Michael's Story

Chapter 3

Birds chirped, the sun was warm enough to bake under, and the courtyard was quiet and free. Despite the beautiful day, Elijah's imagination was stretched thin. It was Saturday afternoon, also known as the longest day of the week. He lay back on the wooden bench with one leg draping over it. His only form of entertainment was watching Jaya, his little sister, pretend that twigs were tall princesses and rocks were evil trolls.

Elijah anticipated his sister's arrival. She'd promised them a walk in the park and ice cream but, she was two hours late. Her new job had taken up most of her time. Since coming home from college, she kept Elijah and Jaya occupied.

Elijah observed Jaya tossing a stick up into the air. His eyes clung to the twig flipping and then falling to the ground. She turned in circles, making her pink tutu swirl around with her. She brought her pale, tiny hands up to the sky and then dropped them down to where the rocks lay, banishing the rocks from the Princess's land forever. He sat up, bringing his hands together in his lap.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a figure. He switched his head to see Junie's curly hair bouncing in the wind as she rushed over. Jaya bounced up at the sight of her, ditching the rocks and twigs. She hugged Junie and then took hold of her hand. Junie moved toward Elijah with Jaya.

"I'm so so sorry, Eli. I missed the bus again." Junie spoke directly, taking a seat next to her brother.

Elijah reeled himself off of the bench and confronted her, "I figured. Are you at least gonna be on time to take us to the fair tomorrow?"

"I can try but I have work tomorrow too."

"Come on, Junie. It's the last day!" Elijah whined.

"Elijah, I'm making money to help out around the house, and every penny counts," Junie conveyed.

Jaya positioned herself on Junie's lap.

"This is the worst summer of my life!" Elijah affirmed.

"Summer barely started. Don't be dramatic." She dismissed Elijah with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm just saying I already know how the rest of this summer gonna be: "I can't Elijah, I have to go to work." He performed a bad impression of his sister.

"Are you done?" Junie asked.

"I guess so." He huffed.

"Good. I'm going upstairs. I need to change and I need some cool air because it is hot out here."

"It's hot upstairs too," Elijah answered back.

"Turn the air on." She tapped her temple with her index finger.

"It's off. We don't have any electricity." Elijah reacted in the same manner as Junie, tapping his head just as she did.

She sighed. "Say swear."

"I swear." Elijah held his right hand up.

Junie made her way up to their fifth-floor apartment to find that Elijah had been telling the truth. The heat inside was as thick and warm as a sauna. It was practically pitch black. She turned over each light switch in every room, not wanting to meet reality. She had to suck it up. She parted the curtains in the living room, kitchen, and bedroom to have some form of light.

Most of the residents in their low-income building were dancing on the line of poverty. Each family had its financial concerns. Overcoming adversity was something they all could relate to but, for Junie's family, the problems never ended.