As Chapter 15 begins, a dreadful, nightmarish routine is, by now, firmly in place—what are the three priorities
that dominate? Who is his family? What is his protector? What is his rule?
It is now 1996 and Beah is 15. By now, Beah and his former companions are seasoned soldiers. With their squad, Beah, Alhaji, and Kanei travel to a nearby town of Bauya for ammunition. They know their friend Jumah is stationed there, and they look forward to talking to him; Beah also hopes to see Lieutenant Jabati, now a mentor, again and discuss Shakespeare with his former commanding officer. After some joking about Jumah’s increased strength (he can now carry a heavier weapon), the boys engage in their usual soldierly small talk, mostly about drugs. There is a social event in which the commanders mingle with everyone else; Beah feels that Lieutenant Jabati is a bit too jovial for the occasion. Beah learns that Corporal Gadafi is dead.
