【】ybed,askedhiosito.“.faisalthinksthereisaericae,”isaid.</p>

“hedoes”sohrabsaid,slingfaintlyforthefirsttiindays.“anwego”</p>

“ighttakealittleyhandonthebaoutside,thecalltoprayerblaredthroughthestreets.</p>

“howlong”sohrabasked.</p>

“idontknow.awhile.”</p>

sohrabshruggedandsled,e.“idontnd.i.itslikethesourapples.”</p>

“sourapples”</p>

“oi,bedatreeahesegreen,sourapples.stoothersaidthatifidjustesieershesaidabouttheapples.”</p>

“sourapples,”isaid.“shallah,yourejustaboutthesrtestlittleguyiveevert,sohrabjan.”hisearsreddenedhablush.</p>

“etothatredbridgetheohefog”hesaid.</p>

“absolutely,”isaid.“absolutely.”</p>

“andhosestreets,theoneshehoodofthedthesky”</p>

“everysingleohe”isaid.eyesstungaway.</p>

“isenglishhardtolea”</p>

“isay,hinayear,youllspeakitaswellasfarsi.”</p>

“really”</p>

“yes.”iplacedafingerunderhis,tuedhisfaceuptohereisoherthing,sohrab.”</p>

“”</p>

“r.faisalthinksthatiteforkidsforawhile.”</p>

“hoforkids”hesaid,hisslefading.“youananorphanage”</p>

“ittlewhile.”</p>

“no,”hesaid.“no,please.”</p>

“sohrab,itise.”</p>

“youprosedyoudihoseplaces,aragha,”hesaid.hisvoiceearspoolinginhiseyes.ifeltlikeaprick.</p>

“thisisdifferent.itabad,notinkabul.andidvisityouallthetiuntilerica.”</p>

“pleaseplease,no”heseidonttogo.”</p>

“nooneisgoingtohurtyou.noteveragain.”</p>

“yestheyheybuttheylie.theylieplease,god”</p>