Narin’s journey takes a dark and painful turn in 2014, as she is forcefully taken from her home and transported along with other women and children in a truck heading toward Mosul. Overcome by an overwhelming sense of fear, helplessness, and confusion, Narin finds herself struggling to cope with the chaotic and brutal situation unfolding around her. However, as they journey through unfamiliar lands, memories of her grandmother’s teachings about wild herbs begin to surface, offering her a brief but powerful connection to the past. These memories, filled with warmth and the simplicity of life before this nightmare, provide Narin with a fleeting sense of comfort in the face of an uncertain and perilous future. Her grandmother’s wisdom and the small details of her life—like the herbs she once taught Narin to recognize—anchor her in this moment of despair, helping her hold onto the small fragments of her past.

While grappling with her captors, Narin finds herself reflecting on a lesson her grandmother taught her: the duality of good and evil within human nature. This concept, so carefully imparted to her over the years, now takes on new meaning as she witnesses the atrocities around her. The stories she was told as a child about evil figures who at least recognized the harm they inflicted begin to blur with the horrifying reality she faces—those committing atrocities now often view themselves as righteous and divinely justified. The question of how anyone could justify causing suffering in the name of faith haunts Narin, leaving her confused and troubled. Her grandmother’s words urge her to seek light in even the darkest times, but as Narin navigates through the brutal chaos of her present, she finds herself struggling to find that light, consumed by the dark reality of her captivity.

As Narin and the other captives arrive in Mosul, the extent of the destruction and violence facing her community becomes impossible to ignore. Narin’s fear grows as she watches a coordinated assault on her people, where militants ruthlessly destroy homes, families, and lives in the name of their cause. These attacks hit Narin personally, as she recognizes some of the men leading these brutal acts, familiar faces from her life before the violence erupted. Within the confines of the building where the captives are held, Narin is forced to witness the desperate cries and pleas of those around her. As she is chosen for translation duties, she hears horrific accusations about her people’s so-called betrayal, and she is pressured to renounce her faith and accept the role of a “lawful wife” to one of the militants. Despite the torment, Narin cries out for her grandmother in a final act of resistance, a raw expression of her unwillingness to succumb to the horrors surrounding her.

The physical and emotional toll on Narin becomes unbearable as she is struck repeatedly by her captors. She is dragged across the cold, unforgiving floor until she loses consciousness, the pain overwhelming her. When she wakes, she comes to understand the full horror of her captivity. As a young girl, Narin is seen as an easy target for exploitation and abuse, and her terror deepens as she realizes the gravity of her situation. Despite her overwhelming fear, Narin refuses to comply with the militants’ demands, even as the weight of their cruelty and her own circumstances continue to press down on her.

In the midst of her suffering, Narin meets Salma, a woman who once knew her grandmother, and they find solace in each other’s presence. They share memories of the past, and for a brief moment, the bonds of friendship and familiarity provide some comfort in their dark and harrowing reality. However, even as Salma tries to protect Narin from further harm, the danger they face remains constant and ever-present. The commander’s increasingly harsh demands continue to loom over them, a reminder that the safety they seek is elusive and fragile. Salma’s protective instincts drive her to shield Narin from the brutal violence around them, but the omnipresent threat of exploitation and violence continues to haunt them, leaving both women grasping for any shred of safety or hope amidst the cruelty they endure.