Beyond the Cotton Fields

Chapter 10

Koi walked around the camp, looking for his mother.

 

 

"Ahanu, have you seen my mother?" He asked, coughing into his hand.

 

 

"Shimasani is in Lucy's hut." Ahanu said, sharpening his arrows.

 

 

"Lucy's hut? Do you know why? Is Lucy sick?" Worry slowly crept into his chest and made it tight.

 

 

"You should know the answer to that question. You were the one in her hut last night." Ahanu smirked up at Koi.

 

 

"How do you know that?" Koi's eyes grew in shock. He thought he had sneaked away and into her hut, undetected by the other tribe members.

 

 

"Sewati and I watched you enter her hut last night. We, also, watched you leave her hut while adjusting your coverings." Ahanu smirked, referring to his loin cloth.

 

 

"Cut your tongue, Ahanu! You know nothing of what you saw last night!"

 

 

Ahanu let out a laugh and then looked up at Koi. "We are both men, Koi. Our bodies work the same way. You do not have to be ashamed of your actions with Lucy."

 

 

"Lucy and I did nothing last night! I did not enter her last night, like your mind wants you to believe."

 

 

"You were close to entering her, were you not?" He raised an eyebrow at his friend, waiting for his response.

 

 

Koi sighed and sat on the ground next to Ahanu, feeling light-headed. He let out another cough.

 

 

"Yes, I was close to entering her." He said, shakily.

 

 

"I can see the way you look at her. You act differently around her. It is as if you have cut a hole in your chest so that others may see your heart. You love her, do you not?" Ahanu kept his eyes on his arrow and focused on sharpening it.

 

 

"I do. I love her dearly. My heart seems to grow when I am around her. It tries to escape my chest and be next to her heart. Being away from her causes my heart to weep in pain."

 

 

"Have you told her all of this?"

 

 

"Yes, and now I know her heart feels what my heart feels."