Ghost Season by Fatin Abbas

Author:Fatin Abbas
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 2022-11-09T00:00:00+00:00

FINALLY THEY WERE being let through. People picked up children and bags and pressed forward. At the front of the line a guard looked at him.

“You’re the one who works for the white man?”

“For the organization. Yes.”

“This way.”

It was becoming a pattern. Every time he was out alone, he was delayed by extra searches and questions.

He had to bend his head as he was led into a dark tent. Three men sat on the ground.

The guard ordered him to stand in place and lift his arms. He was turned and searched roughly along his torso and shoulders and legs. Then the guard felt for the wallet in his breast pocket. He took out notes and casually tucked them away.

“That’s money for fuel,” said William. “I need it. You have no right to take people’s money.”

A sharp, throbbing pain between his eyes made him double over. He touched his knuckles to his nostrils, breathed through his mouth, and waited for the pain to recede, stepping back from the guard’s fist.

“Next time,” the guard said. “Shut up and move on.” He opened the tent flap. “You can go.”

William straightened, outrage mingling with the warm pain suffusing his face. He touched his nose again. The men on the ground watched him. He looked at the guard, who was daring him, waiting for him to react. He bit his jaw and walked out into the sunlight.

He was on the other side of the barricade now, but there was no point in going for fuel without cash. He stood there, not knowing what to do. If he went back to the compound to get more money, he’d have to stand in line once more only to be robbed and assaulted again.

A sense of helplessness and shame came over him. He glanced back at the long line of Nilotes still waiting to pass, the guards shouting orders, corralling them against the wall. He decided to return to the compound. They would have to do without light tonight.

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.