ECHOES

☙ | 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻

"it won't never get old, not in my soul, not in my spirit, keep it alive
we'll go down this road till it turns from color, to black and white.
or do you not think so far, ahead?
cause i been thinkin' bout forever..."
-frank ocean

Omniscient | Prologue
8 years ago
*ੈ✩‧₊˚

It was summer—a time when the heat was sweltering and unbearable. You'd break out in a sweat just walking to the mailbox to gather the mail.

The muggy afternoon heat was at an all-time high this summer, and today just happened to be the day that the ice cream man was off, so now little Anala was forced to eat her popsicles unless she'd wanted to be a sweaty mess all day. She groaned at the thought of her clothes sticking to her and the uncomfortable moistness that sweat left most people with.

"I'll be back!" She called out to Zara; her best friend and favorite person to play with after church and school. Not expecting a response, she left almost immediately after the words left her lips.

She hopped up off the swinging chair that was on the porch and darted into the house. The cool air blew her hair against her face, tickling her nose as soon as she stepped foot into the house. She pushed her curly hair back out of her face before making her way to the kitchen. She'd been saving her popsicles for special occasions, and today qualified to be one.

Once in the kitchen, the savory aroma of soul food hit her nose. Anala's stomach grumbled at the thought of the crunch of the fried chicken and the sweetness of the banana pudding. Automatically, her mind went to staying in the kitchen and helping her mother cook so she could sneak food while she wasn't looking.

But Anala quickly shook her head, chastising herself. She has more important matters to attend to. She strolled straight past her mother to grab a chair so she could properly access the popsicles in the freezer.

"Nala why you in my kitchen?" Anala's mother; Sherri questioned as she watched the flushed nine-year-old relentlessly rummage through the refrigerator.

"It's hot mama. We need popsicles and water." Anala rolled her eyes at such a stupid question. In what world would the duo play outside in the heat without water?

"Well hurry up, you stank. You smell like a mixture of outside and ass." Sherri playfully scrunched her face up causing Anala to roll her eyes once again.

"That's you smelling like you haven't showered in months." The little girl remarked with a giggle.

Sherri's mouth dropped open. "Girl- Ain't yo' girlfriend outside?" She grinned watching Anala blush profusely and avert her eyes away from her mother.

"That is not my girlfriend mama!"

Sherri laughed seeing her daughter get worked up. "Yeah okay. Getcha' ass out my kitchen and stop letting all my air out! This yo' third time in here in an hour."

"Sorry, mama! It won't happen again!" Nine-year-old Anala rushed out of the kitchen when she retrieved the items she was searching for. She closed the screen door with her foot trying to balance both water bottles and popsicles in her hand. She marched outside with her head held high and made her way over to the end of the porch where her best friend was sitting, staring off into the distance.

"Here you go, Sunny." Anala handed her friend a blue raspberry-flavored popsicle and a water bottle before slouching on the concrete step next to her. The cherry-flavored popsicle in her right hand started to melt under the sun's blazing rays, making both girls squint wherever they looked.