Dreaming of a memory
She walked into the compound not sure why she was there. He was ahead of her, playing with the little children, no doubt his while his wives spent the time in their huts cooking or cleaning. She stopped by the fence to watch the scene trying to understand their life, how they live. She could feel eyes on her but everyone seemed preoccupied. Was she merely being paranoid? He looked up from one of the kids and let his eyes remain on her face for long time. Was he studying her? She refused to look away, feeling almost defiant and hardening her features. Then feeling silly, she softened her face into a smile and turned around before he could see her blush. She felt, rather than saw, that he was smiling at her. Why does he seem so familiar? Why is he being so familiar to her? His wives surely wouldn't like that.
Suddenly the children scattered and were off playing a game, singing in their high child-like voices. It was a game she didn't know. She wanted to know more, to ask someone. He appeared beside her and remained silent, watching the children carefully but also watching her. Something caught her eye. He was holding a belt of white and gold. The ivory was smooth to the touch and the links of gold were so fine, you had to touch them to be sure they were there. She immediately reached out to it to touch it but pulled back not wanting to offend. Instead she asked a question. Could she try it on? He laughed and said only if she became his wife. He handed it to her but she stepped back with her head down apologising and saying no. He asked if she did not wish to be his wife like the other women on the compound. She found herself unable to answer. He kept laughing. The more he laughed, the more her colour rose. She turned back towards the children, unable to understand the feelings burgeoning inside her. As he confusion grew, he became more menacing to her. She could no longer hear the children's song, only his laugh. She had a sudden wish for him to touch her but as he moved towards her, she jumped backwards and pressed up against the fence, her heart beating wildly as if to call out to some unknown help.
He offered her a dried piece of fruit on a stick and walked away. She held the stick in her hand, unsure of what to make of it. He stopped in the doorway of his hut and turned around. He called out to the children in a strange tongue then entered his hut leaving her shell-shocked at the fence. Soon she was aware of the children around her, trying to get the piece of fruit. She looked around and could see their mothers outside of their huts, arms akimbo, glaring at her mutinously and she became afraid. Then as if a sudden spell of madness took her, she took a bite out of the fruit and walked towards his hut laughing. The children laughed with her, begging her for some of the fruit while their mothers continued to glare after her. She told the children they would have to ask their father for it since it was he who gave it to her and she had no intention of playing this game with them.
When the group arrived at his hut, she walked in leaving the children outside and held out the fruit in her hand for him to take. He smiled at her and told her if he was to take it, it would be from her mouth not her hand. Feeling brave, she took a bite and looked up at him daring him to take it. He bent his face towards hers and kissed her. In that moment when his lips touched hers, she knew who he was and kissed him with all the force of her love. Gasping for breath, she pulled away so she could see his face. He smiled that smile that always seemed to ask "Don't you know who this is?" She felt something cool on her hips and looked down to see that she was perfectly naked save for a beautiful ivory and gold belt. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, bringing his face closer to hers and as his arms tightened around her, she murmured, "Yes, baby. I've missed you."
Suddenly the children scattered and were off playing a game, singing in their high child-like voices. It was a game she didn't know. She wanted to know more, to ask someone. He appeared beside her and remained silent, watching the children carefully but also watching her. Something caught her eye. He was holding a belt of white and gold. The ivory was smooth to the touch and the links of gold were so fine, you had to touch them to be sure they were there. She immediately reached out to it to touch it but pulled back not wanting to offend. Instead she asked a question. Could she try it on? He laughed and said only if she became his wife. He handed it to her but she stepped back with her head down apologising and saying no. He asked if she did not wish to be his wife like the other women on the compound. She found herself unable to answer. He kept laughing. The more he laughed, the more her colour rose. She turned back towards the children, unable to understand the feelings burgeoning inside her. As he confusion grew, he became more menacing to her. She could no longer hear the children's song, only his laugh. She had a sudden wish for him to touch her but as he moved towards her, she jumped backwards and pressed up against the fence, her heart beating wildly as if to call out to some unknown help.
He offered her a dried piece of fruit on a stick and walked away. She held the stick in her hand, unsure of what to make of it. He stopped in the doorway of his hut and turned around. He called out to the children in a strange tongue then entered his hut leaving her shell-shocked at the fence. Soon she was aware of the children around her, trying to get the piece of fruit. She looked around and could see their mothers outside of their huts, arms akimbo, glaring at her mutinously and she became afraid. Then as if a sudden spell of madness took her, she took a bite out of the fruit and walked towards his hut laughing. The children laughed with her, begging her for some of the fruit while their mothers continued to glare after her. She told the children they would have to ask their father for it since it was he who gave it to her and she had no intention of playing this game with them.
When the group arrived at his hut, she walked in leaving the children outside and held out the fruit in her hand for him to take. He smiled at her and told her if he was to take it, it would be from her mouth not her hand. Feeling brave, she took a bite and looked up at him daring him to take it. He bent his face towards hers and kissed her. In that moment when his lips touched hers, she knew who he was and kissed him with all the force of her love. Gasping for breath, she pulled away so she could see his face. He smiled that smile that always seemed to ask "Don't you know who this is?" She felt something cool on her hips and looked down to see that she was perfectly naked save for a beautiful ivory and gold belt. She reached up and put her arms around his neck, bringing his face closer to hers and as his arms tightened around her, she murmured, "Yes, baby. I've missed you."