Halfway There // Liam O'donovan

19

_REFUGEES_
•••
EVIE'S POV
•••

Last night, two refugees arrived at the dumping ground. We didn't know much about them. We did know they loved Manchester United (which got them in Frank's good books) and Gus managed to find out their names: Ade and Dayo. Liam and I came down and sat at the breakfast table.

"Hiya, have you had anything to eat?" Mike asked, pushing the jug of juice towards them. Ade picked up an egg and examined it.

"That's an egg." Toby told him.

Liam started making clucking noises, I shoved his head and laughed.

"He knows what an egg is, numb-nut." I told him. The two boys said something in their language.

"Yeah, but he might be used to the emu ones." Liam said, trying to make a joke. I shook my head and laughed a little.

"Emus are from Australia." Toby said.

"Duh." Sapphire said as she poured herself a drink.

"Solved the mystery yet, Gus?" Tracy asked, walking in.

"Their names are Ade and Dayo." Gus explained.

The two boys again spoke to each other in their language, Liam looked confused as he took a bite from his toast.

"They like football." Gus continued.

"Manchester United!"

"Rooney!"

Frank high-fived them.

"They sleep in the same bed." Gus went on, "Ade has nightmares and the scabies are a lot better now."

"What are scabies?" Carmen asked.

"They're parasites that burrow under your skin." Toby said.

Liam pulled a disgusted face and Carmen shuffled her chair away from Dayo.

"'Ey, that's enough of that." Gina said.

"I mean, yeah, it's not their fault." Sapphire said and she sat down beside Ade. She smiled at him. He turned and said something in African,"You are joking me." She said.

"Bomba claat, he's already moving to girls." I said a little too loud, Liam laughed and Gina scolded.

" 'ay! What have I told you about yuh language, huh?" She said to me, she muttered something in patois and left the kitchen.

"Sorry auntie." I mumbled, making Sapphire snort.

Later on, we were all sat in the living room trying to figure out where Ade and Dayo had come from. Gus had laid out a map of the world and Dayo was pushing a toy boat along it. He said something in his language and rubbed his fingers together.

"You mean, money?" Harry asked.

Dayo seemed to understand and opened up a book. He started to point at the drawings inside it. Ade pushed the toy boat along some more then flipped it over, signalling a crash. Then he pointed at a country.