ch, sorting dried melon seeds

art school? We're already two

hat she was doing a

ter will start next week

econdary school, so it wil

Helene, Isabella, a

ill attend the public school here, while Isabella

O

his disappointmen

ropping the entire convers

lic s

iou

her frien

iend, who always made her l

new friend

ed sigh, she we

ter That

stretched before

and found all her s

mp

hter outside caug

hurried out

she saw her parents sitting wi

ood afternoon, Dad," sh

her moth

iled and

ed to th

fternoo

n, young lady.

fine,

towards t

s yours. Don't touch the other

nd went to wash the di

shed, she sat

re you

voice sta

ancis standing there,

led after swall

eat

ked, yawning as he sea

m said it

dded and b

this new fishing lifestyle Dad

mediatel

here. No meat, no proper food, just garri a

smiled sh

actually tasty. Espe

of," Franc

d got transferred here. F

?" Clara ne

r miracles? Two years is more

urst out

lly hate it

d

then. W

olled h

he muttered bef

le sister, Isabella, whined a

rother is there eating," Clara

ith, Mum?" she asked,

on't let the prawns hurt

coffed

id, bending down to

eir dialect, which Clara understood pe

woman walked in

re doing this too?" she

ima ch

Romans, you act like

on the bench to cr

e woman replied

n are you bringing them?

first time here, and most of them are

I s

ame to check on you p

ess you," Mrs. Chi

en, I'll be

od up and tur

you'll come to

ked up in

, I

. Bye

d and wa

t?" Mr. Ch

or a church around here. Since it's the most accessible one nearby, I

," Mr. Chi

ther voice int

even

ne loo

the l

sir," Mr. Chima g

sir," Mrs. Chim

tared at the s

le sorting fi

nt slightly and re

Clara pushed

an looked

we quar

me," Clara

her fathe

ou have

explain herself, he

, go i

hurried into the house and

she caught sight o

ssion had

left without say

rents began arguing ab

and collapsed

henever her pa

Helene crawled onto

she sai

Clara r

happ

Just a min

arrowed

nor i

" Clara

in her voice

lene apolog

into space, l

rd her father's v

will be coming t

eyes w

at

ther's voice shot

other can't handle

n?" Mrs. Chima in

e, all we heard were complaints. No

're talking about,"

it to yoursel

. You'll keep receiving ins

! Leave my fami

insult them?"

rning y

eased a t

d be shouting

part of their

closed her eyes and slo

-

her eyes an

ng felt

he sat up and

caught in

no longe

od inside an unf

ath her feet w

, she

aped stick lay on

t skippe

actly like a

ealization

s a gra

ed and rus

ir wa

co

ce was un

rned a

had just le

ling walls

ipped h

searching despera

he entered led t

anot

anot

tched endlessly i

ppening?" s

looded

rately for an esca

he hea

... Cl

ther's

um

nd her suddenly

a, wa

sounded

um

la

upright w

oaked h

?" Mrs. Chima asked a

the sweat fr

fine,

lingered vivid

ant to worry

nothing anyone coul

re?" Mrs. C

es

d and gently pat

ething for you people to eat. You

d and wa

ck down, fol

o

only

breath, she cl

ll," she