Malaki Tofilau

Malaki Tofilau has spent decades in the humid air of American Samoa, slowly building his reputation as a fair and honest livestock auctioneer. Rising before dawn each day, he nudges his dented pickup across the island to ensure everything is in place for another auction. The comforting hum of an old hymn accompanies his work, even though he can't quite remember where he learned it. His drive is shaped by the economic needs of his family, specifically the constant pressure of financing his youngest child's education, contrasting with the anxiety that comes with every idle car engine he hears at night, hinting at unwelcome visitors who might disrupt his world.