Govia
We hardly ever used the
coasters. They stood on the
cabinet as ornaments.
It was more fun as children to
pour the drink into a glass and
swallow it down with a large
gulp.
We did not believe that the
coasters would be used to harm
us. They were so pretty with
the puppies painted on to them.
That all changed the night we
fell asleep at the living room
table with our schoolbooks
under our faces.
Nobody heard the footsteps of
my aunt as she entered the
space, but we were startled
from our sleep by a piercing
wail.
It was at that moment I saw the
hand of my aunt using a coaster
like a weapon to smash the
head of my sister until blood
came streaming from a wound
down the side of her face.
And sullenly, we went back to
reading our school books.
Tags: Caribbean Authors, Govia, Growing Pains
