It was noon, and a hot wind was blowing through the tent. The child was kicking about, his feet covered in dirt. The old woman, waiting to make chaka, was pouring yogurt into a yellow cloth bag.
The girl, with her hands tied, was sitting inside the tent. She had a headache. A piece of dry bread lay near her feet. Then she noticed a large camel. The camel was moving quickly and entered the child’s enclosure.
The girl’s eyes widened in alarm. She hurriedly stood up, but the rope pulled tight, forcing her to sit back down. She stretched her bound hands toward the peg and tried to untie the rope, but she failed. She fell down and clenched the dirty rope between her teeth, then gave it a hard tug. Suddenly, her hair was pulled backward.
The old woman screamed.