When it was three in the morning, the yurt was still at a few miles’

distance. They decided to accept the hospitality from the residents

of the yurt. At least, they could have regular food before sleeping

rather than eating from tins. They can gift wolf skins to their hosts,

still fresh from yesterday’s adventure. And, how could one family

refuse to accept the troops?

They reached the yurt at five. Habibullah, escorted by two soldiers

at his sides, tugged at the opening and looked inside. It was still

dark and he could see nothing. He switched on his flash light and

saw one man hanging upside down. One woman, possibly the lady

of the yurt was lying at one corner, half naked. Three men, similar

to members of his troop, were sleeping in the comfort of the soft

cushions and blankets. The air smelt of sex and violence.

He indicated to his guards to be on alert and asked two more guards

to enter the yurt. His sentries aimed at sleeping men while he went

to inspect the hanging man and the sleeping woman. She was

young, not even twenty. There were marks of lashes on her body

and few bruises on her arms and face. Blood streaks could be seen

on her exposed breasts that turned violet giving clues to the torture

she suffered. Her bosom was rising and lowering slowly indicating

she was still alive. He touched her on shoulder and tapped to wake

her. He shook her body only to see her body roll onto her back. He

took a blanket and covered her.

He pointed out the hanging body to his men and one soldier untied

the knot and slowly allowed the body to lie on the ground. There

were cuts on the body; on the chest, hands and legs, except the

bearded face. The man was already dead, probably due to internal

injuries. After pulling the body next to the unconscious woman,

the soldier went to the other side of the bed where half a dozen

guns were kept. He took all of them and walked out to explain the

findings to the waiting group.

Habibullah asked for two more lights inside the yurt and checked

for any more concealed weapons. He sat on a wooden structure

resembling a stool and signalled his guards to wake the other men

up. One of the guards pulled the blankets roughly and kicked the

sleeping men. Startled, all three sat up and gaped in fear. Their

hands automatically reached the back of bed where they had kept

guns. Seeing the guns were already taken, they looked at the guards

and then at Habibullah with apprehension.

“Who are you?” Habibullah asked them softly noticing Kasim

entering the yurt. They were watching Habibullah and Kasim

walking towards the bodies lying. One of them told, “We are Talibs.

Don’t point the gun at us.” He got up, which gave the other two the

courage they needed. Habibullah shouted. “Sit on your knees with

your hands raised.”

“Do you know with whom you are talking? We are same, you and

us. Why do you brandish the gun at us?” He tried to casually walk

toward the opening. He was prevented by one guard who pushed

him down to his knees. The man on his knees started protesting

when the gun’s barrel was thrust in his mouth. Other two kneeled

down on their own. Hands and legs of all three were tied and they

were thrown outside of the yurt, on the cold earth.

Kasim rubbed the woman’s palms and shook her. He asked for

some snow and rubbed it on her eyes and cheeks. Slowly, she

opened her eyes. Kasim gave her a blanket and asked her to sit

properly. She asked for water. After drinking, she saw the body

of her husband and cried softly. Kasim consoled her and enquired

about the situation.

“They came late evening, barging into the house. We were getting

ready to sleep. They asked for food. Seeing the guns, my husband

asked me to cook. I cooked meat and made a soup also. After eating,

they asked me why I was not covering my face. I didn’t know what

to answer. They slapped me and my husband asked them to behave

themselves. ‘You just ate food from her. Thank her and go,’ that

was all he said and they were onto him. They beat him mercilessly

and forced themselves on me. For hours, they violated me while my

husband was slowly dying from their beatings.” She started crying

loudly, holding the head of her dead husband.

Kasim looked at Habibullah, who got up and went outside with his

men. Kasim asked the woman to dress up and came outside. The

leader of the three rapists shouted at Habibullah, demanding their

release. Kasim asked, “Why did you kill him?”

“That is none of your business. Seems you are a traveller. You better

continue your travel leaving the law enforcement to us. We’re the

law keepers in this land.”

Kasim sat on one yak that was lying nearby. “I belong to this part.

I have seen this valley even before your father was born. Tell me.

Why did you kill your host?”

“The lady was not wearing a veil. Even when we entered the yurt,

she had shown her face to us. We objected to it, and were penalising

her. He intervened and got killed. We were implementing the law.”

“No,” Kasim roared. “The law states that you should not enter

the yurt when her face is not covered. And you ate food from her.

Instead of showing gratitude, you killed her husband and raped

her. It was you who has broken the law. Law is not what a person

with the gun thinks. It is same to all. Even guns abide by law. That is

the reason guns change hands, when required.” He called the lady

out and asked her opinion on the captives. “Kill them,” she replied

simply and returned to the yurt, to cry over her husband’s body.

Her wails were agitating the guards. It was not that they were any

better. But, witnessing as observers was new to them.

Habibullah told Kasim to close the issue fast and moved away from

the group, for a smoke. He had his share of violence already and

had no stomach for it now.

Kasim ordered the captives to walk into the gorge that was at a

mile’s distance from there. He asked three guards to accompany

them. Reaching there, he ordered to shoot kneecaps of all three

captives. “Leave them here for wolves. This is the justice,” he

returned.

That day they stayed there. The body of the husband was buried.

They killed one yak and cooked its meat. It was already noon when

they slept after erecting their temporary tents. The hectic morning

after a long walk exhausted them and they slept well. It was

already dark when they got up. Packing everything, they started

their journey leaving the lady lonely in the desert.