Arthur Baptiste knows little of Rwanda's past and is unaware of its emerging troubles. He lives with his parents on a flower plantation where he talks to no one, not even the butterflies he collects, until one day Beni appears. Beni, the cook's granddaughter, is a child much like Arthur but one who lives in a world far different from his own. Their friendship will take them from innocent adventures, to sexual encounters and on towards dark revelations—When news comes that the President has been killed Arthur is forced to leave his home, the country he knows and the people he loves. Arthur must say goodbye to Beni and leave her to a fate far worse than either could have imagined.