At Night All Blood Is Black

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Alfa Ndiaye, a Senegalese man who has never left his village, finds himself as a "Chocolat" soldier in the French army during World War I. When his friend Mademba Diop is gravely injured, he begs Alfa to end his suffering, but Alfa cannot bring himself to commit this act. This refusal haunts him, leading to a descent into madness as he perceives it as cowardice. Driven by guilt and a desire for vengeance, Alfa embarks on a dark ritual, crossing enemy lines each night to kill a blue-eyed German soldier, returning with the severed hand as a grim trophy. Initially admired by his comrades, whispers soon arise that he is not a hero but a sorcerer, a soul-eater. Plans to remove him from the front and his collection of hands begin to surface, raising the question of how to reason with someone seen as a demon. As Alfa grapples with his actions and the memory of his friend, the narrative explores themes of guilt, madness, and the horrors of war. This gripping tale blends oral storytelling traditions with the stark realities of trench warfare, illuminating a forgotten chapter of World War I history.