Chapter 19On the beach, alone one day, I come across an unattended raft. So many times, through too many seasons, and once again, I dream of escape.
My foot resting buoyant on the bundled reeds, my mind drifts. Arrow and I take the raft and row away, though I know he won’t. If only the papyrus had grown back. The Elders’ sons guard the few remaining stands and dig them up for war rafts, leaving no way out for me and Arrow, unless we steal one.
I would do it in a flash, but he’s too good for that. We have to build our own, Arrow says, so annoying. Impossible, but no matter, forget about what I want. If we stay here much longer, we’re bound to starve or get killed in a raid. The raft bobs underfoot.
Others have left. I hear people talking about it all the time around the fire. No one know
