- About 50 people—including Vahan's grandma—were just killed. Vahan knows there's nothing he can do, and he feels guilty that he can't even dig his grandma a grave; at least he got to do that when they shot his brothers.
- He feels even worse that he can't comfort his mom. There's nothing he can say or do to her to make this situation any better.
- That night, Vahan's mom tells him that he's got to run away with his bro Sisak—it's getting worse with the soldiers, and she can't watch them die. At least they'll have a chance if they make a run for it.
- Vahan confides to us that all these years later, he still feels guilty about running away. He knows he didn't have a choice then, and that he couldn't have helped his mom and sister, but even so, he feels so guilty about leaving them there.
- His mom tells him to be brave and not to worry; she kisses him goodbye, and he doesn't want to leave her.
- Vahan and Sisak wait until it's dark and most of the soldiers have gone to bed. They crawl on their hands and knees so no one will see them, and they go as fast as they can without making too much noise.