No video.
This whole deal with Michael was to get to Mwika and his supposed video, and now we find out he’s been dead for two years. Did Michael know? Was he just leading me on?
Between Mwika and Catherine, the trip so far has been a disaster. The only thing I’ve learned by coming here is that my mother went through some horrible, unspeakable shit and that I’m the war baby she never wanted. A baby that ruined her life and probably reminded her every single day of what had happened to her. I suddenly want very badly to see my sister. Not to tell her what’s happening, just to see her, to have her tilt her head at me and ask me what’s wrong like she sometimes does. I never tell her, but I like it when she asks. I could really use that about now.
When we get back to the guesthouse I go to my room, lock the door behind me, and stand there. I have no idea what to do next. Do not cry, Tiny Girl. Maybe Boyboy will still find something in Mwika’s emails.
Outside my window I can hear Boyboy telling Michael not to knock on my door, that I just need some time. I listen to the sounds of Boyboy getting set up outside, checking his solar panel, turning on his computer.
Now what? Should we just go home? I want to talk to Catherine, but how? Sitting in here pouting isn’t going to help. I take a deep breath and dig for my phone in my bag. Maybe I can help out and call Boyboy’s contact back myself, get more information. Maybe Mwika had a house, a place where he stashed stuff. I start to go outside, but stop when I see that I’ve missed a dozen calls from Ketchup, three calls from numbers I don’t recognize, and most worrying, one from Bug Eye. A single text from him: where you at call now.
Knots begin to twist in my stomach, one after another. As I’m staring at my phone, trying to decide whether to call Bug Eye back and pretend like everything is cool and I’m still in Sangui, it starts to vibrate with an incoming call. I curse, sure it’s him or Ketchup, but the number isn’t one of theirs. I know I probably shouldn’t answer it—it’s most likely one of them calling from a different line, trying to get me to answer—but some weird urge kicks in. “Hello?”
“Tina? Is that you?”
My knees go wobbly and I almost lose my footing. “Kiki? Are you okay?”
“I’ve been trying to get you for days!”
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
I hear her whisper something to someone nearby. “What? No, nothing’s wrong. Where are you?”
I can hear girls talking in the background. My heartbeat starts to slow, and I wipe my mouth with a trembling hand. I take a deep breath and try to sound normal. “I left the city.”
“You did what? Why? Where are you? I can barely hear you.”
“I-I had to do some stuff. I’ll only be gone a couple of days.”
“Oh. But you’ll be back by Friday night?”
“I’m going to try. But if I’m not, don’t worry, okay?”
“One of the other girls overheard someone telephoning for me. It was you, right?”
“Yeah, the nun wouldn’t let me talk to you.”
“That was Sister Agnes. She is so strict. No phone calls, no phones. She thinks we’ll call our boyfriends or order takeaway food or something. But my friend Simone has a mobile that she hides in her mattress. She let me use it to call.” My sister speaks in a breathless stream. “This guy said you had skipped town. I was worried; that’s why I asked Simone to use her phone.”
“What guy?”
“Um. I don’t know his name, but he came to the school while I was outside at recess yesterday. He said he was a friend of yours. He said I should call you.” She goes quiet. “Tina, who was he? Why did you leave Sangui? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” I say, working hard to keep my voice level. “What did he look like?”
“Like, kind of tough. Tattoos and stuff all up and down his arms, like yours. The other girls thought he was cute, but I thought he looked like a meerkat.”
I lick my lips. “You remember any of the tattoos?”
“Not really. He had a bunch. Um, okay, there was a big tomato on the back of his hand. I remember that.”
My vision tunnels.
Ketchup.
At Kiki’s school. Talking to Kiki.
I will kill him.
“He told me that if I hear from you, to tell you to call him. Or if you came by, to give you a note.”
“A note? What does it say?”
“Hang on. It’s in my pocket.” I can hear shuffling, and then, “Okay, it says, ‘Tiny, Your wasting time. Tell your sister hi.’ What does that mean?” She pauses. “He spelled you’re wrong.”
I have to hold my hand over the mouthpiece so Kiki doesn’t hear my breathing go ragged. Ketchup tried to call me. And when I didn’t respond, he did what he knew would get my attention. He wanted me to know he’d seen Kiki in person. That he knows where she is, how to get to her. How did he even find her? I’ve been so careful.