Chad in the 1970s. Koni and Djimi live in a village called Galbal, in the northern part of the country. Friends since childhood. Koni helps his uncle, the village blacksmith, and Djimi, who is a tailor by trade and whose parents are peasants, lends his mother and father a hand in his spare time. One day Djimi and his father go to the market to sell millet. But their earnings aren't enough even to buy necessities, let alone pay the levy on livestock, which has been doubled this year. Soon after their trip to market, the military appear in the village and a heated debate about the rise in taxes breaks out. After an act of violence, the situation escalates and the soldiers, under the minister's command, massacre the protesting villagers. Koni's uncle is badly wounded in the revolt and Djimi's father dies. Koni and Djimi have no choice but to take flight, later joining up with the rebel forces.