"Michael…"
"What is it?"
"Somebody trying to force open the front door."
Radix turned over, opened his eyes, listened. They both lay on their backs and
listened. Amarelle's fingers were buried in his chest ready to push him out to
investigate, or pull him closer like a shield.
"I hear a noise, like somebody banging on the door."
"It's probably fellows on the stoop."
"You know, one o' these nights somebody goin' break in and murder us
right here in the bed."
"All this television you watching, now you starting to hear things!"
"I am telling you, I heard somebody banging on the front door."
"Banging on the front door? Or knocking on the front door?"
"Don't be stupid."
"Look, there's nothing to worry about. We probably safer here than most people.
Anyone trying to get in would have to walk over the fellows on the stoop…the same
fellows you always complaining about. Right now they like watch dog on the stoop."
"Yes, but you don't know who and what they watching."
Radix turned on his side, preparing to give up listening. They heard a muffled heavy
sound coming from the front of the building, as of something thrown against the front
door.
"You hear it again…? and you just lying there?" Amarelle poked him in the ribs.
"Is probably fellows horsing around."
Amarelle sucked her teeth.
When eventually he returned to the bedroom Amarelle was fast asleep; or appeared
to be, until his body weight on the bed stirred her. She turned on her side.
"I thought the people kidnap you or something."
"Very funny." She was developing the sarcastic tongue. He concentrated on getting
under the covers.
"So…"
"So what?"
"So who was out there?" she asked.
"I told you, just fellows horsing around."
"You know, one o' these nights these same fellows goin' ride their horses right inside
this bedroom."
"You said that before."
Radix turned his back to her. His mind was a rumbling furnace. He didn't think he'd get back to sleep rightaway. He had to get some sleep before the alarm went off at six.
They were quiet for awhile.
"Well, whenever they decide to break in, this kitchen knife waiting for them."
Kitchen knife! "What kitchen knife?"
Amarelle reached down under the bed and came up, to Radix's astonishment, with a
six-inch blade; the kind of knife that came in a cutlery set; the kind of set stored away
somewhere in the kitchen, not in the bedroom! She held the gleaming blade in the air
until she was satisfied he'd had a good look at it.
(from Ah, Mikhail, O Fidel! by N.D.Williams, 2001)
FARJOURNEY CARIBBEAN 