The Paper House Read Online Free Page B

you.”
    â€œDon’t you go to school?” Safiyah asked. She knew she shouldn’t be talking to him, but she couldn’t help herself.
    â€œI could ask you the same thing,” he said.
    â€œI take care of my cucu.”
    â€œNot taking care of her now, are you?” Rasul frowned. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know.” Safiyah poked her foot in the dirt. She swallowed hard. “She coughs a lot.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “She’s been coughing blood.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œWhen she coughs, she coughs up blood.” Safiyah glared at Rasul. “I tried to keep out the nighttime cold by stuffing paper in all the holes. But there is still blood when she coughs.” She tried to hold the words back, but they kept coming. “What if she has AIDS like my mother?” She swiped at her wet face. “Lots of people get sick here. And we have no money. That’s why I don’t go to school. No money for school.” She shoved her fist in her eyes, trying to push back the tears. “Or for medicine.”
    Rasul bent down and peered at her. “How old are you anyway?”
    Safiyah gulped. “Ten.”
    Rasul grabbed her arm.
    â€œWait!” She tried to pull away. He walked so fast she had to run to keep up. “Help!” she cried.
    The dark alley Rasul dragged her through was so narrow they had to run sideways. Here, there was no one dozing in the shade or carrying bundles of clothes to the washhouse. No one to stop her from being kidnapped by a gang leader. “Where are you taking me?” Safiyah pulled back as hard as she could. Rasul stopped so suddenly she slammed into his side.
    â€œYou said you were thirsty.” He glared at her.
    â€œI will get you something to drink.” He tightened his grip on Safiyah’s arm and hurried on. “Then we will take care of your grandmother.”

Chapter Nine
    Just when Safiyah thought she would faint if she had to run any farther, Rasul pulled her out into bright daylight. Here, the houses were not so close together. There were even patches of garden outside some, with enough room to hang clothes to dry in the sun.
    A woman stood in the doorway of a shack wearing a long traditional kitenge dress and a bright shawl. “You seem to have brought home the wrong child,” she said to Rasul.
    He pushed Safiyah forward. “Ma, this is Safiyah. Can we give her a drink?”
    â€œWhere’s Chidi?” the woman asked as she poured water from an enamel jug into a jar and held it out to Safiyah.
    Safiyah watched Rasul’s mother over the rim as she drank.
    â€œAt school by now,” said Rasul.
    Safiyah handed back the empty jar. “Thank you.”
    â€œI’m Grace Pakua.” The woman’s hand was cool as she shook Safiyah’s. “Pleased to meet you, child. Where did you find your cousin this time?” she asked Rasul.
    â€œGuess.”
    Mrs. Pakua shook her head. “At the dump again, I suppose.” She looked closely at Safiyah. “I’m sure you know to stay away from that dangerous place.”
    Before Safiyah could decide whether to lie or tell the truth, Rasul told his mother, “Safiyah’s cucu is sick. Can you take a look at her?” He turned to Safiyah. “Mother works at the clinic.”
    â€œJust as a cleaner,” Mrs. Pakua told her. “Have you taken your grandmother to see the doctors there?”
    â€œIt’s too far for her to walk,” Safiyah answered. “And we don’t have any money.”
    â€œThe clinic is free.”
    â€œOh,” said Safiyah. She hadn’t known that. “But if she needs medicine. Or has to stay in hospital…”
    â€œPerhaps you are worried about being home alone. You would be able to stay with your cucu if they needed to keep her there for treatment. Lots of patients’ families stay with them at the