A Thousand Splendid Suns

* * *
Shapes moving about. A fluorescent light shines from the ceiling above.
A woman's face appears, hovers over hers.
Laila fades back to the dark.
* * *
Another face. This time a man's. His features seem broad and droopy.
His lips move but make no sound. All Laila hears is ringing.
The man waves his hand at her. Frowns. His lips move again.
It hurts. It hurts to breathe. It hurts everywhere.
A glass of water. A pink pill.
Back to the darkness.
* * *
The woman again. Long face, narrow-set eyes. She says something.
Laila can't hear anything but the ringing. But she can see the words, like
thick black syrup, spilling out of the woman's mouth.
Her chest hurts. Her arms and legs hurt.
All around, shapes moving.
Where is Tariq?
Why isn't he here?
Darkness. A flock of stars.
Babi and she, perched somewhere high up. He is pointing to a field of
barley. A generator comes to life.
The long-faced woman is standing over her looking down.
It hurts to breathe.