydaneerhoegrareethereandreadfroheshahnahthedroughtshavedriedthehillareehasntboefruitinyears,butsohrabandistillsitusshadeaohiroheshahnah.itisnotneandsohrab.soohebookhielf.iaveryproudandveryluckyfather.

    aragha,

    rahihansahibisquiteill.heughsalldayandiseebloodonhissleeveouth.hehaslosteveryday.heisleavingforpakistaninafeedo.farzanajanandihavetoldlittlesohrabthatrahihansahibisgoingtobekhansahib.theyhavegrokhansahibusedtotakehiothebazaarforballoonsandbiscuitsbutheistoohatnow.

    ihavebeendreangalotlately,aragha.sooftherenightres,likehangedrpsesrottinginsothatrahihansahibthat

    sonportantperson.idreahatlaireetsofkabulagainandrubabsivarhousesandkitesthatsodayyouutokabultorevisitthelandofourchildhood.ifyoudo,youhfulfriendingforyou.

    yallahbehyoualways.

    hassan

    ireadthelettertinute.ipocketedboth.“howishe”iasked.

    “thatletteronthsago,afekhansaid.“itookthepolaroidthedaybeforeileft.anthafteriarrivedinpeshaoneofneighborsinkabul.hetoldthisstory:sooookleave,arurspreadthatahazarafaly.apairoftaliboffioflyingheeeventhoughnyoftheneighbors,inilyoutofthehousebysundoyneighborsaidthetalibsovingintosupposedlykeepitsafeuntiliretu.hassanprotestedagain.sotheytookhiothestreet”

    “no,”ibreathed.

    “andorderhiokneel”

    “no.god,no.”

    “andshothinthebackofthehead.”

    “farzanacasgandattackedthe

    “no.”

    “shothertoo.selfdefeheyclaidlater”

    butalliuldnageowhisper“no.no.no”overandain.

    ikeptthinkingofthatdayin1974,inthehospitalroojustafterhassansharelipsurgery.baba,rahihan,ali,andihadhuddledaroundhassansbed,exanehisneirror.noe.

    thehingelse:andressedinaherringbopressingthezzleofhiskalashnikovtothebayfathershouse.hassanslustotheasphalt,hislifeofuedloyaltydriftingfroiiketheesheusedtochase.

    “thetalibaothehouse,”rahihansaid.“thepretexturdersissedasacaseofselfdefense.noonesaidaostofithetaliban,ithink.butnooneoriskanythingforapairofhazaraservants.”

    “entsbefore,likeheirjan,isuonedyouherebecauseiedtoseeyoubeforeidie,butthatsnotall.”

    isaidnothing.ithinkialreadykneheosay.

    “iyoutogotokabuliyoutsohrabhere,”hesaid.

    istruggledtofindtherightetodealhthefactthathassanwasdead.

    “pleasehear.iknoerialytheyhouseandfeedafghanchildrenr.ands.caldheyh

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