The Swallows of Kabul

Atiq goes to the mosque for prayers, then stands outside listening to the veterans, one of whom claims he and a few other troops destroyed an entire Soviet tank battalion. Atiq wanders, thinking about how fortunate Musarrat is and noting that she needs to learn to live with her illness. Atiq finds himself back at the prison, and he settles on a cot inside. Nazeesh, an older man, visits Atiq. Nazeesh used to be a mufti, a Muslim legal scholar, with some renown, but he encountered some struggles with mental health, which reduced him to another person struggling to survive in Kabul. Nazeesh brings Atiq some apples and dried meat, sitting with him and talking about how Nazeesh’s father complains too much. Nazeesh tells Atiq that he plans to leave Kabul, but Atiq tells Nazeesh that Nazeesh will never have the courage to leave. Nazeesh is offended, and he takes his food back home with him. Atiq thinks he needs to stop treating Musarrat gently.

Mohsen wakes up to Zunaira acting like they did not argue the previous night. Zunaira is only supportive of Mohsen because she knows it is too hard to be alone. Zunaira asks where Mohsen went the previous night, and he tells her he went to the mosque.