KISAH Futures Anthology
They shimmied over the wall. And the jungle was everything she had imagined, only better. The murky pools in front of her hid mysteries. There was a small pool that went down forever and Bell said there were big fishies in it that could eat her. Beside it was another Olympic-sized pool, surface covered in lily pads and green scum. Under their branch was a tall, rusty diving platform. Vines and plants had almost swallowed it, but its top strained free. They dropped down from the branches onto the creaking, shaking platform. Thunk! And the jungle erupted into a cacophony of bird calls, screaming at the intruders that dared disturb their siesta. The vegetation growing out of the gym’s windows jerked violently as unseen creatures scrambled away. On the right, she could see a tiny bit of the grandstand that was exposed where part of the wall had collapsed on the vegetation. Bell pulled out the Swiss roll he had bought with his carefully saved pocket money. As they lunched under the shade of the enormous rain tree, Octavia soaked in the new smells, sights, and sounds. “Happy Birthday Ona. I’m glad your wish came true. One day, when all the viruses are gone and I’m big and make lots of money, I’ll fix your lungs and take you to a big jungle kay?” Octavia smiled up at her beloved big brother and hugged him tightly.
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