Men in the Sun

It was not too uncomfortable riding on the back of the huge lorry. Although the sun was pouring its inferno down on them without any respite, the breeze that they felt because of the lorry's speed lessened the intensity of the heat. Abu Qais had climbed up on top with Marwan, and they sat side by side on the edge of the tank. They had drawn lots, and it was Assad's turn to sit beside the driver for the first part of the journey.

Assad said to himself: "The old man will be last to sit in the shade here. But it doesn't matter; in any case the sun is still bearable now. At midday the old man will be lucky."