Bonfire page 2

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‘Little princess,’ the man said, still playing, ‘come and share my song.’

Kima didn't say anything. She watched him move the long instrument, balancing its weight, striking it with his left hand and moving it up and down his abdomen, making it emit a different sound, almost like an animal saying “waah”.

The man didn't talk to her, he kept playing. ‘Who are you?’ Kima asked after some time, never taking her eyes of the percussion.

‘Who am I, who are you,’ he said, playing. ‘We'll soon know.. Sit, sit, grab a sit’.

Kima crouched by the man. He stopped playing. Letting the last hum fade slowly. Once it was quiet, he set his instrument aside and grabbed a small drum from the grass. He handed it to her, without saying anything. He looked at her with a little smile, and then tapped the drum as he raised his eyebrows. The drum was not very loud, but it had volume and the sound changed whether he tapped it with one finger or with the whole hand. Then with a gesture of his hands and a nod, he encouraged her to play.

He stood up, then took some leaves from a pouch tied at his side, and threw them into the fire. Then he walked back gingerly and sat down next to the girl.

‘Our little princess is here,’ he said, reaching for his long buzzing instrument once more. ‘She has arrived.’

The smoke from the fire smelled funny, Kima's throat was itchy with the smoke, and she felt tired. All around her the night had coalesced into something different, something more alive. This was not the empty darkness of her fears, this was a darkness full of secrets, full of things she could almost see and almost remember. There was soft music in the distance and fireflies lit the path leading down to the river. She stood up and started walking, on a trail that was much wider than she remembered it. The trees near the river bank were so tall she could see them from here, and as she slowly walked back down she saw their great white-trunks, towering at least two hundred feet above, surrounded by fireflies.

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