Chapter #99The Wake: Kali's Tale by: imaj   “What about you Kali,” asks Rick. “You’ve gotta have some stories about Margaret.”
“A few,” replies Kali with the ghost of a smile.
“Well go on then,” says Fyodor encouragingly.
*****
Kali skipped across the playground, swinging her satchel behind her. The school day was over and the afternoon was still full of possibility. She avoided the bigger boys and girls as she danced her way to the school gate.
“Haud oan Kali,” called Morag from behind her. Kali’s best friend was just exiting the big red stone building, dragging her own bag long the ground in her wake. The little red haired girl ran after Kali.
“Come oan,” said Kali, rolling her eyes. She took her satchel and started spinning round in a circle.
Morag bumped into Kali and the two girls stumbled around for a few seconds before bursting into a fit of giggles. “Wha’ we goin’ to do,” asked Morag breathlessly.
Kali took a few paces away from her friend and turned round. “Hows about… Naw,” she said, biting on her lip.
“Wha’ Wha?,” shouted Morag.
“Oh I know,” grinned Kali, “Doon the street!”
“Doon the street,” echoed Morag “Oh lets get some sweeties.”
“How much money do yeh have,” asked Kali.
“I dinnae know,” replied Morag, sticking out her tongue. “How much money do yeh have?”
The girls started giggling again. They thrust their hands into their pockets and school bags, searching for any money they could use. After a few minutes they sat on the wall at the edge of the playground and counted out their tally.
“Is it enough,” asked Kali, looking at the small pile of copper coins. Morag was more knowledgeable than her in the fields of both maths and confectionary.
“Aye,” said Morag with a sticky looking grin. “Mehbeh only wan bag though.”
“Wan bags better than none,” said Kali nudging her friend. “Come oan, lets go.”
-----
Kali could only look around with a boggle eyed stare as walked into Conti’s after Morag. The shop was filled with shelf after shelf of glass jars and each glass jar has a kind of sweet inside it. Each looked more mouth watering than the last. A tall counter, taller than both Morag and Kali stood between them and the sugary bounty.
The shopkeeper was a more imposing barrier.
Tall, although to Kali all grown ups were tall, with swarthy skin and oily black hair, he gave he girls an unhappy look. Although he relied on children like Morag and Kali to keep himself in business, he knew that they were about to make his life difficult. He wiped his hands on his apron and forced a smile.
Morag dumped their collection of cash onto the counter. “Gies a bag of sweeties mister,” she said with a toothy grin.
The shopkeeper took the coins and counted them carefully. “I can give you a little for that,” in an odd sounding accent. Mind you, Kali’s Dad sounded different from everyone else when he was talking too. “What do you want?”
Kali looked round the shop again in wonder. They all looked so tasty. “I want these ones,” said Morag, pointing a glass jar full of bright green spheres. A hand written label on the jar proclaimed them to be ‘soor plooms’.
“Aw,” moaned Kali. “I wanted the kola kubes,” she said, pointing at a jar full of misshapen red cubes.
The two girls turned to face the shopkeeper. “Can you gie us both,” they said in unison.
The shopkeeper sighed. For a moment it looked like he was about to say no. Instead he got both jars down from the shelves. He took each jar in turn, pouring a little from one, then the next into his set of scales. Then he added a little more from the first jar, just to get it to the right weight. Satisfied, he placed the jars back on the shelves and poured the contents of the scales into a small paper bag. “There you go girls,” he said as he handed the bag to Morag.
“Thanks Mister,” she replied.
The girls found a bench outside the shop to examine their purchase. Kali leaned in and grabbed one of the green spheres. She popped into her mouth and started sucking on it. “I thought you wanted the red wans,” moaned Morag.
“Doesn’t mean I cannae have those green wans too,” replied Kali smugly. Morag grabbed one of the misshapen red cubes and put it in her mouth ostentatiously.
“You said you wanted the green wans,” complained Kali. Morag giggled and soon the pair were laughing away.
-----
“That’s me hame maw,” called Kali as she pushed into the small flat where she lived with her parents. Morag followed and closed the door behind her.
“In here darling,” called her mother from further inside. The girls followed the sound of Kali’s mother to the living room.
“Hiya missus Valentine,” said Morag, waving a sticky hand as they entered.
“Hiya maw,” said Kali. “Oh, hullo missus.” Kali’s mother was talking to another woman. She was old looking and short, although she was still taller than Kali.
“This is Missus Dillon,” explained Kali’s mother. She’s come up from England to speak to you Kali”
“Is she going to speak to Morag too,” asked Kali anxiously.
“Naw, I’m sorry darling,” replied her mother. “Morag is going to have to go hame. Would you like to come for your tea tomorrow though Morag?”
“Aw that’d be pure amazing missus Valentine,” replied the little red haired girl. “Bye Kali,” added Morag before running back out the door.
“Sit down for me Kali,” said Mrs Dillon, gesturing at the small dining table by one side of the room.
“Wha’d yeh want to talk to me about,” asked Kali as she sat down. Kali let her legs swing loosely under the table. The old woman had a golden disc in her hand and she was moving it over Kali, holding a short distance above her. “Wha’s that,” said Kali, moving her head to follow Mrs Dillon’s hand.
“Just a test Kali,” replied the old woman. She put the disk in the folds of her clothes and sat opposite Kali.
“Do I pass,” asked Kali.
“We’ll see in a little bit,” replied Mrs Dillon. “I’ve got some questions I’d like to ask you.”
“Um… ok,” replied Kali.
“Have you heard of horoscopes Kali,” asked Mrs Dillon. Kali nodded as Mrs Dillon pulled out a notebook. “Well, this is a special one that’s going to tell us what you are good at. First, lets start with your when your birthday is.”
*****
“That’s how I met Margaret and joined the Stellae.“ Kali finishes her tale and takes a sip from her glass, shuddering a little as she swallows. You realise that Fyodor and Rick are looking at you expectantly. It’s your turn.
“I… ah… didn’t know her very well,” you stammer.
“Long enough to have a story to tell though, huh,” says Fyodor with a lopsided grin. He’s on to maybe his third or fourth glass by now. “It’s traditional! Where would we be without traditions?”
“He’s got you squirt,” adds Rick. “You have to say something.” Fyodor nods, a gleam in his eye.
“Um… ok…” you begin, not exactly sure what to say. “You all know what’s happened over the last week and half, so I’m not going to repeat it, but…” You pause for a second to marshal your thoughts. “Well, I didn’t know Margaret very long, and I don’t think I realised this until today… Margaret helped me to be a better Stellae.”
“Amen to that squirt,” says Rick, lifting his glass of water a fraction and tilting it. He downs it in one go.
“She helped all of us become better Stellae,” murmurs Kali quietly.
Fyodor suddenly looks very sober. “Hear, hear,” he says very quietly. You have the following choice: 1. Continue |
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