The broken gravel crackled beneath Evelynn’s brown,
strappy sandals as she sprinted down the forsaken street of CaÑita. Dilapidated
blurs of pastels whizzed past as painful reminders of the luxuries of home.
Evelynn’s honeydew curls bobbed rhythmically past her polka-dotted backpack
despite the torturous effects of Panama’s unnatural humidity. She continued
down the path of exhilarating freedom until her beloved solace came into view. PequeÑo
Hogar, or Little Home, suited the quaint river. Evelynn knew no other.
“This is fleeting, Evelynn. You’ll see. We’ll be back
home in no time.” Her parents had promised a quick return. Yet, the days turned
into weeks, and the weeks turned into three months. Alabama seemed like a
distant memory. I miss my friends. I miss
air conditioning. Shoot, I miss plain English! Her father’s electrical company, Bright
Futures, had relocated their top engineers. Unfortunately, Thomas Wilson
surpassed the rest.
Caught off guard, Evelynn glided down the slope to the
murky edge. Tropical trees swayed in tune with the demands of the wind. Bees,
mosquitos, and flies hovered about the water’s edge, their tiny feet tickling
the red mud. Evelynn’s heart rate slowed to a mere patter as peace swamped
through all her anxieties. She kicked off her shoes, shed her swim covering,
and plunked in the wet clay. Her feet barely immersed due to fear of leeches.
Evelynn gasped as a strong gust of wind carried the
paperback into the treacherous waters. Rain began to pelt the peaceful stream
marking sharp ripples. The tranquil abode soon lost appeal as small creatures
scurried to shelter. Evelynn hurriedly gathered her things. As she bent over to
retrieve her sandals, a screeching sound reverberated overhead. A young boy
flew through the air, released a tethered rope, and plopped into the river. The
audacity of the boy rivetted Evelynn making it hard to breathe as she waited
for him to resurface.
“Ayudame! Ayudame!” Desperate cries finally filled the
thick air as his head emerged from the nasty abyss. Evelynn did not know enough
Spanish to translate, but she did know the danger looming when arms flailed in
a body of water. Think like Huck! Think
like Huck! She glanced fervently along the shores hoping for a sign of
life. Instead, she spotted an abandoned dinghy. Rushing to the rickety
structure, Evelynn cautiously stepped aboard, sat down, and picked up the two
oars. Lightening permeated the dark sky. Evelynn hastened to his aid.
Scrambling to her knees, Evelynn approached the side
of the dinghy thrusting out her hand. The rebellious waters further separated
Evelynn from the boy. As she stretched her entire body weight over the side of
the boat, the dinghy failed under the pressure. Evelynn and the oars toppled
with the boat.
“Gotcha!”
Evelynn grabbed him by the hair. The shore was only a few feet away, but the
swift current made the task daunting. Evelynn used all the strength she could
muster. The boy’s weight was manageable in the water but impossible to
transport once on shore. Evelynn hit her knees and rolled him the remaining
distance until they had cleared of the river’s danger.
His eyes jerked open, laughter etching his brown
facial features. He hopped to his feet singing and dancing. He grabbed
Evelynn’s hands and began twirling to the beat of the storm. Evelynn didn’t
know whether to laugh or cry.
“What is wrong with you? Do you speak English?”
Jerking her hands away, Evelynn peered closer at the boy but jumped back when
he tugged on her drying curls.
“Hey! Stop that! Why didn’t you swim to shore? Were
you drowning?” The boy was not interested in answering Evelynn’s questions. He
turned and raced back to the water.
“Wait a minute! You don’t know how to swim!” Idiot. She watched him skillfully
maneuver through the water to retrieve her book, the oars, and the dinghy. His
muscles taut as he pulled the boat back to its original, resting place.
As the storm began to taper, the boy climbed the
ravine and disappeared behind the surrounding shrubbery. Evellyn’s knees
buckled as she sank in the mud. She frantically searched her body for leeches.
There were none to be found. Would her
parents believe her? Would they even listen as she recounted the events of
today? What just happened?
As fast as he had gone, he returned. He smiled a large,
toothy grin and placed the soggy copy of Huckleberry
Finn along with a Spanish dictionary in Evelynn’s hands. Confused, she
glanced from her hands to his face. He squeezed Evelynn with a firm hug as if
to say goodbye and raced through the wooded land. She began to deposit her
books in her backpack but caught a glimpse of writing inside the front cover of
the Spanish dictionary.
Hi
there! My name is Joe. I stood over your shoulder as you reacted to Huckleberry
Finn. It is one of my favorites too! You may seem lost and fear you lack
courage, but I am here to tell you that is not the case. I took it upon myself
to show you the bravery residing inside. Hope you don’t mind! See you around!
P.S.
English is hard, but Spanish is easy! Welcome home.
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