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Later in the evening, the boy’s mother gave each of us an ear of corn. I felt guilty about it for a few minutes, but in our position, there wasn’t much time for remorse.
In Chapter 5, the boys are beginning to feel the effects of starvation. Food is scarce for everyone since the war disrupted trade and people’s ability to farm. The boys are so hungry that when they see a little boy eating two ears of corn, they chase him and steal the corn from him. They divide the two ears of corn among the six boys. Despite only having a limited supply of food themselves, the young boy’s parents do not confront the group, instead choosing to gift the boys each a whole ear of corn—a particularly powerful expression of kindness given the boys’ treatment of her son, and one that highlights the extent of the group’s obvious desperation, which even the child’s parents recognize.
Before the village disappeared from our sight, I turned around to take one last look at the old man. His head was down and he had both hands on his staff. It was clear to me that he knew his days would soon be over, and he didn’t bother to be afraid for himself. But he was for us.
In Chapter 8, the boys come across an old man alone in a village. They learn that because of the war and the reputation of child soldiers, the other villagers fled when they heard the boys were coming. The old man couldn’t run and no one in village was willing to carry him. Instead of fearing the boys or attempting to intimidate them, as past experience would have taught him to do, the old man kindly welcomes the boys and invites them to have some of his food. He asks the boys to keep him company and he gives them directions to Yele. This passage demonstrates that the old man is more concerned for the safety of others. He recognizes his days are numbered and chooses kindness over fear because he has nothing left to lose.
Sometimes when he came to check on us in the morning, he had chewing sap in his mouth. I asked him one morning for his name. He laughed softly. "It is not necessary. This way we will all be safe."
This passage occurs in Chapter 9 when a fisherman shows the boys kindness by helping them heal from serious wounds. The boys’ feet were injured when another group of fishermen chased them on hot sand while they were barefoot. The kind fisherman not only gives the boys a place to stay, but he also offers pain-relieving and healing remedies for the boys’ feet. The boys’ wounds are so serious that they would not have been able to continue their journey, so this kindness surely saves their lives. The fisherman’s words prove that this kindness is not without risk. If people in the village find out that he is providing refuge to the boys, they will all be in danger. When the fisherman is reminded of this danger, he could be stern or relay his worry to the boys. But instead, the fisherman laughs softly and continues to show the boys kindness.
