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to think it through, Tamara, you’ll come to the same conclusion. It’s Amed who will go.”
    Tamara wept and shook her head no, unable to speak.
    â€œWhy do you think Soulayed came to offer me his condolences and brought Kamal with him? Listen to me, this man lost his wife when his only son was born. And he agreed to sacrifice him.”
    Zahed rose. Tamara watched him move off, his back bent, into the orange grove. She was not surprised. She had known Zahed would choose Amed. In her heart, she had always known. And it rendered her mute with pain.
    That night, in the garden, she looked at the moon, bathed herself in its distant light. Suddenly she remembered a song. Her mother had murmured it into her ear to put her to sleep:
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  One day we will be light.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  We will live with eyes always open.
    Â Â Â Â Â Â Â  But tonight, child, close your eyelids .
    A sensation of cold seized hold of her belly. She thought she was going to be sick. But the cold, which usually moved downwards, now climbed as high as her lips, her tongue. Icy words formed in her mouth. She realized it was too late. Nothing could melt those words and the thoughts they contained. She waited for night to envelop the house, then she went up, silently, to the boys’ room. She heard the whistling of their breath. They were sleeping deeply. She approached Amed’s bed, and placed her hand on his brow. She waited for him to wake. When his eyes were half-open, she tenderly took his hand.
    â€œDon’t say anything, don’t wake your brother, follow me.”
    They slipped out of the bedroom like thieves. With Amed, she went back into the garden. They sat down on the “moon bench,” as Tamara secretly liked to call it. Amed didn’t seemed too surprised that she’d woken him in the middle of the night and led him out of the house. His eyelids were still heavy with sleep.

    â€œListen to me, Amed. Soon your father will go into your room without a sound, so as not to wake your brother, and will place his handon your head as I did myself just now. And you, you’ll slowly emerge from your sleep and you’ll understand, seeing his face bent over yours, that it’s you he’s chosen. Or he’ll take you by the hand, lead you into the orange grove, and sit you down at the foot of a tree to talk to you. I don’t know just how your father will reveal it to you, but you’ll know before he’s even opened his mouth. Do you realize what that means? You will not come back from the mountain. I don’t know what all Soulayed has told you, you and your brother, but I can guess. Your father says he’s a man who can see the future. An important man who is shielding us from our enemies. Everyone respects him, no one dares disobey him. Your father fears him. Me, as soon as I saw him, I found him arrogant. Your father should not have allowed him to cross the threshold of our house. Who has given him the right to go into people’s houses and take away their children? I’m not stupid. I know that we’re in a war and that we must make sacrifices. And I know that you and your brother are courageous. You’ve told your father that it would be an honor for you to fulfill your duty and wearthis belt. He told me what you said. You’re ready to follow in the steps of Halim and all the others. Your father is overwhelmed. He’s proud of your determination. God has given us the two best sons in the world, but Amed, I am not the best mother in the world. You remember my cousin Hajmi? You remember, don’t you? She was sick. Aziz suffers from the same sickness. His bones are decaying, melting away inside his body. Your brother is going to die, Amed.”
    â€œI don’t believe it.”
    â€œDon’t tell your mother she’s lying. The big-city doctor told your father. Aziz will not see the next harvest. Don’t cry, my