The vivid summer sun filtered through the thick canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the wild grass and underbrush below. The lush foliage tangled together like a mass of green yarn.
A rickety old swing hung from an exceptionally thick tree. Despite the stillness of the air, it swayed gently, and a white head popped out from the bushes below. It was a girl with her face wrapped in bandages.
Clutching a bunch of freshly uprooted flowers, Liliette’s bright green eyes sparkled with excitement. “Everyone, gather around! This is surely the perfect spot!”
From the surrounding bushes, five or six children emerged, their faces similarly obscured by dirty bandages, their clothes little more than tattered rags. The skin visible through the gaps in their bandages showed signs of leprosy. It was a strange sight—children with only their eyes and mouths exposed, huddled in small clusters.
