Oil on Water

This chapter begins back at the military camp where Rufus and Zaq have been kept under the strict supervision of the major. The doctor tells Rufus that Zaq is dying: “It’s a hemorrhagic fever, very dangerous. It kills very quickly if not treated immediately” (150). Rufus is upset and tells the doctor that he has to do something. The doctor responds that he is ill-equipped to treat such a condition, and even at a hospital, it is unlikely Zaq would survive. In fact, due to Zaq’s alcohol intake, his liver might already be destroyed.

The doctor then tells Rufus how he came to be in the village. When he was assigned to the small village, he hoped to eventually go somewhere larger and more exciting, but he came to enjoy his position and love the people. They lived happily until oil was discovered. At first, the discovery seemed like a blessing, bringing money and industry to the village, but inevitably the waters and land were poisoned and polluted, so everyone got sick. When the doctor reported this, the oil company put him on the payroll to keep him quiet.