One Day in a Small-Town Desert, chapter 5, page 1

(start of book) (previous chapter) (previous page)

Chapter 5: Far from Home



Fírí Parızada slowly stood on wobbly legs. Clumps of soil fell from her knees.

“Coming,” she croaked.

She bent over to pick up her shoe bag, collecting the straps with both hands, then began crossing the yard to the house’s door.

She couldn’t run off into the desert. She’d die of thirst and heat exhaustion once day came. So that only left hiding in this house, at the mercy of this elderly woman who somehow had known that Fírí was in her back yard.

The sheep, pigs, dogs--and was that an antelope?--scurried out of Fírí’s path. The soil squished beneath and around her shoes, which luckily were old trainers. Comfortable, but not a huge problem if they got dirty.

Framed in the open doorway stood a small woman with a black bathrobe and frizzy gray hair pulled back in halfway-successful ponytail. Thin ankles sprouted from leather slippers. How many cute little animals had to die for those? thought Fírí. The interior light left the woman’s face in shadow.

“Please come in, dear.” The woman extended a hand towards Fírí. “Oh, aren’t you a mess. We’ll get you all washed up, don’t you worry.”

Fírí stopped two meters away from the door stoop. The old woman sounded sincere, but Fírí wished she could see her face, just to be sure. But it was hidden in darkness. In any case, Fírí had come this far, so she had to trust this woman. It was her only option.

“I need to hide. Some men are trying to kill me.” How much should she tell this woman?

“Oh.” The woman lowered her hand. “Well, dear, if that’s what you need, we can help you, certainly. Just come on in--” The woman looked Fírí over from head to toe. “Why don’t you just wait in the yard, dear? Over there by the iguana cages.” She pointed to Fírí’s right, back the way she had come.

“Um. Okay.” Fírí nodded.

The woman let the screen door swing shut and then closed the solid door behind it, leaving Fírí alone in the dark. Alone with a yard full of eerily quiet animals.

Was this woman really going to help her? Or was she tricking Fírí into staying outside where that perverted old man and kid pair could find her easily?

And if she was going to help Fírí, why didn’t she let her inside? Had Fírí said something wrong? Had she offended the old woman in some way?

Fírí looked around. If Zhíno or those perverts came back here looking for her, they’d find her in an instant. She was caged bait for the predators. She had to get out of the open, right that instant.

She took two quick steps to the door, pulled open the screen door, and tried the doorknob. Locked.

“Let me in!” she called out, pounding on the door.

She stopped abruptly, realizing that she’d better shut up before Zhíno or the perverts heard her. She might as well be yelling, “Hey, here I am! Come rape me!”

If that old lady wasn’t going to return, Fírí had to hide here in the animal yard. If the woman was telling the truth about letting her in through another entrance, Fírí should hide near the house over there, over next to the cages for the--
Wait a minute. Did she say “iguana”?

(next page)