Chapter 2

After a long while Micaiah took his hands off Saran’s ears. “Ok, let’s go home,” he said. Saran looked up at him. She could see his eyes were watering.

“Are you ok?” Saran asked.

“Come on,” he said ignoring her question.

Back at their small hut Maisha was wiping Obi’s blood beaten back with a rag and some of their low supply of water. Micaiah went over and knelt beside her. “Is he gone?”

“Yes, he left a little while ago,” Maisha said examining the deep gashes in Obi’s back. She touched one.

“Ouch!” he exclaimed.

“Is Obi ok?” Ashanti asked coming over to them. Quickly Micaiah stood up.

“Yes,” he said, “Obi’s fine. Why don’t you and Saran go play outside?”

“Ok.”

“I’ll go finish with the fields. You stay here,” Micaiah said.

“No, I’ll help you,” Obediah said trying to get up. “Ouch!”

“Oh no you don’t,” Maisha said. “You cannot work like that.” Reluctantly Obi agreed. He laid back down as Maisha wrapped his back in bandages and put his only shirt back on him that now had holes in it from the constant beatings. “You go lay down,” she said when she was finished. “I’ll go make supper. He should be home anytime now.”

As she left Obediah laid on his stomach staring at the floor. He was so hurt to see his sister so frightened. He had to do something about their situation, and quick.

“Saran!” Ashantie cried as he walked out their sheet covered doorway. “Saran, I don’t want to play hide and seek,” he cried again. He stopped. He could hear a slight whimpering sound, almost as if somebody was crying. Ashantie raced over to where the noise was coming from. There he found Saran, rapped up in a ball crying. “Are you ok Saran?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered sitting up. “I just don’t know why he hits Obi.”

Ashantie went over and wrapped Saran in a hug. “I don’t know either.”