week before utraan,
the yearly kite-flying festival,
ahmed rasool stayed up late and worked at nights,
he was determined to make the finest kite he had ever made.
his only companion was an oil lamp.
zaheera,
his wife,
no longer stayed up with him while he worked,
because recent events had left her terribly unhappy.
their village had been almost destroyed by riots,
their village had been almost destroyed by riots,
their son had disappeared without leaving a note,
and Zaheera had lost her previous enthusiasm for life