BADIL

“They set him on fire,”Musa*said.“TheIraqiArmydetainedmycousin,andused fire. Doyouunderstand?”

I prayed that I had not understood. “Did they burn his house, or his body?” Please God let it be just his house, I prayed.

“His body,” said Musa. “He was in the hospital for a week, but he died. He had four children. Do you see what happens to us in Iraq?”