Hurricane Summer by Asha Bromfield

Author:Asha Bromfield
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: St. Martin's Publishing Group

13

Later that night, I make my way down the dark forested path to Diana’s pink house.

We gather around an old television set, watching the nightly news as we munch on cheese puffs. Despite the elaborate trimmings on the outside of Diana’s newly built house, the inside is barren and feels barely lived in. With no couch, we sit in the dark on the cold tiled floor as the voice of the weather forecaster fills the room.

“Meteorologists have confirmed that the tropical depression has strengthened into a storm that will now be designated as Tropical Storm Gustav. Gustav is expected to intensify as it approaches Haiti.”

“Lawd. Wha typa name is Gustav?” Diana asks, screwing up her face. “Hurricane can name Gustav?”

“Gustav betta turn round and go back ah him yawd.” Zory munches with her mouth open.

“How yuh mean?” Diana laughs. “Yuh wan hurricane fi mek a U-turn?”

“I’m just saying. Me coulda do without it this year.”

“There’s nowhere you can go to get away from it?” I ask. “Like town?”

“HA!” Zory lets out a loud cackle. “Hurricane hit everybody, gyal. It nuh business how much money yuh mek or which part yuh live. Town, country, gully, or roadside—it nuh matter. So brace yuhself.”

An eerie chill runs through me.

“Stop frighten di gyal nuh, mon!” Diana scolds Zory. “Nuh worry, Tilla. Hurricane nuh last long. All storm must pass.”

“And kill.” Zory smirks. “Murder everyting in its bumbaclot path.”

Diana smacks her on the arm.

“Wha?! Ah lie me ah tell?”

“You’re going to be fine,” Diana says to me.

“How do you even prepare for that?” I ask.

“Stock up on water. We usually lose it for a few months. And stock up on food. Matches and candles for light.”

“Mhm. When di light dem go out? Cha.” Zory looks me dead in my eyes. “Yuh coulda neva see darkness till yuh see country after hurricane.”

Diana flicks off the television, and the room goes black. We gather our snacks and head down the hall into her bedroom. I examine the barren room, her peach walls freshly painted. Even though we’re just down the path from the main house, the darkness of the country combined with the lack of furniture makes her house feel cold and slightly creepy. A single dim lamp lights the room as my eyes fall on a dresser lined with small plastic trophies.

“Are these all yours?” I approach the dresser.

“Yup. I have di record fi di most awards in school,” Diana says proudly.

“Wow,” I say. “It must be so fun going to boarding school.”

“It’s amazing,” she responds a little too quickly. “Only di best of di best go school ah town.”

Zory kisses her teeth. “Diana’s only tellin’ di good parts. Town girls are obnoxious. Di whole school stink ah rich bitch.”

“Me nah stress over no uptown gyal.” Diana waves her off before turning to me. “They think they’re better than us because they live in Kingston and we come from country. But me nuh business.”

“Speak fi yuhself,” Zory says. “You know how many fights me get in ah school? Me nah have no dry foot Kingstonian gyal talk down to me or Diana.

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