Storm by Donna Jo Napoli

Author:Donna Jo Napoli [Napoli, Donna Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781481403047
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2014-01-01T08:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Days 41–78

Rise and shine!”

I wake with a start. Last night I didn’t wander. Yesterday made me too sad. So I slept the night away. I thought Ham and Shem and Nela would all be sad too. But here’s Ham, coming down that ladder clack, clack, clack, shoulders back, a smile gleaming through his beard, his long curls flopping. I’m stunned. I’ve never seen any of them smile before.

Shem comes down behind him. “Soon, you dumb beasts. Soon, soon, soon!” His face is aglow too. His eyes twinkle.

Oh! I can see them well! I can see every detail of their faces! Light comes from somewhere! I wait till the brothers are each at different ends of the ark and I sit up quickly, twisting to see the porthole. Sunlight streams in! Sun! After all this time, sun again! Blessed, blessed sun. I jump to my feet.

But then I fall back down again fast. We’re still in the middle of the sea. I can’t let them know I’m here until we are docked somewhere. Then I can exit through the porthole and run away on the land and never get in a boat again. Never ever.

It won’t be long. That’s what Shem meant: soon, soon, soon. I squeeze one hand in the other in happiness. I have almost survived this.

Ham and Shem seem to stroll through their chores. They don’t sing out loud, but I imagine them singing inside their heads. There’s a bounce in their walk.

Leba and Ada and Nela clatter down the ladder. “Ham! Shem! Come! Help!”

Ham and Shem clomp quickly across the floor. Eager. This may be the first time I’ve seen any of them act eager, too.

“What is it?” says Ham.

“Your father.” Ada looks at Nela. “You tell Ham.”

Nela shakes her head. “You.”

“So that’s what it’s come to, huh? You and your husband aren’t even on speaking terms?” Ada snorts.

“What about our father?” says Shem. “We were just with him moments ago. He was fine. Has something happened?”

“No,” says Nela. “Your father is fine.” She turns to Ada. “Ada, please.” She pulls on her fingers. “We came down here with a purpose. Don’t get us sidetracked. My problems with Ham don’t concern you.”

“All right.” Ada looks from Ham to Shem. “Listen. The sun is out. After forty days and forty nights, the sun is finally out.”

“We’re not blind,” says Shem.

“Don’t be rude,” says Leba.

“Don’t talk to me like that,” says Shem. “I’m your husband.”

“Enough, all of you,” says Ada. “Indeed, Shem, you two are not blind. Nor are Noah and Japheth. And that’s because you’re working here, on this sunny deck, where there are portholes open to the outside, and Noah and Japheth work on the deck below, which is also sunny today, with so many portholes. But we work on the top deck.”

“Which has windows,” says Ham.

“Windows, yes. With shutters. And Noah, your father, will not allow us to open them.”

“What?” says Shem.

“That makes no sense,” says Ham. “Father welcomes the sunlight. We all do.”

“He has

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