Lost by Ele Fountain

Author:Ele Fountain
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pushkin Press
Published: 2020-09-15T00:00:00+00:00

Haircut

When I reach the final carriage I am soaked. I pull myself into the empty compartment and take the banana from my pocket, placing it on top of my knees.

When orange-trouser boy emerges through the hole, he glances at me then moves silently to his corner and thumps down on the floor. He seems to be in a bad mood. “What are you doing here again?” he says, glaring at me.

“I brought food,” I say, “you said I could stay if I brought food.” He said he didn’t believe I could get food, which is different, but I don’t care. I place the banana on the floor in front of him.

“Is that it?” he says.

I nod.

He peels away the skin and eats the banana in three bites. He doesn’t offer me any. When he’s finished, he places the skin on the floor next to him.

I look at the empty fruit and feel hot tears pool in my eyes. One of them spills down my cheek. I don’t have the energy to brush it away. The boy ignores me and takes a small packet out from under his T-shirt. I hear a tinkle of coins as he empties its contents onto the floor and starts sliding coins into two piles. His head snaps up.

“What are you looking at?” he asks.

“Nothing,” I say, and turn to look up at the compartment window. I think about how Dad would always try to make me laugh when I was sad. He would pull silly faces or tease me.

When Mum died, I can remember Dad being sad more clearly than I remember feeling sad myself. I would give anything to see his face right now. To hear his voice. I wonder whether Amit is feeling as sad as me. Perhaps he has nothing to eat either. He used to eat non-stop when we were at home. He’d always get hungry before I did. A terrible thought flashes into my head. What if he starves before I find him?

There is a noise. I jump, and realize that the boy is talking. I turn my head and see that he is staring at me.

“You should cut your hair,” he repeats.

I can’t work out if my hunger is making me confused. Why does he care what my hair looks like? I don’t answer.

“Did you hear me? You need to cut your hair.”

I hold his gaze and say quietly, “I haven’t got any money. I haven’t eaten for about a week. Why would I go for a haircut?” As I speak, his idea seems even more ridiculous than it did at first.

He laughs. “You really don’t know anything, do you?”

“I probably know a lot more about having a haircut than you do,” I say, looking at his thick, sticking-up hair.

“Fine, Miss Know-nothing-useful. Have it your way,” he says crossly. “You gave me some food for your rent for last night. What about tonight?”

“I’ll have to find something tomorrow,” I say.

I’m not sure I can survive another day without some food for myself, and I need to get something for the boy too.

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