"To persevere against the unbeatable scourge"

“Mom, you don’t have to.”

“But you clearly want me to.”

#

He looked just like his father had when he was six, save the hair color. Birane winced when she saw him.

“So you’re Kalil,” she said, trying to keep the venom out of her voice. From the look Masiu gave her, she could tell she hadn’t succeeded.

“And you’re Birane,” he said.

“Yes. What do you want from me.”

“I didn’t ask to meet you because I wanted something from you,” he said.

“Why, then? Garbage like you has ruined enough of my life.”

“Mom, be nice,” said Masiu.

“I’m sorry about your husband,” said Kalil.

“Don’t bring him up.”

“Sorry,” said Kalil.  

“Tell her the story,” said Masiu quietly.

“When I was little I used to pretend that the reason I had orange hair was because I was secretly meant to be orange, and that it would turn out I didn’t really have any red parents--” he flinched “-- and -- then I found out -- I don’t know why he wants me to tell you this--”

“Why didn’t you want to be red?” prompted Masiu.

“We were polluted all the time -- people think all of us are hypo but there are some meso ones, I’m one of them--”

Masiu looked at Birane. “They aren’t all hyposensitive,” he said.

“I know that,” she said.

“You do?”

“The one in Voa was fucking hyper, knew that garbage like it didn’t matter, knew that garbage was evil--”

“--Mom, stop--”

“--I thought maybe I’d finally found one that wasn’t utterly evil. Didn’t stop it from fucking your dad, from letting him-- letting him-- letting--”

“--Mom--”

Birane had drawn in her arms around herself and was looking away. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“That’s fine, you don’t have to, can you please stop calling my half brother garbage?”

“Fine.” She looked at Kalil. “Cleaned garbage like you has ruined enough of my life.” She looked back at Masiu. “Better?”

Masiu closed his eyes. “Just because he reminds you of Dad doesn’t mean you have to act like this.”

“Fuck you,” said Birane. “--I’m sorry. Please don’t bring him up.” I don’t want to think about what he did.

Kalil looked at Masiu. “Should I go?”

“It’s up to you.”