Between Chapters 8-12

In Chapter Nine, as Beah and his six companions travel through the forest, they hear an unfamiliar roaring sound. They immediately get off the road to hide, but the source of the noise does not change its proximity. Kanei finally decides to look toward the noise and discovers the source: the ocean. None of the boys had ever seen the sea before, so this scene of natural beauty gives them pause and a respite from their fears. They relax enough to dance and play soccer.