Page 89 of The Wild Man
I pick up a piece of her hair that’s lying on her chest and slide my fingers through it. “Ben gave paper long ago. It says how get to his home. It take me a day to find home. Was surprised to see me, but knew why there. Heard from people when brothers took you.” I bring her hair to my nose and breathe in deep. “He know your peepa name and find where you live. He gave clothes and gave paper to here.”
“I can’t believe you came for me.”
“Always, momor.”
Wherever my momor is, is where I will be.
“Phenix.”
I tilt my head to the side. That word sounds familiar, but I don’t know how.
“That’s your name,” she says softly, her deep brown eyes watching me. “Fey is the name your older sister called you.”
“Sister? I don’t—” My mouth slams shut when a fuzzy memory fills my head. A female, a young one, with dark brown hair that’s twisted on both sides and hangs over her shoulders. Bright pink pieces of cloth hang from her hair. She’s smiling in my head.
“Come play with me, Fey.”
I snap my eyes shut, trying to hold on to that memory. Wanting more of it to form.
“You have an older sister, Wild Man.”
My lids open and find momor looking at me. She has the same smile on her face as the girl in my head.
“Her name is?—”
“Cammie,” I finish for her.
“Cammie. Yes. Camille.” Momor slides her fingers through the hair on my face so she’s cupping my cheek. “She’s been looking for you for years. She wants to see you again.”
For the first time in my life, I have no words. Not because I have nothing to say, but because I don’t know what to say.
I have a sister.
Cammie.
Now that her name is in my head, more faint visions appear.
Sitting at a small table while Cammie gives me a little cup. There’s nothing in the cup, but we pretend there is and drink from it.
“Would you like more tea, Fey?”
Me sitting on something as Cammie pushes me. I go forward and backward. I felt like I was flying.
“Higher, Cammie!”
Cammie lying in a bed in a white room. She has something stuck in her arm and there are beeping sounds.
“Why are you sick, Cammie? You won’t die, will you? You can’t leave me.”
“I’ll never leave you, Fey.”
The last time I saw my big sister was the day me, Peepa, and Noeny went to the forest. We were both sad she couldn’t go with us. Peepa helped me crawl on the bed so I could give her a big hug.
“Tell all the little baby animals I said hi. And bring me a pretty rock home.”
Cammie had a bunch of rocks in her room that she kept in a box. She said they were her favorites because they were neat shapes and colors.
I don’t know why I forgot about her. I’ve held onto some faded memories of Peepa and Noeny, but it was like Cammie disappeared. Maybe my young mind knew, when I was left on my own, that it would be too hard if I kept Cammie with me.