The Patience Stone

THE PATIENCE STONE

Al-Qahhar...

Al-Qahhar...

Try to hold your breath.

Just once.

If you're able to breathe,

you can hold your breath.

Hold it!

Can you hear me?

No.

Nothing.

The mullah said that after two

weeks, you would talk and hear.

Today

is the 16th day.

Still nothing.

What else can I do?

I've had enough of praying

all day long.

I must talk to the mullah about it.

Mommy!

Mommy!

I'm coming!

What do you want?

There are no bananas left.

We'll go buy some.

You're killing me.

I'll fetch some more serum.

Okay?

Come on, girls.

We're going out.

We're coming, we're coming!

Bibi!

Come on, let's go!

- Bibi, has the water-bearer been yet?

- No.

Come on!

Hurry.

Here's your medicine.

Sister, you need to pay me.

The pharmacist refused.

We owe him too much.

We'll do the same as before.

Water with sugar and salt in it.

It'll keep you going a few days.

I have to go see my aunt.

To ask her for money.

I'm going, all right?

Why do I ask for permission?

Who is it?

What do you want?

I'm here to see my aunt.

Your aunt? She moved out.

Where is she?

I don't know.

- Where?

- I don't know.

My aunt has left.

She didn't let me know.

No one knows where she is.

I have no one left!

She doesn't know what

has happened to us.

What's going to become of us?

What's going to become of us?

Don't leave me alone.

Don't leave me alone.

Your brothers have left, too.

With your mother.

The brothers so proud

to see you fight.

A mother who'd have sacrificed

herself for a lock of your hair!

They've all left

instead of helping me.

The cowards!

They didn't try to find out

why you were wounded.

They didn't know you fought

because of an insult

just because a man said to you,

"I spit in your mother's p*ssy!"

Someone on your own side!

You get insulted

and end up with a

bullet in the neck.

A fight...

Such an absurd fight!

They've all left.

The cowards!

Come back!

Come back, for the love of God.

My God, help him.

Help him!

He fought so long for you,

and now you abandon him like this!

The mullah won't come tonight.

He's afraid of stray bullets.

The water-bearer

hasn't been either.

I hope he's still alive.

Mommy, it's dark.

I'm scared.

I'm coming. Don't be scared.

I'm here.

Mommy, I'm thirsty.

Me, too.

So is Mommy.

There's no water left.

Mommy, who are you talking to?

Your father.

Why is Daddy angry?

He isn't,

but he will be if we bother him.

Who is it?

It's me, the mullah.

Hello, my sister.

I'm here for the prayer.

- Not today.

- Why not?

Since yesterday, I'm impure.

What?

Impure!

I have my period!

- So did Eve.

- All right, all right.

It was a Tuesday, wasn't it?

A Tuesday?

Perhaps... That's possible.

I'll come back in a few days' time.

If you want your husband

to recover, pray.

May God preserve you.

Daddy?

Are you asleep?

Take this out!

There's a fly!

Yuck! Get it out.

Daddy, tell us a story.

What are you doing?

Get out!

There's a fly in Daddy's mouth!

What have they done to you?

I hope they haven't hurt you.

Just a second, I want

to check on something.

Still not healed.

It's taking so long!

Can you feel anything?

Does it hurt?

No...

It doesn't hurt.

You're not in pain.

You're never in pain.

How can you live with a

bullet in your neck?

You're the one wounded,

and I'm the one suffering.

Brothers,

the enemy plans to

attack our homes.

Come to the mosque!

Our venerable commander

will give you weapons

to protect your families

and your honor!

They're handing out more weapons!

They're going to fight.

They're pleased.

Get up! They'll kill you!

Come on, get up!

I don't know what to

do with my brother.

He refuses to set

foot on the ground.

In God's name, be careful!

What have you done to him?

The poor thing!

Are you okay?

It's better here, right?

You see.

They're behind that wall.

The water-bearer still hasn't been.

The war still isn't over.

There'll be reprisals tonight.

I can't leave you here.

You should be down in the cellar.

But that's impossible.

Your head mustn't move.

If only a stray bullet

could finish you off.

I'll go back down.

I can't leave the girls alone.

Freeze!

Otherwise, I'll waste your ass!

You hear me?

- What's that in his mouth?

- No idea!

Where's your gun?

There are no guns here.

Someone else finished

him off first.

He doesn't need his ring.

Search the other rooms.

Nor his watch.

Go on, get lost!

Can you hear me?

You're dead to the world?

I'm talking to you.

Or you're dead?

Guys, where are you?

What are you doing?

Look, he has a wife.

- I know.

- How? Did he talk?

He took his ring!

Let's go!

Where's his wife?

There's no one in the house.

I think I know him.

- Is he one of ours?

- I think so.

He's a good Muslim.

We didn't bomb the

neighborhood for nothing!

Let's go!

Mommy, have you seen this?

What is it?

Go inside.

What on earth?

Your wedding ring?

Your watch?

Was someone here?

Thieves?

They searched the house?

Bibi djan!

Bibi!

Did you see anyone in my house?

King of kindness!

I weep over my loneliness

It is time to return

King of kindness!

I weep over my loneliness...

The king was here.

He caressed me.

Do you have bread, my daughter?

I gave all my bread to the king.

Where are they?

- Your husband, your son?

- Right there.

In the house.

They're angry. They won't

speak to me anymore.

They'll talk to you.

- Where are they?

- Come and see...

Look!

My heart grows impatient

at your absence...

My daughter...

The king caressed her...

I can't go on.

I can't stay here any longer!

Come on, girls!

Get your things ready!

We're leaving!

We're leaving right now!

I have to find my aunt.

Go to hell!

- My doll!

- Stay here.

You again?

- I beg you, tell me.

- I already answered you!

Tell me or I won't move from here.

I'm staying here!

Thank you.

Let's go.

Up you get!

Right, I'm leaving.

I'll bring her back tomorrow.

You can come in now.

I've been lucky.

I've finally found my aunt.

She lives in the north of the city.

I didn't know about

a lot of her life.

You knew that I'd been married?

Yes, I did hear that.

My parents married me

to a very rich man...

A fool.

Two years later, we realized

that I was sterile.

I was no use at all.

My husband sent me to his parents.

To become their servant.

When my father-in-law

found out I was sterile,

he came to f*** me every night.

One evening, I snapped.

I couldn't take any more.

Using his own pickaxe

that I had hidden under my bed,

I split his skull open.

He died instantly.

I fled.

I made them believe

I'd killed myself.

I vanished.

I left the children there.

She gave me a little money.

I think...

That...

I can't do anything more for you.

I heard our neighborhood

is the front line.

They'll destroy everything here.

You knew that, didn't you?

You knew it very well.

But you didn't tell me.

You knew it.

His brothers knew it, too.

That's why they all left.

You know why they didn't take you?

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