“That’s the biggest bunch of shit I’ve ever heard in my life!” she
roared.
Everyone turned to Leona. Even she seemed surprised at her
own outburst.
“First off, that’s not possible,” she declared, “An infected belly
button will not make you barren. Second off, you’re alive. You live.
You affect everyone. Despite what everyone seems to think, you’re
not above the world.”
“What do you mean?” Sprout asked.
“You’re so beautiful. So fucking stunning,” Leona shouted at her,
“But your beauty isn’t human. You don’t have a flaw. Still, you live
down here among us and so there are consequences. You’re no
innocent, no angel, just because you look like one.”
Sprout suddenly looked as if she might cry. “I never said I was.
How can you…?”
Roy took her in his arms, shaking his head at Leona in slow
condemnation.
Leona jumped to her feet, knocking the table over with a crash.
Coffee and tea went flying everywhere. She spun and stormed out the
narrow gate, heavy footfalls reverberating down the path.
Roy was not a shallow man. He understood the raging logic of the
heart. He knew Leona was in pain, and that he was more or less
responsible. She, who had helped him so much.
“I’m sorry. I have to go after her,” Roy said to Sprout. “Are you
okay?”
“I’m fine,” Sprout said, the shadow having passed lightly over her
face, “Go get her.”
Roy took off out the door and immediately Sprout set to work
cleaning up the mess. The three others sat still, unmoving in their
seats, splattered with brown liquid, watching her tidy up. Colin didn’t
help because he was lazy. The boy didn’t help because he disliked her.
There seemed to be no good reason why Yak wouldn’t help, obliging
as he normally was. But he too just sat there, immobile, as if Sprout
were performing some elaborate magical ritual they were all loath to
disturb, else suffer sinister consequences.
“So, what’s the deal with you, sparkleface?” Colin said to the boy,
breaking the ice, “You crazy or what?” The direct approach seemed
the order of the day and Colin figured he might play along.
“I’m normal. It’s the world that’s crazy,” he said.
“Well, you’re certainly half right,” Colin toasted him. “I too am a
ABYSSINIA
150
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