I am startled out of my contemplations when I hear some loud bangs and our lead jeep flips. I cry out and go tumbling when our jeep plows into the back of it as it lays on it's side. Ayham catches me as I tumble and tosses me back roughly, making me angry with him. Tony seems to be unhurt, thank God. He smiles as I help gather the equipment that was tossed about.

While we work, we watch Ayham examine the people who were tossed from the lead vehicle. The driver, hired by Ayham, has a broken leg; the passenger, who is our field producer Josh, is dead. Ayham helps the driver to the shady side of the flipped vehicle and leans him against it. I can hear them talking animatedly in their own language. I hear the name Mahmoud several times, and assume it is the friend that Ayham had been talking about.

I help Tony gather all the water we have and we create a makeshift tent with a tarp and the overturned jeep. Ayham shows us how to make it more comfortable by digging away the hot sand to get to the cooler sand below. We do this under our tarp and it is a bit cooler there with the shade and all, but I would give anything for some air conditioning right now!

"Ayham seems to be cheerful enough" I whisper to Tony when we are relatively alone. "You'd think he was happy this happened!"

"Oh, he's probably just looking forward to seeing his old friend" Tony said. I had to smile. Tony always looked for the good in everyone, no matter the circumstance.

"I just find it weird that he's not more upset about Josh. They've worked together for four years"

"Different people mourn in different ways Jess, you know that."

"I know, and I'm sorry I'm being so mean about it. It's not fair to Ayham." I patted Tony on the shoulder and we made our way back to the tarp.

Two and a half hours later I was going nuts. The sand kept getting in my mouth and my throat was so dry it made a clicking noise every time I swallowed. Ayham frowned every time I asked for water. He said it was 'foolish' to drink it all quickly and we should conserve it, that we might be stuck there until late evening when the locals caravan to and from his friend's establishment.

I had unbuttoned my shirt halfway to allow air to get to my chest. I felt sticky, sandy, gritty and my thick ponytail was hot on my back. Ayham furrowed his brow when he saw my unbuttoned shirt and said that the women of this country do not display their charms like that, and that I should cover myself. Needless to say, I was irritated and retorted that I would cover myself if anyone should happen along, but for now, I was hot and tired and this is how I was going to be clothed!

Within 20 minutes of our heated exchange, we see two vehicles approach. The first is a sedan of some kind, the second is a large truck with a tarp covered back. Ayham stands and waves to the drivers as they pull over.

Tony and I are curious and stand to watch as Ayham greets and talks to the men who have exited the sedan. I see him jerk his thumb back over his shoulder at us and several of the men leer at me and nod. Belatedly, I remember my unbuttoned shirt and pull the edges together as the men start walking towards us. I put on a bright smile for them and take a step closer to Tony in a subconscious reaction to the look in their eyes.