Animal's People

Animal and Elli are informed that Aliya’s fever is worse. They go to Huriya and Hanif’s house, where Aliya is lying dead in her grandfather’s lap. Her grandparents have dressed her up and put makeup on her face to make the angel of death think he has made a mistake. Animal asks why God tortures them while “evil men” (326) dine in luxury. They hear cries that Zafar is dead. A voice tells Animal that this “is the end of your carefree days” (327).

Animal goes home to plead with Ma Franci not to go out, but Ma believes “the end of all things” (328) has come and that this is “the night for which I’ve waited so many years” (328). Animal goes to Somraj’s house, where Nisha is overwhelmed with anger. Animal asks her to marry him. When she says she “will never marry” (332) him, he is hurt, and asks if it’s because he’s an animal. Nisha tells him that if he’s an animal he should “[g]o and live in the jungle” (333) and that he should “leave [her] alone!” (333).

Animal runs out into the street, “for it’s clear that she’s revolted by the idea of marrying such a creature as me” (333).