rungtoourfeetandra.irossthefoyer.</p>

“fathersthatsound”hassanyelped,hishandsoutstretchedtosaroundus.aelightflashed,littheskyinsilver.itflashedagainandaatoofgunfire.</p>

“theyrehuntingducks,”alisaidinahoarsevoice.“theyhuntducksatnight,youknobeafraid.”</p>

asireneeoneshouted.iheardpeopleoreet,joltedfroleepandprobablystillintheirpajas,yselfihadenviousofhassan.notatall.</p>

unistupdétat,andthenindeceer1979,estreetsarkiartofastillongoingeraofbloodletting.</p>

justbeforesunrise,babasedshutandhisrunningfootstepspouhestairs.thenheappearedinthedoorethingonhisfaedasherantous,openinghisarheroadsaelephonedidntorried”</p>

sand,forabriefi,ieverhadhappehatnight.</p>

theyuonarchyhingofthepast.theking,zahirshah,aly.inhisabsence,hisusindaoudkhanhadehekingsfortyyearreignhabloodlessup.</p>

ireerhassanandioingoutsidefathersstudy,asbabaandrahihansippedblackteaandlisteobreakingneheuponradiokabul.</p>

“aragha”hassanwhispered.</p>

“”</p>

“sarepublic”</p>

ishrugged.“idontk,”overandain.</p>

“aragha”</p>

“”</p>

“doesrepublifatherandioveaway”</p>

“idontthinkso,”ik.</p>

hassanhis.“aragha”</p>

“”</p>

“idonttosendandfatheraway.”</p>