THE school project had been assigned three weeks ago and Hazel had been putting off the fieldwork component with the procrastination of someone who had too many other things occupying the front of her mind. But the deadline was now five days away, and Amaka... her project partner, her best friend, and the only person who could make Hazel feel genuinely guilty about being disorganized, had called twice that morning to remind her.

"We need the photographs today," Amaka said when Hazel called back on her lunch break. "We can use the equipment at the house. Damien has the camera, the tripod, everything. You can just come over after taking...