第9节

    rungtoourfeetandra.irossthefoyer.

    “fathersthatsound”hassanyelped,hishandsoutstretchedtosaroundus.aelightflashed,littheskyinsilver.itflashedagainandaatoofgunfire.

    “theyrehuntingducks,”alisaidinahoarsevoice.“theyhuntducksatnight,youknobeafraid.”

    asireneeoneshouted.iheardpeopleoreet,joltedfroleepandprobablystillintheirpajas,yselfihadenviousofhassan.notatall.

    unistupdétat,andthenindeceer1979,estreetsarkiartofastillongoingeraofbloodletting.

    justbeforesunrise,babasedshutandhisrunningfootstepspouhestairs.thenheappearedinthedoorethingonhisfaedasherantous,openinghisarheroadsaelephonedidntorried”

    sand,forabriefi,ieverhadhappehatnight.

    theyuonarchyhingofthepast.theking,zahirshah,aly.inhisabsence,hisusindaoudkhanhadehekingsfortyyearreignhabloodlessup.

    ireerhassanandioingoutsidefathersstudy,asbabaandrahihansippedblackteaandlisteobreakingneheuponradiokabul.

    “aragha”hassanwhispered.

    “”

    “sarepublic”

    ishrugged.“idontk,”overandain.

    “aragha”

    “”

    “doesrepublifatherandioveaway”

    “idontthinkso,”ik.

    hassanhis.“aragha”

    “”

    “idonttosendandfatheraway.”

    isled.“bas,youdonkey.noonessendingyouaway.”

    “aragha”

    “”

    “doyoubourtree”

    slebroadehatypocketse.throughthefrontgatesandheadedforthehill.

    heresidentialstreetadropped.assefandtal,hingus.

    assefyfathersfriends,hod,anairlinepilot.hisfalylivedafee,inaposh,highpoundtrees.ifyouousstaieelbrassknuantherandafghanfather,theblond,blueeyedasseftooreets.flankedbyhisobeyingfriends,heheneighborhoodlikeakhanstrollingthroughhislandhhiseagertopleaseente.histlelegaleducatiohosebrassknucklestherightteagtool.i

    sausethosekeheoftheboysinedhissefgoshkhor,orassef“theeareater.”ofurse,hearedutterittohisfauddygutter.yearslater,ileaedanenglishhecreaturethatassefdoes:

    “sociopath.”

    ofalltheneighborhoodboysostrelentless.heeon,babalu,giveusasleandondaysparticularlyinspired,hespiceduphisbadgeringalittle,hey,youflatnosedbabalu,todaytellus,youslanteyeddonkey

    nootlepuffsofdust.

    “gooding,kunis”assefexe,itoightirelysaalsooostlyrefrainedfroarassingtooch.

    hetippedhistohassan.“hey,flatnose,”hesaid.“howisbabalu”

    hassansaidnothingande.

    “haveyouheardtheneir”

    “sodoesfather,”isaid.iy,ihadhatrueoot.

    “sodoesfather,”assefckedinaalandackledinunison.ihere.

    “ourh

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