The Rats In The Ditch

The moonlight was pristine.

On the border between Ecuador and Colombia, an off-road vehicle colored in military green was parked on a hilly slope.

A dense tropical rainforest faced the hill and a river only about knee-deep bisected the rainforest into two. One side was Ecuador while the other side was Columbia.

An Ecuadorian soldier carrying a rifle jumped down from the vehicle, took two steps forward, then used his binoculars to examine the situation on the Colombia side.

After he had confirmed that no border guards were patrolling the area, he turned back to the off-road vehicle, opened the door for the man sitting in the car, and said with his cigar-flavored Spanish.

"Border is in the front. There is a Colombian town about two kilometers away. You can take a bus to the nearby city. It's best if you cross as soon as possible. Also, remember to be careful of the patrol lights from helicopters and the crocodiles of the swamp."