Chapter 5 (pt. 2)
Both children has just finished grade four when Jack’s family moved to Ghana. Jack’s mother had travelled ahead of him and his father to find a place to live and settle a host of other necessary arrangements—school enrollment, buying a vehicle, hiring house-help...
By the time Jack arrived in the middle of June, Akua and her mother, Abena, had already moved into the small living quarters on the north end of his family’s property. Abena had warned Akua not to bother Jack. Working in a foreigner's home came with a certain amount of uncertainty, and Abena worried that Akua’s reckless curiosity would somehow cost her the new job.
When Jack appeared at the back door on his second day in the house, Akua watched him from the window in her room. He took one step outside, then just stood there. To Akua, he looked lost. She knew she had been told to leave him alone, but it was not like her to leave anything alone.
“How are you?” she said, confidently, as she approached.
He hesitated, intrigued by those three words that rolled from her lips. Not the words themselves, but the way they sounded. How could three words, only three letters each, sound so familiar yet brand new?
“How are you?” she said again. He smiled at the way those last two words sounded. The are became ah to Jack's unworldly ears, dropping off early as it left Akua’s mouth, ending before the last two letters could make a sound. And the you had a deepness to it, like it originated in her gut then resonated through her chest, present even after she had finished the sentence. How are you? Jack stood there, staring at Akua, overwhelmed by her commanding presence.
“I’m…fine.” he finally managed squeak.
Akua chuckled, surprised by the way his words sounded like they came from his nose instead of his mouth. “You’re funny,” she said, “wanna see what I’m making?” She grabbed Jack by the wrist and pulled him across the yard and behind the generator where she kept her collection of inventions and broken treasures.
And that was all it took. They spent every day for the rest of the summer together, hidden from the world behind the tall concrete wall and iron gate, two young friends turning that compound into their own kingdom.
By the time Jack arrived in the middle of June, Akua and her mother, Abena, had already moved into the small living quarters on the north end of his family’s property. Abena had warned Akua not to bother Jack. Working in a foreigner's home came with a certain amount of uncertainty, and Abena worried that Akua’s reckless curiosity would somehow cost her the new job.
When Jack appeared at the back door on his second day in the house, Akua watched him from the window in her room. He took one step outside, then just stood there. To Akua, he looked lost. She knew she had been told to leave him alone, but it was not like her to leave anything alone.
“How are you?” she said, confidently, as she approached.
He hesitated, intrigued by those three words that rolled from her lips. Not the words themselves, but the way they sounded. How could three words, only three letters each, sound so familiar yet brand new?
“How are you?” she said again. He smiled at the way those last two words sounded. The are became ah to Jack's unworldly ears, dropping off early as it left Akua’s mouth, ending before the last two letters could make a sound. And the you had a deepness to it, like it originated in her gut then resonated through her chest, present even after she had finished the sentence. How are you? Jack stood there, staring at Akua, overwhelmed by her commanding presence.
“I’m…fine.” he finally managed squeak.
Akua chuckled, surprised by the way his words sounded like they came from his nose instead of his mouth. “You’re funny,” she said, “wanna see what I’m making?” She grabbed Jack by the wrist and pulled him across the yard and behind the generator where she kept her collection of inventions and broken treasures.
And that was all it took. They spent every day for the rest of the summer together, hidden from the world behind the tall concrete wall and iron gate, two young friends turning that compound into their own kingdom.
This is a great passage. Your descriptions of their reactions to each other's speech emphasize their differences but then that final line "turning that compound into their own kingdom" unites them. Well done! I'm also intrigued-- what has happened to create the current awkwardness between them that you referenced in your last passage? I'm so loving your story and characters!
ReplyDeleteSeemingly organic emergence of character connections here is subtly wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI like the way, you described Akua's words. It is may be influenced by learning the language orally without thinking about the individual words. I keep smiling every time I read your posts as they are real slices of Akua or Jack's life. I am relieved though that the struck up a friendship, after yesterday's silence between them.
ReplyDeleteLoving the flashback technique. Every little thought and nuance is captured in your vivid descriptions. Captivating!
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