Seishi looked at the small village and huts finally emerging from the dust cloud kicked up by their car. A cluster of tents stood a little farther away. This would be his home for months to come. For a brief moment, he wondered if he had made a huge mistake. His parents and friends all seemed to think he was crazy for quitting a very good position and suddenly leaving for another continent without apparent “good” reason. Of course, they could not know. He closed his eyes. Only his cousin knew what he was really running from by coming here. How completely, losing “him” had broken him… and even she would not know how close he had been to lose himself and really make a mistake.

Next to him, Irene, one of the nurses coming with him, began searching in her bag and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. He smiled. They were lucky enough to have air conditioning in their jeep but he knew that the sun would not be forgiving once they were outside.

"Want some?" she asked.

"I’m good, thanks. I’ll look out for the shade!"

At thirty-five, with a gentle face framed by long brown hair, Irene was a seasoned nurse who had already taken part in several missions like the one they were getting to. She had claimed to be ‘more than ready’ for the bush but she still took care of herself and her appearance.

"Here we are! Aw bismillah," said their driver after pulling to a stop under a tree close to the tents.

Seishi stepped out of the jeep and stretched, relieved to see the end of the hours-long journey on uneven roads. Just stepping out of the cool vehicle was a thermal shock.

Moussah, another twenty-six-year-old nurse, followed and came to stand beside him. Unlike Seishi, the young man seemed completely unfazed by the heat. Being of African origin, Moussah's local knowledge would prove invaluable to the team. Seishi suddenly regretted not having brought a fan. Moussah smiled.

"You should put cream too."

"I know, I know. I hate it but my mother made sure I had the highest protection possible with me! Repellent too…" grumbled Seishi while chasing a fly. "You could put some on too, you know."

Moussah stretched his arm and showed him.

"I have long sleeves and pants."

Realizing their driver was unloading their luggage, they stopped their bantering and went to help him take care of all the equipment they brought.

"It’s ok, just go check with the doctor first. We’re late."

Indeed, two people were coming closer.

Seishi observed the Japanese humanitarian team that had already been in place for a month in the small camp in Mali where he and his team would stay with them for many months. He assumed that the oldest must be doctor Ikeda, the leader of the expedition. Seishi, himself a young surgical intern, was supposed to lead the Franco-Japanese camp alongside this doctor. About forty-five years old, thin, with short black hair and a rather marked face, he closed the distance between them quickly.

Seishi bowed.

"Sorry, we are late. I’m Seishi Desmond D’Arbois. Nice to meet you."

"Ah, don’t worry. We’ve had to learn soon enough that there is no such thing as being on time here. I’m Ikeda Yoshio, nice to meet you," answered the older man with a small bow.

After Seishi introduced his two companions, Ikeda-sensei introduced his team. Takahashi Hiroshi was also a nurse in his thirties, a smiling plump man wearing glasses and with short, bobbed hair. Ikeda-sensei sighed in exasperation before introducing the last member of the team, who was conspicuously absent. He pointed at a young man a little further away, with a long, loose ponytail and busy with children, apparently from the village where the team had settled.

"Saneda Ryô," whispered the doctor.

Irene and Moussah looked at each other, a little surprised that he did not even deign to move. Seishi smiled and waved his hand as he saw that the young man was glancing at them. The latter jumped, as if he'd been caught doing something wrong, then shrugged his shoulders and turned his head away.

Seishi studied him. He seemed so young.

"Is he part of the team?"

“Saneda-kun is eighteen, barely out of high school,” Ikeda-sensei continued. “But don't pay attention, it's better not to bother with him.”

Seishi looked at him, intrigued.

“He would do anything for the children, whom he spends all his time with. In a month he even seems to understand them and make himself understood but for the rest, we... He doesn't give a damn. He never really fit in. We can't ask him for much beyond cooking and looking after for those children.”

Ikeda-sensei led the small group to the camp.

“I don't know why he came here. Probably because his difficult and rebellious nature would be freer here, in contrast to the conventions and life in Japan. Come now, I will explain how the current camp works and then we will discuss our organization.”

Seishi nodded but startled when his eyes suddenly met the young man’s. For a brief instant another stubborn and youthful face flashed through his memory. He blinked.

“Come, you must be exhausted.”

Taking one last look at the young man, Seishi followed Ikeda-sensei.

~

Ryô, on the other hand, had grabbed a little girl about eight years old, who stubbornly kept her head turned away.

“Yesterday you sick... Cough,” the young man tried to explain.

The girl shook her head as she tried to free herself.

“Tell me problem... We cure...”

“No! The sorcerer says evil eye. Leave me!”

Taking advantage of his momentary surprise, she escaped Ryô's grip and ran away.

“Samaaaa...”

Ryô remained puzzled for a moment then sighed and walked away to get back to his chore of cooking the rice... And now, he was going to have to count extra portions!