
InaChechencityrecoveringafterthewar,amandisappears.Asdailylifegoeson,thoseinsearcharedrawnintoaworldwhereencounterswithdivinersandlegaladvisors,withthetorturersandthetortured,withsecretprisonsandmythicallakesallbecomecommonplace.Consolationandhelponlycomefromneighboursandrelativesoraccidentallymetstrangerspeoplewhothemselveslivewiththelossorwhoareonesthathavereturnedfromwherenoonereturns.Theneighbourwaitsforhersonandseeshimindreamsalmosteverynighteventhoughmorethanfiveyearshavepassedsincethesonwaskidnapped.Shedoesnothavehersonaliveandshedoesnothavehimdead.Thegray-hairedmanwithoutanearandwithaburnedhandstillcannotthinkoflifeoutsidetheprisoncell.Theadultsonplayswiththeclothropeandisdependentonhismotherandsistersformostofhisdailyneeds.Whatisthentoliveinacitywheregrandmosqueslienexttotortureprisons,whereofficialstatementsarelessvalidthanthoseheardatdivinationsessions,wherepronouncementsofdeathareoccasionsofjoy,wherestreetsarefulloftheghostlypresencesofthedeadandthemissing;wherethelaughterofpain,aprayer,andadreamaretheonlysolace?Barzakh,-alandbetweenthelivingandthedead?