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Firstly, I had to pay for that blasted chopping board somehow. My demotion because of such a simple thing grated on my nerves and I was always in a bad mood. Sasha did try to help by saying that being a waitress was almost as bad but I caught onto the ‘almost’ and didn’t feel encouraged. But first I had to find out how to pay. I didn’t have a single cent and I had never seen American money before so even if I had found some, I wouldn’t know what it was.
In Nigeria, there was no such thing as money and we paid by trading things with each other. For example, my father was a wood cutter and carver. His beautiful carvings and timber would be used to trade for other things in the market such as food. The rich traded in gold and silver and since my father was the best carver in the whole of Nigeria, he often got a few silver or gold pieces. Wood carvings in Nigeria were popular and meant to symbolise good luck.
Thinking about my family and life in Africa made me nostalgic. What would my dad do when he found the charred remnants of out hut? He would probably never stop looking for us but he would never find us either. Then I thought of my mother and sister and wondered how their lives fared in the USA. I hoped they were being treated better than I was.
Then I turned bitter. Those beasts! Separating families was all they knew to do although if their families were threatened they would be outraged. Hypocrites! What about us? Are we not human? Where was their humanity?
My plan was to find Danladi so we could plan to get away from this nightmare but I had seen neither hide nor hair of him for a month. Every day when we were allowed back to our rooms, I was the first one out, running usually so that I could catch him before he left the plantation but they were always gone. We only finished work by 8 whereas the field workers finished by 6 when the scorching sun went down. What surprised me was that Danladi never tried to find me. I felt hurt and wondered if I should leave him behind but having him had too many advantages so I couldn’t.
So the first bit of my plan was to get into trouble so they would assign me to labour in the fields. I knew it would be hard for me being a skinny girl and all but anything to get a chance to talk to him. So the next day when the loud horn sounded to wake us up, I didn’t move even though I’m usually the first up. After five minutes, I felt someone shake me.
“Bianca,” hissed a familiar voice. Sasha. “You have to wake up.”
I told her what I was doing.
“What?!” came her incredulous reply. “Are you insane? They’ll probably whip you like they did to Jessie. Stop being so selfish and come.”
I finally opened my eyes so I could glare at her. “I’m being selfish? I’m trying to get away from people who took my life. I have nothing. And I’m selfish?” I was pretty mad by that point.
Tears filled Sasha’s eyes and I lost my anger immediately. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I just don’t want to lose you too.”
I remembered that Sasha had lost her whole family, whereas I still had Danladi and I felt guilty for making her feel that way. But I was not going to give up this opportunity. Then, I realised the room was empty. “Go Sasha. I don’t want them to catch you, you’ll get punished.”
“No, I’m not going if you don’t. I’ll face whatever punishment you do.”
“What? Now you’re being crazy!” I almost yelled. “You’re not getting hurt because of me.”
“But why do you want to let yourself get hurt for someone else? And if you can do it, why can’t I?”
I gritted my teeth. She was so stubborn. “You see me every day whereas I haven’t seen Danladi and I need to talk to him. Desperately. Now go.”
“No.” she replied.
“GO!” I raised my voice. Just then, I heard a sound to my left and Egghead walked in with Bun at trailing behind. I swore in my language under my breath. This was what I wanted but not with Sasha here.
“Well, well, well guess who it is. My favourite servant,” Egghead mocked, seeing me there. “Why are you still in bed?”
I had learned the word for bed so I answered “sleep much.” How eloquent of me.
“Are you trying to tell me you overslept? Oh dear, what a pity. So since I’m feeling nice today, I’m going to let you choose your punishment. Would you prefer the shack?” I thought of the dark forbidding place filled with mystery and intrigue. What was so bad about it that would cause everyone to tremble at its name? I wanted to find out, but not today.
I shook my head hesitantly.
“Well then, it’s the plantation for you!” he said with glee like he had planned it all along. “Look forward to seeing you there tomorrow Beeeeeeeeeeeanca.” He said, stretching out my name again, making me shudder.
Bun looked at me sadly like I had just won myself a place in the hottest fieriest pits of hell. But I was already in hell, surely nothing could be worse.
Then, Egghead slowly turned to Sasha. Shoot, I hoped he would forget about her. Crossing my fingers, I prayed that she get let off easily. “And you. Why are you here and not downstairs eating breakfast?”
She doesn’t understand English you fool, I thought, hoping the message would somehow get through Egghead’s thick skull. Sasha just blinked but I could see the fear in her eyes.
“Well, Miss Mute, why don’t I give you the punishment your friend refused. To the shack!” He yelled holding up a finger like he was some kind of crazed war general.
Well shack was one word Sasha knew. She looked down, sad and afraid. I couldn’t let Egghead do that to my friend. Just as I was about to speak, trying to find the words, two well-built boys came in to take Sasha to the shack. Then, one of them met my eyes. My protest died on my lips because that boy was my absent friend Danladi.
I didn’t know whether to hug him, jump for joy or scream at him for being about to take my friend. I decided any of them might clue Egghead into the fact that we knew each other. Remembering the incident on the first day, I hoped Egghead wouldn’t remember that or recognise me to be that girl he separated from a boy,
He flashed me a small sad smile which made me feel calm and happy that he hadn’t been broken yet. He looked well. His muscles had certainly tripled in size from just a month of hard labour and his skin seemed darker if that was possible. His hair was gone. I realised they must have shaved it off and I was surprised they hadn’t done anything to my hair. Then I remembered my mother had just cut it and dreadlocked it before we were taken and it was now easy to manage. Danladi’s eyes were calm but sadness could be seen in its depth and a certain hardness that I had grown as well from seeing suffering and bearing it.
Just then, I remembered why he was here and frowned as they started to drag Sasha away. Even though I heard his whisper of “sorry” before he did it, he shouldn’t have taken her away. He should be on my side. But I realised he was being careful to avoid unnecessary punishments, unlike me. I sighed, it was time to step in.
“Sasha…” I struggled to come up with a word to describe don’t touch or leave her be. “Sasha no. Me shack.” I said, hoping Egghead would understand.
He gave me a gruesome amused smile. “My dear,” he started and it made me feel sick despite not understanding. “You agreed to labour punishment. You can’t change now.”
“No!” I exclaimed, exasperated at his misunderstanding. I realised all eyes were on me now, including Danladi and his friend. “No.” I repeated softer. “Me shack field.” I explained, pointing first to the direction of the dilapidated shack, then the plantation where the workers were starting the work as before the sun came up in a while.
Egghead frowned. “I don’t understand. You want to have two punishments?”
I nodded. Finally he gets it.
“But why?” he asked.
God he’s not very bright is he. I didn’t answer. After a while, he suddenly turned to me. “Oh right, your friend.” He smiled an evil smile. “Well it seems like punishing your friend is a worse punishment than punishing you, although I don’t understand why, so she should do both punishments.”
I shook my head, pleading with my eyes. Of course Egghead wouldn’t understand. There’s no one he loves more than himself.
“But since I’m such a nice owner,” he began and I looked at him surprised. Surely he wouldn’t do as I wanted him to.
“We’ll do as I decided from the start. She goes to the shack and you do labour.” My hopes sank. “Unless you prefer the other way round…” Egghead looked to see my reaction but I said nothing although my brain was screaming no.
Sensing no reaction, he shrugged and ordered “Take her away.” He pointed at her and towards the shack in a sweeping movement to emphasise his words and convey his meaning to those who didn’t understand English. That’s all of us except him, Bun and…me?
I looked at Sasha sadly, trying to apologise with my eyes but she smiled gratefully at me. Why? I got her into this mess in the first place.
Danladi gave me a last look as if to say “I’ll be back” and mouthing sorry in Yoruba before disappearing from my sight. Great. I won’t see either of my friends for a while.
Egghead turned to give me a malicious smile before stalking off with Bun following behind him again. But wasn’t he going to take me to the plantation? “Field?” I aimed the question at his evil retreating back.
“Tomorrow,” he replied without turning. I nodded to myself. Then I got all confused. I realised that I had understood most of what Egghead had been saying. That was incredible! I don’t speak English and hadn’t heard most of what he had said before. But I understood.
I decided to ask Carol about my ‘gift’. I saw her from time to time when I passed the infirmary to check on Jessie during my free time after working and she always taught me a few new words but I couldn’t stay for long because I was usually utterly exhausted and we have to be in our dorms by nine or be punished.
Pondering my new ability to understand English but not speak much of it, I suddenly realised I had to get back to the kitchen. I ran, pushing the new information into the recesses of my mind for now. But my last thought on that topic was ‘does the gift mean I’m a freak?’
* Sorry for not updating for so long my lovely fans and readers. I got a bunch of great comments on my last chapter and a new host of fans too so THANKS so much guys. For those who haven't fanned yet, you'd better get started quickly. Best comment wins dedication as usual. This chappie is dedicated to BloShEr for being the first to comment.
AND HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Let's hope 2012 is NOT the end :)