A Thousand Splendid Suns

As Laila emerges from unconsciousness, she suspects that she may soon be dead. However, she senses Mariam shaking her, asking if she is okay. When she sits up, she notices Rasheed “lying on his back, staring at nothing with an unblinking, fish-mouthed expression” (343). Laila is stammering and tremulous, but Mariam appears “merely preoccupied and thoughtful” (344). She says they will have to move Rasheed so that Zalmai does not see him.

They drag Rasheed out to the toolshed and leave him behind the workbench. Afterwards, Mariam tends to Laila’s wounds and tells her that everything would be fine once they leave along with the children and Tariq too.

When Laila says goodnight to Zalmai, who is expecting his father, she tells him that Rasheed has gone away.

The next morning, Mariam tells Laila to go and fetch Aziza, implying that she will run off with Tarik and Mariam will stay. Laila begs her to come with them, but Mariam says “‘they chop off hands for stealing bread. What do you think they’ll do when they find a dead husband and two missing wives?’” (349). Mariam also worries about how she will face Zalmai after killing his father.