Feast by Roy Russell

Author:Roy Russell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Native American Fiction, Potlatch, British Columbia, Canada, Feast, Native American Studies, Grieving
Publisher: Roy W. Russell
Published: 2015-08-27T00:00:00+00:00

The Burning

Angie opens her eyes at 10:23am to the sound of her bedroom door creaking. She looks outside through the window and the sky is cloudy hinting it will probably snow. The Feast did not finish until 1:30 in the morning, and then she left the hall and returned home with her parents. She can hear someone cooking food in the kitchen. Things feel so different now—yesterday happened, and it is all so final. Angie didn’t get to bed until three. She still wishes she could bring him back to life or go back in time to save him, but she doesn’t have super powers or some elaborate time travel machine, and she realizes she should know better than to obsess over fantasies that will never come true. She doesn’t know what happens next, school? The union is still on strike, and negotiations are coming along slowly. It’s not like she can load up her car and drive to Prince George. Michelle’s boss wouldn’t appreciate Angie hanging around all day and only allowed it during the past week while the family was grieving. For now, she decided she’ll babysit Denise for free if Stephanie ever needs to go do her own thing or when the family hosts the next bingo. The VHF radio seems lively now as people have their usual conversations publicly over the air, people asking if they’ve seen their kids and wanting them sent home. During the week when the body was present most people avoided using the radio out of respect for the family. Angie can hear two old ladies talking about what snacks they’re giving their kids for a swimming field trip the next day. Angie gets up and stands on her bed, looking out the window. She can see Michelle carrying chopped firewood into the basement. She looks left at the narrow road leading to the graveyard. Angie wonders if it is too soon to visit his grave?

Watching the afternoon news, eating a late breakfast, Angie sits quietly with her parents. There is still no update or progress with the teacher’s strike. Drivers had a bad morning with the new snowfall around Vancouver, and the hockey team won the night before. Angie’s dad waits for a commercial break before telling them he is leaving for Vancouver the next day. Without thinking, she just asks, “Why?” She realizes he has to go back to work, and that he has a family waiting for him, but it feels too soon to leave everyone like this. He asks her if she wants to come visit since the school is still on strike. Angie’s father leaves and walks down the narrow road to perform one last check on the grave, making sure nothing is out of place. Angie’s mother works on her laptop at the kitchen table, so she turns the television off and goes back to her bedroom. Reading up on emails she sees nothing noteworthy, just junk ads and phishing scams. Angie takes the black dress

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