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Shushushuh says Emeeya at the babies and not at Ey. Ey is not a baby. Ey is a starrfesh.
Starrfesh says Bapa to Ey. Ey wants Bapa but he is not here. Amma sings to Ey and says Bapa is soon. Ey does not know what is soon. Soon is not now. Now there is no Bapa.
Emeeya says oh! to the babies and claps her hands. Emeeya does not look at Ey.
Ey wants the big song. Ey hears the big song with Bapa. If Ey hears the big song then maybe Bapa is now. Maybe Ey is starrfesh.
Ey is on the sand. The sand is cold because the song is in it. Ey hears the big song whisper little in between the tiny grits of sand. Ey picks up a handful of sand and squeezes it to see if the song will come out but it does not. Ey holds the handful of sand to her ear to hear the song inside it better.
Eywee donpuh sand inear! says Emeeya. Emeeya is not looking at the babies now she is looking at Ey.
ABASS! says Ey to Emeeya but Emeeya does not abass. Emeeya does not know abass.
Pees pudahn the sand Ey! says Emeeya and smiles with just her face.
BEDAY! Ey says to Emeeya and throws the sand at her. The little song in the sand goes whush in the air and comes apart. Babylot hears the little song go whush and laughs and claps his hands.
Oh Ey is notnice to trowsand says Emeeya and makes her face sad. She is not sad she just makes her face sad. Ey does not like Emeeya’s wrong face. If Emeeya makes a sad face she should be sad. Ey picks up more sand and throws it at Emeeya to see if it will make her sad.
No no! says Emeeya. Eywee donpuh sand othe babies! Her face is sad but not her self.
Ey doesn’t know why we don’t put sand on the babies. Babylot likes the sand. He hears the little song. Babymun does not hear the song but if Ey gives him more sand maybe he will.
Ey waits until Emeeya doesn’t look and then Ey gets up and bends to scoop sand big in her two hands and bring it to Babymun. Ey will put it on him so he will hear it.
Uh oh says Babymun when he sees Ey and the sand. Then Emeeya sees Ey too.
Ey no! says Emeeya.
Ey throws the sand and then runs. Ey runs so well. Amma says so and Moyeen says so. Ey run sowell! Ey will run into the big song because Emeeya doesn’t know the big song and can’t follow her.
ABASS! shouts Ey as she runs. The song is in her hair and prickling against her cheeks and her ears and she puts her hands out to it and it opens up to her and she can see the shells and shapes on the sand where it opens. Ey is in the song and Bapa is in the song but she can’t see him.
Ey no! shouts Emeeya.
Ey stops running and squats to pick up a shell from the sand. It is a little white cup like the white boat Ey made with Amma for Bapa. Amma says the white boat is for Bapa.
An arm wraps around her middle and lifts her up. It is Emeeya’s arm not Bapa’s and rage prickles Ey all over like sand. Ey kicks her legs and screams. ABASS ABASS ABASS.
Emeeya does not abass. Emeeya does not know abass.
Ey puts out a hand and pulls on the song and it comes crashing in and chases after Emeeya it chases them up the sand toward the babies. Babylot says oboy and does a bounce but Babymun says uh oh and starts to cry.
Ey stop! shouts Emeeya. She is not sad now she is afraid. Ey whatud yor bapasay?
Starrfesh says Ey.
Ey throws the white shell as hard as she can and lets go of the song. The song slides away and the shell slides away with it. Amma says a white boat is for Bapa. Bapa will be now.