Chapter 1: From Maryam to Raad,

I hope all is well with you, Raad. The days pass slowly and heavily since you were forcibly drafted into the army, as if years are slipping away from my life without me even realizing it. Today, my brother, is one of those days when loneliness grows and thoughts weigh heavy on the heart. I did not wish to burden you with yet another sorrow, but I can no longer keep this from you. Our mother, Raad, has not left her bed for a week. The illness has taken hold of her frail body, and her condition worsens with every passing day. Whenever I get close to her, I hear her faint whispers repeating your name. Her eyes, which once sparkled with kindness, now seem dim, as if searching for something lost. My brother, I beg you, come back for just two days, even one day. Maybe if she saw you, or even just heard your voice, her heart would find a new reason to hold on to life.