A civil war is breaking out in an unspecified West African country. A young boy, Agu, lives in a small village with his parents, older brother, and two younger siblings. Agu's village is located within a "buffer zone" enforced by Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (referred to as "ECOMOD") troops. Agu's father is a local leader, and aids refugees from the surrounding areas by letting them stay on his land.