“please.”</p>

“putitdown”</p>

“putitdoythroat.lusohrab.</p>

theslingshotdeathihishandontago.bloodoozedbetethingelse,sothingereousfluid.</p>

assefrolledonthecarpet.rolledsidetoside,shrieking,hishandstillcuppedoverthebloodysocket.</p>

“letsgo”sohrabsaid.hetookhand.helpedtofeet.everyinybatteredbodyhpain.behindus,assefkeptshrieking.</p>

“outgetitout”hescread.</p>

teetering,iopehedoor.theguardseyeseandiachhurtethinginpashtuaheybleing.“out”</p>

“bia,”sohrabsaid,pullinghand.“letsgo”</p>

istuleddoiookafinallookovershoulder.theguardsethingtohisface.theniuood:thebrassballptyeyesocket.</p>

theabove,assefssyarroundsohrabsshoulder,andisaowardus.</p>

“bisllahbisllah”hesaid,eyesbulgingatthesightof.</p>

heslungarroundhisshoulderandlifted.ed.ient,slappedhisblaedshutandtheengineroaredtolife.theeshouting,andsaillahbisllak”</p>

itthenthatipassedout.</p>

tythree</p>

faeago,ybeayearago,ybetaybeten,itriedtotalktoasveryiortantthatido.butidontreerighthavebeeniortant.ybei</p>

totellhiost,thateverythingereasonitthinkof,itothankthechild.</p>

faberanyoftheexceptfortheoache,theoersoapoperastar.thatsfunny.itolaughnolaughinghurtstoo.</p>

ifadeout.</p>

shesaysheaisaisha,“liketheprophet</p>

...</p>