Emerge

Chapter 1

"Birthday!" Meri, Vanessa, and Jade clinked their glasses of rum punch together before gulping it down. They sat at a bench with plates of grilled fish, vegetables, rice, mac, and cheese along with Johnny cakes.

"Go, Meri. It's your birthday. It's tomorrow though but we're celebrating." Jade said in a sing-song voice, dancing in her seat.

"Thanks, sister," Meri said, overcoming the intensity of the drink.

"Whoo. That hit differently," Vanessa shook her head.

Meri and her friends had arrived in Saint Lucia in the morning of the day. They had situated themselves in the Hummingbird Beach Resort in Soufriere. Meri wanted a view of the illustrious Pitons. Her birthday, June 25, was the next day but the celebration started as soon as they reached the airport back home in New York. She called her parents, Laurence and Cassandra Kamara, as soon as she arrived.

It was Fish Friday at Anse La Raye, a festival the town held every Friday. The streets were filled with tourists and citizens celebrating and dancing in the street. Children and adults enjoyed the festivities and the bounty of seafood, drink, and music. Steel music and cooked food swam in the night air.

Jade looked around. "This feels like New Year. Though it is almost for you. About to be a whole new age."

Meri smiled. "Officially twenty-five. Another year of blessings to receive."

"We are college graduates. We have jobs. We're beautiful. We're melanated."

Jade raised her hand to the sky. "God bless."

"And we're in the islands. St. Lucia, mon"

Meri pointed a finger at Vanessa. "You spilled into Jamaican territory there. Careful."

"Oop."

Meri looked around at the town. "But seriously, I think I could live here and be happy."

"I would love to live here. Then at least next Friday, I could go to Gros Islet."

"I know. But that place was further away than here," Meri said. "Next time for sure."

Her friends nodded in accordance as they continued to eat and drink. The minutes became hours. When they digested, they ventured near the stage, watching and dancing to the steel band perform their original music and calypso covers of songs.

Two men noticed the trio dancing. One gestured to the other to go over to them. After giving in, he slipped through the dancing audience over to them.

Meri felt a bulge pressing on her backside. She turned around to a man about her height.

She held back her original response."Excuse me? Hi."

"Hey, beautiful," he said in a thin Creole accent. "Dance with me?"

"No thanks."

He looked over at Jade. "Wanna dance?"

Jade let out a sound. "Wow, you're just going to hop on me after hitting on my friend? Bye." She waved her hand in his direction.

"You Americans are fiery."

"We're here for fun, not bullshit which is what you are giving. Bye."

He glared at her and grabbed her wrist. Jade let out a sound.

Meri grabbed his arm. "Yo. Let go of her."

He pushed her away.

"Hey," exclaimed Vanessa.

Everything seemed to muffle around Meri. Her focus was on the man. A surge of heat rushed through her body, her blood. She stepped to him and pushed him back with both hands, putting as much force into it. He staggered back knocking into some people, causing others to notice. He gained composure and stepped forward to Meri. She remained strong in her stance but felt the urge in her arms. Another man, taller than both of them, stepped in front of her. His strong hand pushed the man back.