Molly squirmed as her mother combed out her hair. It was her thirteenth birthday and Molly was not happy. Her mother had promised to straighten her hair at thirteen and she thought this was the day. Molly could not understand the change of heart. Usually her mother kept her promises. Life was hard in the ghetto, but when a promise was made it was kept.
As Molly leaned into the comb, trying to lessen the hurt, she wondered if the conversation she overheard last night had anything to do with her mother not sending her to get her hair done. Awakened by a loud knock on the door Molly heard the
unmistakable voice of the big man.
"It's her thirteenth birthday tomorrow. She bleeding yet?"
"No, no no, not yet."
"You sure."
"Yes I'm sure."
"Cause if she old enough to bleed, she old enough to butcher," he said, filling the small board house with his presence.
"I will send you a sign when it's time," her mother said.
"You better," he said, slamming the door causing the house to shake.
The rest of Molly's birthday was uneventful, She was not allowed to leave the small house, and was forced to watch her mother pace the floor and mutter to herself.
Some time later that night she was awakened, this time by the cool hand of her grandmother.
"Do not make a sound, your dress is here, we are not lighting the lamp, we will move in darkness."
Three months later she was adjusting the rabbit ears on an ancient television set. She was in Darliston, Westmoreland, way up in the bush of Jamaica. Getting the picture and the sound to work was a nightly challenge. Stepping back to survey her
handiwork she was shocked to see her face on the television.
Molly Brown missing, anyone having any information on this missing girl is asked to contact the nearest police station.
RSS Feed