You realize that you cannot afford to let go of this chance to flee the country, and thus, the family decides to leave and then send help for your brother once they are someplace safe themselves.

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It is six in the morning, and you are asked to reach a location. Your family is asked not to reveal their destination at any cost, and the women are specifically asked to wear clothes “suitable” for a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which includes long, loose-fitted clothes and a hijab.

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Even though for the longest you have tried your best to get your documents and go to a safer place, your heart still feels heavy to leave your home.