Entry #22

Decision
by Christine Eldin (takoda)


Where?

This way.

He’ll find us.

Be quiet and hide.

Is it really worth it?

Hell, yes. Five hundred bucks.

I’ve never stolen Indian stuff before.

Don’t be chicken-shit. This money’s ours.

We’re messing with sacred lands. There’s voodoo here.

Voodoo? Curses? You mean old man Huyanna’s freak talk?

It’s not freak talk. Huyanna says when you die, your spirit becomes a bird or a cloud. You can go anywhere and see everything. But if you make too many mistakes on purpose, you get turned into a tree. Stuck in one place…forever. Let’s put his money back. Before it’s too late.

Easy for you to say. You don’t have to wear hand-me-downs from your brother. Or buy two dollar pants from the Salvation Army. Or eat stupid cheese sandwiches all the time. Once a month, Dad comes home with a block of government cheese. Joey thinks it’s funny, having cheese that big. Dad puts it on the table. Joey climbs up on a chair and bites into it. A bunch of times, so even if you wanna slice it, there’s no clean spot.

You’ll be fourteen next year. Old enough to work.

That’s a forever time away. I’m hungry now.

Okay. Then we’ll find jobs now. Today.

Like what? Can we make money?

Yeah. Lots. Without any stealing.

Help me return this?

How about here?

Looks good.

Yep.