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I decided I should take my shoes off to give my feet some fresh air. Once I had my shoes and socks off, I could see countless tiny red dots all over my feet up to my ankles. I knew that this was how it had started with Marcus and that I had to treat it right away before it spread. The mosquitoes buzzed around my bare feet. I put my socks back on and went on fishing. Kevin found me there.

‘Where’d you disappear to? I’ve been looking for you,’ he said. ‘I’ve got an idea: let’s you and me go alone.’

I couldn’t believe he was serious.

‘I’m sure that we could do it,’ he continued. ‘The current does all the work anyway. Listen, I’m no idiot. I have no intention of getting myself killed.’

‘Think about it, Yossi. Why did we come on this trip anyway? Karl promised us an Indian village, which was supposed to be the highlight of the whole thing, but we never made it there. Do you remember how he blathered about all the wild animals along the river? Alligators in lagoons. Gold-mining camps. The village of San José, where he lived. What didn’t he tell us? All we have left is rafting down the river. Now he’s calling that off as well. How long have we been on the river? Less than two whole days. For that I came on this trip? Gave up going home for Thanksgiving?’

‘I thought that this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And what do I find? That it was all for nothing.’