Around two in the afternoon, the entire town had grown quiet again. The slightest sound could be heard from afar—the chirping of birds, the wind blowing, the noises of domestic animals. Some people were having lunch, others taking a nap, and others praying.

  At times, the sound of the wind echoed strangely, as if spirits were whispering to one another in the air. In Wolof, this moment is called “Dig Diollor”—a strange yet soothing hour of the day.

  Modou’s half-sister, Soukeyna, who lived in Lambay—the second district of Deuk Wolof—made a living selling dried fish. She was Modou’s elder sister. Her mother, Amina, and Modou’s mother, Fatou, shared the same husband, Madiaw Thiam, who did everything he could to avoid family conflict.

  Soukeyna sold her goods at the entrance of the town—a passage often used by the Dal. Awa Ndoye, Thiam’s mother, regularly passed by Soukeyna’s stall to sell her ice cream. Her husband, Ibra Thiam—brother of Madiaw—shared the same name as young Ibra and was also Maguette’s childhood friend.

  Whatever Awa Ndoye failed to sell, she entrusted to Soukeyna, whom she barely knew. Thiam, Awa Ndoye’s son, had been fortunate enough to attend school. Nogaye, too, was a graduate without employment, but she refused to remain idle. The next day, Awa Ndoye collected three-quarters of her earnings and left one quarter to Nogaye as a gesture of gratitude.

  The Dal continued to frequent Deuk Wolof. It was peaceful there—but peace was not something they appreciated.

  One day, four of them noticed Soukeyna. Recognizing her, they whispered among themselves, staring coldly.

  Soukeyna possessed rare beauty: striking eyes, a graceful figure, full lips, and teeth as white as milk.

  The following day, shortly after Awa Ndoye had left, the four young men entered the town and approached her stall. One of them pretended to be a customer.

  “Such beauty is rare, lovely lady,” said Mong Dal.

  “Are you mocking me? If that were true, I’d already have a husband,” Soukeyna replied, flattered.

  “You have no one? Someone as charming as you?” said Dramé Dal, feigning surprise. “People can be truly foolish.”

  “No one loves you?” Mong Dal asked.

  “Yes. Salif—the friend of my half-brother Modou, from Diamegueune,” she answered sadly. “Unfortunately, I’m older than he is.”

  The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Does age matter that much?” asked Tierno Dal—a young man who had never truly wanted to be an outlaw, but who stayed with the Dal out of lack of choice.

  Tierno Dal, not inherently cruel, sensed that something terrible might happen. He urged the others to leave.

  “Well, until next time, miss,” Tierno Dal said. “Let’s go, guys.”

  “Go where?” Mong Dal asked.

  “You don’t know?” Tierno Dal replied, irritated.

  “Are you arguing?” Soukeyna said with a surprised smile. “Is leaving or staying really worth fighting over?”

  Seeing a small crowd beginning to gather, the three Dal glanced at Tierno Dal in frustration. They knew they were struggling to control their dark impulses—and that they were capable of doing something reckless.

  Knowing them well, Tierno Dal leaned toward Soukeyna and whispered their bad intentions, urging her to leave immediately.

  But Dramé Dal, unable to tolerate Tierno any longer after witnessing this, suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed him.

  It was a horrific scene. Tierno cried out and collapsed to his knees as the two others chased after Soukeyna. Panicked, she ran in the wrong direction.

  Some witnesses ran toward the police station, while others tried to help Tierno Dal.

  Terrified, Dramé Dal turned on Tierno:

  “You shouldn’t have angered us! This is your fault,” he shouted coldly, without the slightest regret. “It’s your fault this happened. I took you for a brother. You can die, you traitor.”

  Hearing police sirens in the distance, Dramé Dal jumped onto a nearby horse and vanished from sight.

  Meanwhile, those pursuing the attackers were only a few meters behind. Soukeyna stumbled violently to the ground. She tried to resist, but after being brutally beaten by her two pursuers, she could no longer fight back.

  Neub Dal assaulted her.

  When Mong Dal prepared to take his turn, he noticed people approaching to rescue her. He fled immediately with Neub Dal.

  The rescuers could only carry Soukeyna back to her father, who rushed her to the health district—where Tierno Dal had also been taken.

  When Madiaw Thiam returned from the hospital, rage consumed him. He destroyed everything in his path, shouting furiously and even throwing his cap to the ground.