The Paper House by Lois Peterson

Author:Lois Peterson
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: book, JUV030010
ISBN: 9781459800533
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2012-03-31T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirteen

“How is your grandmother, child?” Safiyah’s new neighbor asked as she tucked her hair into her scarf.

“Better, thank you,” answered Safiyah. “Have you…? I mean, who has been here?”

“Such a good friend you have. She comes almost every day straight from school.”

“Pendo did this?”

“I believe that is her name. You are very lucky to have such a good friend.” The woman bent to pick up a child. “Let me know if your cucu needs help when she comes home.”

Safiyah went indoors. The small space felt stuffy and hot. A fly flicked from one wall to the other above her head.

Safiyah found her grandmother’s mancala board on the bed where she must have left it. She tucked it tightly under her arm. They had so little. But she still had her bracelet. And her grandmother had her precious game.

Outside, Safiyah sat on Cucu’s bench to wait for Pendo. She ran her fingers along the wooden board, remembering how quickly the fire had taken Mrs. Okella’s house and her few belongings. How lucky the fire had not spread to her house and stolen the few reminders of their old life.

A crowd of school children turned the corner. “Saffy!” Pendo ran toward her. “I have missed you so much.”

When Pendo reached to hug her, Safiyah moved aside and pointed at the wall. “Did you do this?” she asked.

Pendo grinned. “Aren’t you surprised?”

“It’s all wrong,” said Safiyah.

Pendo’s smile faded. “I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I am. I mean, thank you. But I was…There’s a pattern.”

“What do you mean, a pattern? It’s just color. Lots of different colors and shapes.” Pendo dropped her schoolbag on the ground and ran her hand across the wall. “There is hardly any space between the pictures. I was very careful.” She frowned. “I did it for you, Saffy.”

“But there has to be a pattern. A design,” insisted Safiyah. “It’s a mural, Pendo. Like Mr. Littlejohn said. It is not just pieces of paper.”

“You’re jealous.” Pendo’s voice was thin and hard. “I got the scissors and the paste. I finished it myself. You are mad because I did it and you didn’t.”

The two girls stood facing each other on the busy street.

Safiyah wanted to be grateful, she really did. Pendo had done just what Safiyah had set out to do. To cover the outside of the shack with bright color now that she had filled in the cracks in the walls inside to keep out the cold and the heat, the smoke and the smells. But as her mural had grown, a picture had taken shape in her head. A picture of something new and fresh out of something old and thrown away.

This wall of color and shapes was nothing like the picture in her head.

Safiyah yanked a loose piece of paper away from the wall. As she pulled, the strip grew and grew, leaving a long scar. She reached forward again.

“Don’t!” Pendo stepped in front of Safiyah. “You spoiled it!”

“You’re the one who spoiled it.” Safiyah pushed her friend aside.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.