Day 2.
When I woke up the next day. I thought about a nice hot and cold shower. I had a set of clothes already laid out, thanks to Aril. He's so sweet but the good girl in me says I shouldn't even step close to him.
I have a boyfriend! And a child!
Why didn't I look for Zoey at dinner? I hope she's doing ok.
Aril gave me a pair of pants connected to a small tutu and a white jacket with a black blouse. I have to complain, I'm just not that kind of person. I like jeans.
The pants are stretchy. Good, I have thighs but that doesn't matter… because I have thighs.
My door opens, it's Aril. "Oh!" he's so cute. Did he say his wife died? "Mokiri, did you try them on?"
"Not yet. I just got out the shower."
"I just came to give you your schedule. I'm letting you know now. You'll be working today."
I grab the top and pants, I move to the bathroom. "I'm doing what!" I call out.
"Gold panning." he says.
"I'm mining? Tell them I got a medical condition."
"Doesn't matter, it's about God." peak out the bathroom. "What God got to do with it."
He sighs deeply, "It's like this… The Growdens believe work is a punishment. Who dictates life? God does. So vampires eat blood and bone. The marrow is life, it is powerful. The Growden clan doesn't like Aleigha, because he can bring back the dead while being a fucking nigga. They think it's…"
"What? FINISH!"
"Long story short, they have negrophobia which at this point in time is xenophobia."
"We being punished for being ethic?"
"Growden… no." says Aril. "That's not the main shit. It's the fact Shikki said God is black. So The Growdens made mocks."
"I have never fully read the Ghetto Bible." I exit fully clothed. "It fits."
"Good. You look cute." he grins.
"You said you had a wife?"
"We got married secretly in the garden…" he avoids my eyes. "She was fat too."
"I'm sorry."
"She ate herself."
Well damn. Shift it, shift it… "You know a lot about the Growdens."
"Because I read. You also do a lot of that in prison. It was just a story. She didn't ask for her father who just so happen to be a rapper and a voodooist to tell the public about her business. Them white is crazy… did you know Zelma Growden made a church and burned her own church down? With people inside."
"Why?"
"Racist." he steps out the door. "Only two black people died and one Hispanic."
.
.
.
Eventually I was told to go outside and get ready to walk. I was given boots by Aril and I saw Zoey again. "Mokiri!" she ran to me. She hugged my knees and I hugged her back. "You alright."
She nods. "My maid is Madge. She's super goofy."
"She not mean?"
"Nah. But she likes to clean a lot."
"She's a neat freak."
"What's gold panning?"
"Mining but you sit in a river and do it. Collecting minerals."
"Sabian told me that cow boys used to grind they teeth against gold and it made a gold tooth."
"That's not how that works."
"Really?" she's so shocked. "I want some gold teeth!"
"Alright people," a short stocky woman comes with knee high boots on. "My name is Juliette. I'm gay, just to tell you a little about me. I hate mushrooms."
Ok…
Zoey snorts, "That's Madge's sister. She… ironic."
"Oh… shit."
"So did everybody get their morning liquor?"
What?
"Liquor…?" Zoey asks herself. "If not you'll get it sooner or later. We'll be walking down the mountain to a small steam of water. I have hats and lotion for all you ashy people. I mean look at your knees…"
"You can't see my knees…" I shout. I earn a giggle. She waves her arm, "Alright, let's go!"