The Cellist of Sarajevo

Colonel Karaman’s soldiers take Arrow to the old Parliament Building, which has been completely gutted and bombed by the men on the hill. Its bones are still standing, and it offers a good view of all the enemy occupied territory from its upper floors. The three soldiers hand Arrow off to another soldier in the lobby, who introduces himself as Hasan. Arrow finds Hasan strangely friendly. Hasan congratulates Arrow on her skillful reputation and takes her up to the 14th floor.

The 14th floor of the Parliament Building is a mess of broken glass and debris as the wind blows freely through gaping holes in the walls. Hasan jokes about “going hunting,” but Arrow doesn’t respond. Hasan explains that Arrow’s assignment is to shoot whomever Hasan chooses. Arrow is irritated that she has ended up in this situation with no options.

Arrow sets up her rifle in a covered position, ignoring Hasan’s order to shoot from the gaping hole in the wall. Hasan pulls out binoculars and starts scoping out Grbavica. The neighborhood is a wasteland, with little that has not been shot, set on fire, or destroyed. Hasan comments that he used to live in one of the buildings on the front lines, frankly explaining that his whole family is probably dead. Arrow sadly adds that her father is dead, as well, and Hasan angrily suggests that they should make “them” pay for all these wounds.

Arrow is uncomfortable with Hasan’s intense need for revenge. She turns her attention back to the streets of Grbavica, looking for anyone who might be a soldier. It is hard to tell when neither army regularly wears uniforms. Arrow has learned to identify people by the way they walk, and wonders if Hasan can do the same. Now that her rifle is dedicated to Hasan’s choice, she hopes he will choose well.

Hasan nudges Arrow and points out a target. Arrow looks where he indicates, seeing only a civilian man creeping around a building. Arrow argues, pointing out a soldier who has just moved into view, but Hasan insists that Arrow shoot the civilian man. Arrow again refuses to kill an unarmed civilian. Hasan tries to convince Arrow that no one in Grbavica can be innocent and that all the people there are rabid animals who deserve to die. Arrow again argues that the other side still has some good people.

Hasan restates that a war can only have two sides and that Arrow must shoot. Arrow lifts her rifle and pinpoints the civilian man. She wonders if she could have done anything else these past months with the men on the hill doing so much to make her hate them. She hopes other people in Sarajevo have been able to resist that temptation, but she considers it too late for herself. But when she takes her final aim Arrow remembers the cellist’s music in her head and knows she will not shoot.

Arrow gets up and picks up her gun. Hasan warns her that leaving now will make her a defector, but Arrow decides to take that risk. Hasan does not follow her as Arrow makes her way down the fourteen flights of stairs. Outside the Parliament Building, Arrow sneaks past the guards onto the streets and runs away.