B- Part 6 - Story

Part 1: B- Part 1

Part 2: B- Part 2
Part 3: B- Part 3
Part 4: B- Part 4 

Part 5: B- Part 5

Simta’s birthday arrives and we dress in our best clothes for the occasion. Heal and Buiy hold their presents in their hands, careful not to drop them. Sadie, Heal, Kairo and I carry food and enter the door of the community hall.

The smell of spices and herbs scent the room, the community is busy with preparations A band is playing music at the front of the room and some people are dancing. Simta is standing by a table talking to his gift bearers. We walk up to him and he smiles warmly. Buiy places his gift on the table beside Simta and motions Fah to do the same. Heal and Sadie bow towards Simta and wish him a happy birthday. I reach over and give Simta a kiss on the cheek and Kairo takes Simta’s hand and shakes it. Simta welcomes us and thanks us for our gifts. Peto walks towards us and we all greet each other once again, glad to be together on this eventful day. Heal asks Peto where he should put the food, Peto smiles and clasps his hands delightedly. He winks towards Kairo and takes Heal to the appointed place.

More people speak to Simta so we walk on and greet the other villagers. The children meet their friends and soon leave us, Kairo and I find seats and listen to the music. People stop to talk, commenting upon the festivities and events throughout the village. We are told of forthcoming marriages and the plans for the ‘Festival of the Rains’. The seasons in B- alternate between hot and dry and hot and wet, the rains help the crops grow. Every year we celebrate this gift from the heavens. People make costumes and enact the story of the rains. The children sing songs and the whole community watches the spectacle, they walk from one side of the village to the other and they villagers follow their song to the place of the festival. It is a very special occasion in B-.

We watch the dancers and spot Sadie amongst her girlfriends dancing freely to the music. She raises her eyes from her lowered head and looks across the room. I follow her gaze and see a boy standing alone, watching her. For the whole time I look at him, his eyes never stop looking at Sadie.

The music stops whilst the musicians rest. Sadie walks with her friends in the direction of the food. She glances from time to time at the boy while she collects her plate and scoops ingredients in the bowls. All her movements are deliberate and careful. She talks to the people that surround her, her laugh rings with a different tone and her eyes sparkle in delight. She knows she is being watched and pretends with her friends that she does not notice. She finds a table and eats, I look for the boy but he has gone. My eyes search around the room but there is no sign of him. My hand trembles a little; I take Kairo’s hand to stop the trembling.

The band starts. I keep my eye upon Sadie for a while but she is lost amongst the throng of dancers. I look towards Kairo, his feet are tapping away to the rhythm. I tell him I will get some drinks. I raise my stick and lean on it heavily so I can stand. The people in front of me make a path so I can walk slowly to the table. Heal walks up to me and takes my arm and then fetches me a drink. I ask him to take a drink to Kairo. By the table, I cast my eyes across the room, in search of Sadie. I see her talking to the boy who was watching her. She is smiling and their heads are close together, they seem to be in deep conversation. There is a tap on my shoulder, I turn my head and see Heal peering in Sadie’s direction. I ask Heal if he knows the boy, he tells me that he does. I ask Heal for the boy’s name and he tells me the boy is called Lorace.

I wonder about Sadie. I notice that her friends have left her alone. Sadie is not dancing. Sadie and Lorace seem to move closer to one another, their heads barely touching. My heartbeat seems loud to me, my knees do not cope with the strain of standing and my stick seems to bend under my weight. My ankles become painful and the thought of walking one more step pains me. I am stuck. I ask Heal to find me a chair. Heal walks away.

Simta catches my eye and walks up to me, he asks me why I look so pale. I tell him that I am feeling tired and that Heal has left to find a chair. Simta looks at me, worry fills his eyes. He tells me old age is unkind. I smile weakly at him and say youth is worse for at least when a person is old they understand life does not go on forever and use their time wisely. Simta says that he wouldn’t mind being young again, I ask him if he would change anything if he had his time once more. Simta looks thoughtful for a few moments. He tells me that he wished he had a child to pass on his possessions. He tells me that he is happy not to have married but would like some family of his own. I nod, my ankles aching, Heal arrives with a chair for me, I glance in Sadie’s direction but her chair is empty.

Heal and Simta talk about the shop; they talk quietly and seriously. I see Buiy and Fah appear from the crowd; Fah takes my arm and wraps it around his shoulders. He nestles his head into my body. Buiy sits beside my knees and his hands play with my sandals. These children fill me with love, their innocent gestures instil a sense of purpose within me. I ask them if they are well, they tell me they are tired and that they do not want to play. The three of us stay together and watch the festivities. I look out for Sadie.

I start to feel better and strong enough to walk home. I ask Buiy to fetch Kairo and Sadie. Soon, Kairo is at my side. I tell him that Buiy, Fah and I want to go home. I tell him that he can stay but his eyes look worn and the idea of peace appeals to him too. Buiy returns without Sadie, he said that he could not find her anywhere, he tells us that he has been all around the building. Kairo and I glance at one another, fear creeps into my body, and every heartbeat strengthens its journey.

Simta stops his conversation with Heal and we tell him of our intentons. We thank him for the party and wish him much success for the next year. He thanks us for the presents and food, some guests spot him and take him away from our little group. Heal agrees that he would like to leave, I ask Heal to look for Sadie. Heal leaves.

They return and Sadie arrives looking flustered and apologises to us, she explains that she went outside the building for some fresh air. I take hold of my stick and Heal helps me to my feet. Buiy and Fah take each other’s hands, Kairo and I walk together and Sadie and Heal talk quietly behind us.

Read part 7 here.

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