“Very well,” the Principal began, accommodated in his old armchair, maybe from the time of the Portuguese Empire. “As nobody has applied and you seem to be the only student still left in the school today, you will have the honor of representing us in this year's expedition of the Rondon Project. Congratulations Túlio and sign here…” as he handed him a sheet of paper and one of those new ballpoint pens.

Túlio, who already didn't like how things were going that day at all, looked perplexed at the Principal: “What are you talking about? What is everybody talking about?”

Professor José Antônio intervened: “Relax, Túlio. Here's the thing: I've organized one of this year's Rondon Project expeditions and, as always happens, some students are chosen to come along with us. And you are the selected one, congratulations! It's a great adventure, don't you think?”

“Adventure? You want to drag me into the closed forest, away from civilization for who knows how long, and you still think that's an adventure? Professor, there are jaguars there! There are spiders! Indians!”

He regretted it the moment his tongue was faster than his brain. He looked to the side, already expecting a punch to come crashing against his nose, but Maria de Fátima looked amused by his suffering: “Here too.”

He thought about his microradio arriving in the morning train, thought of Seu Joaquim's good laughs… but he also thought about the cold townhouse, the conversations from people walking under his window, conversations he could only catch fragments of but never take part on… and maybe the jungle wasn't such a bad idea. At least, he could look at Maria de Fátima a little more… but what was he thinking ? They were dragging him into the Forbidden Human Permanence Forest Area! The “Green Hell”!

“Look, thank you very much, but I…”

“Colonel Lobato, he… asked… that I send you.”

At that moment, Túlio comprehended that once again he had no choice but to follow what was being imposed on him. That explained the Colonel's presence at the school, but not the reason to send him so far away. He had already stayed home alone several times, for several days, in several vacations… why that now?

“You may even like it,” Maria de Fátima tried to cheer him up. Or was that only sarcasm?

“Well, Túlio, sign the paperwork at once because we've got a lot to do! We leave tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow? But already?”

“The jungle can't wait!”