My father brushed it off. But I was worried.
父亲置之不理，但我很担心。
He was outspoken and involved in so many groups and committees that he often wouldn't come home till midnight.
他在外直言不讳，同时参加了许多团体及委员会，通常都是午夜才能回到家。
He started to sleep at one of his friend's houses to protect us in case the Taliban came for him.
为了保护我们，他开始在朋友的家里借宿，以免塔利班对他下手。
He couldn't bear the thought of being killed in front of us.
他无法想象自己死在我们面前的情景。
I could not sleep until he returned and I could lock the gate.
我夜不成眠，直到他返家，我才能锁上大门，安然入睡。
When he was at home my mother would place a ladder in the back yard up to the outside wall so he could get down to the street below if he was in sudden danger.
当他在家时，母亲会摆一把梯子靠在后院的外墙旁，以备情况危急时，可以直接翻墙逃走。
He laughed at the idea. 'Maybe Atal the squirrel could make it but not me!'
父亲觉得这个主意很好笑。“松鼠似的阿塔尔应该办得到，我可没办法！”
My mother was always trying to think up plans for what she would do if the Taliban came.
母亲总在设想各种各样的对策，以应对随时可能突然来袭的塔利班。
She thought of sleeping with a knife under her pillow.
她想到上床睡觉时，可以在枕头下藏一把刀。
I said I could sneak into the toilet and call the police.
我说我可以偷偷溜进厕所，然后去找警察。
My brothers and I thought of digging a tunnel.
我和弟弟们想过挖一条地道。
Once again I prayed for a magic wand to make the Taliban disappear.
再一次，我希望真主赐给我一把魔杖，好让我把塔利班统统都变不见。
One day I saw my little brother Atal digging furiously in the garden.
有一天，我看见我的小弟弟阿塔尔在花园里发疯似的掘地。
'What are you doing?' I asked him.'Making a grave,' he said.
“你在干什么？”我问他，“挖一个坟墓。”他说。
Our news bulletins were full of killings and death so it was natural for Atal to think of coffins and graves.
我们的紧急插播新闻永远都离不了谋杀和死亡，因此对阿塔尔来说，棺木和坟地是生活的一部分。
Instead of hide and seek and cops and robbers, children were now playing Army vs Taliban.
以前孩子们都玩躲猫猫、官兵捉强盗，现在他们都玩军队大战塔利班。
They made rockets from branches and used sticks for Kalashnikovs; these were their sports of terror.
他们用粗树枝当作火箭，细木当作突击步枪，这些就是他们的“恐怖游戏”。