The Bone Sparrow by Zana Fraillon

Author:Zana Fraillon
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2016-05-20T16:00:00+00:00

The soldiers came at night. By morning, only two people remained in the town. One of them was Oto. He had been knocked on the head by the butt of a rifle and lain unconscious for the rest of the night. The soldiers who passed him by assumed him to be among the dead and left him to rot or be eaten by wild dogs.

The other person who was neither killed nor taken was Mirka. She had watched the events unfold from her seat in the town square, her fist gripping the Bone Sparrow, her thumb working at the green coin in its center, fully aware that she could not help a single soul. She waited to be rounded up and killed with the others deemed too old or young or sick to travel. But, for whatever reason, the soldiers did not seem to notice the ancient woman seated calmly on the stone bench where she had spent so many days before. When the last of the soldiers left, Mirka felt the Bone Sparrow burn hot beneath her fingers.

It was Mirka who nursed Oto back to health, and Mirka who told Oto that Anka had been among those taken. It was Mirka who took the Bone Sparrow necklace from around her neck and handed it to Oto. “The Sparrow will recognize Anka’s soul,” she told him. “She has rubbed her story deep down into his bones. Perhaps he can help you find each other.

“Follow the hill path to the top of the mountain. There you will find a cave, and inside the cave is my grandson, Iliya. Tell him it is his time for the Bone Sparrow.” Mirka placed the necklace in Oto’s palm and patted his cheek fondly. “Stay with Iliya. Walk your journey to find peace. Perhaps then, you can cheat fate one more time.”

Oto knew of Iliya the healer. Everyone did. It was through his concoctions, brewed inside the cave at the top of the mountain, that many in the town were still alive. Oto turned to ask Mirka what she meant, but Mirka had already gone.

Oto closed his eyes and gripped the Bone Sparrow in his hand. He remembered Anka as a child, rubbing away at the bird as she sat on Mirka’s knee, her fierce unseeing eyes matching the sparrow’s. Oto wondered how many times Anka’s fingers had rubbed at this very place. He felt the wind blow across his face. He knew the same wind would be heading for Anka and their unborn child. He cried his love into the wind and prayed that it would reach Anka’s ears. Then he set off up the mountain to find Iliya.

Many miles across the land, the wind blew over Anka’s face as she was marched forward by the rough hands of the soldiers. She lifted a hand to touch her face and felt Oto’s tears on her own cheeks. Her ears rang with his call, and despite everything, Anka smiled.

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