Chapter XIII

    I dream often, but I normally cannot remember them. However, I have a vague impression that most of them are about flying. Some of them are very depressing and I wake up all sweaty, but when I think about it, I couldn’t remember what exactly has upset me.

    One dream was different.

    In it, I saw Harriet. She was kneeling with her face down so I couldn’t see it. Her auburn hair was very long and made of blue crystals. It was a grotesque scene full of horror and desolation. I tried to cry out to her, but my voice was hoarse. I wanted to cry, but my eyes were dry. She never looked at me even though I tried to reach out to her. She seemed near, but the distance was formidable. My arms were suddenly bound by an unseen force so fierce and strong that I was so powerless at its command. I looked back. Then I was awake.

    That was all I could remember. When I woke up, I could still feel my heart thumping and racing in my chest with fear.

    Chapter XIV

    The days were passing swiftly. The drowsy air of the season turned lovely as summer approached. People, as if animals recovering from hibernation, were shaking off the lethargy of winter and preparing for more intensive work. It seemed that everyone was busy planning family trips to catch the last sunrises of spring before the scorching summer set in.

    So was my family. Mom was already blabbing about it to Ms. Davis a week before the designated date, ordering her around to buy more napkins, baskets, etc. and praying for fine weather and talking how the fresh air would be good for our health. The destination, African Park, was a popular picnic spot. The name didn’t make any sense to me since there were more Caucasian-Americans sauntering about than African-Americans, but mom told me that the current site of the park had been a ghetto in the 1950s and the park was named in honor of the abolition of segregation. It’s not like the park had flamingoes or anything, but the exuberant trees and bushes there provided abundant shade from the ever-higher sun.

    When mom told me the plan, I wasn’t excited at all. I wasn’t against a family trip, and, sure, a little picnic getaway would be swell and all that — what offended me was that Dr. Brown was going to join us. Since my attitude toward him was not pleasant at all the last time I saw him, however, I guess I wasn’t in the position to protest. I was anxious to see Harriet again, so I made it a condition to mom that she also must invite Harriet. Mom readily agreed.

    The day was a nice day indeed. The sky was cloudy, but it didn’t look like it was going to rain. I woke up a little late, but mom must have gotten up very early because she had already finished her makeup by the time I dragged myself to the bathroom. Ms. Davis had finished most of the packing the previous day and was putting some potato salad and sushi into a wicker basket. Mom put on a fuchsia scarf before we left home and asked me how she looked. I told her she looked beautiful.

    The Browns lived a bit far from us, so we had to drive. When we arrived, they were already waiting for us on the front porch of their apartment building. They greeted us cordially and I nodded to Dr. Brown. Harriet got in and sat next to me. Dr. Brown took the front seat next to mom. He exchanged some pleasantry with me, like how I enjoyed the weather or what was my favorite subject. I think I handled it much better than the last time. Mom was pleased.

    (Chapter XIV to be continued)