- In the dark closet, Vahan sits and counts. When he gets to five hundred, he keeps going. It gives him comfort to keep counting higher and higher, and he wishes he were just a number and not a person with these problems.
- He thinks about how he hates God and doesn't understand what's happening—it isn't fair (which is a totally fair point, if you ask us).
- Vahan thinks back to when his cousin Mesok told him about painting portraits. He'd say that when you look at an object, you've got to take a step back from it to really figure it out; it dawns on Vahan that his cousin wasn't just talking about objects.
- At dinner, Mrs. Altoonian says grace over the food and speaks optimistically about her husband and son.
- Pattoo thinks this is crazy. They are dead and his mom just won't accept it. Yet she doesn't seem to care if she's crazy or not—she hasn't seen a body, so this is her story and she's sticking to it.
- Later Pattoo tells Vahan he thinks his mom has lost her marbles; they saw the soldiers shoot Vartan and buried him in the back yard.
- Vahan notices that Mrs. Altoonian has been off her rocker since he got there.
- After a couple days, Vahan starts to feel like he's wearing out his welcome, and once a week passes, Mrs. Altoonian announces he's got to leave—tonight.
- She feels badly, but she's got to protect her son. Things are getting worse and the only reason she and Pattoo are even alive is because they know the police commissioner.
- Vahan goes out into the cold, not sure where to go.