Summary

Chapter 6: Running Away

After the first night with her husband, Nujood’s mother-in-law helped her clean up. Her sister-in-law congratulated her on becoming a woman at age ten. She avoided looking at her husband. After he ate breakfast, he was gone all day. Nujood prayed all day for the Almighty to save her. Nujood was not allowed to leave the house. School was out of the question as was playing with children her age. Nujood panicked each day when Faez returned. When Nujood tried to resist his advances, he started to beat her. His mother encouraged his abuse of her. In addition to the physical abuse, he taunted and ridiculed her in front of his family.

Nujood was tortured every night for twenty or thirty days. She had lost count. Her only thought was to escape and return to Sana’a. There was...