Content Warning: This section discusses xenophobia, racism, and Islamophobia and depicts images of war, discrimination, and violence.

During a storm on the Aegean Sea, 14-year-old Ahmed Nasser and his father, Baba, along with other refugees are attempting to reach the Greek island of Lesbos. When their boat’s motor dies, a group of men, led by Baba, jump into the water and pull the boat through the worst of the storm. However, after a powerful wave sweeps over the dinghy, Baba never resurfaces. Ahmed is left with his great-grandfather’s Omega Seamaster watch, which Baba had put onto his son’s wrist just before entering the sea.

In Brussels, Max Howard’s parents tell him that they are sending him to a French-speaking school for the year, even though he does not speak French. His older sister, Claire, tells him that he will be repeating sixth grade because of his difficulty with school. Max feels upset and homesick, wishing he could be back in Washington, DC, with his friends.

Ahmed has been staying in a tent in a Red Cross camp set up for refugees in Brussels’s Parc Maximilien with Ibrahim Malaki, who had promised Baba that he would take care of his son, and Ibrahim’s family.