{"id":7379,"date":"2022-12-01T08:00:29","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T08:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/?p=7379"},"modified":"2024-10-18T12:22:25","modified_gmt":"2024-10-18T12:22:25","slug":"jesus-carving-4-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/2022\/12\/01\/jesus-carving-4-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Jesus’ Carving (4\/6)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Photo: A. Elmi<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Jesus' Carving (4\/6)<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

By: A. Elmi
<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

1st of December 2022<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Mum slouched into her bedroom hours later and seemed to sag even more under the dreamy and sluggish weight in the air. I was twiddling with a rubber on her desk, Xirsi was sprawled out on her bed chewing gum, and Idris was gazing out the only window. Mum shut the bedroom door, dropped her work bag on the floor, and sank into the bed with a loud yawn.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018What did Awoowe <\/i>eat today?\u2019 she asked us, dabbing away yawn-tears from her eyes with the back of her right hand.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018The mute burnt the food,\u2019 Idris said, turning away from the window to look at her. \u2018But don\u2019t worry. I made something for him.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Good! Where the hell is this Jesus<\/i>?\u2019 Mum asked.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018We\u2019ve put him up in the basement,\u2019 Xirsi answered.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mum took several deep breaths, then paused to sniff and squint around. \u2018Is there smoke in the house?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Yep. Turns out Jesus Christ\u2019s a chain smoker,\u2019 Idris said, now leaning against the wall beside the window, his arms crossed over his chest. \u2018The basement\u2019s a mess. Cartons of cigarettes everywhere, many more cigarette butts littered about the place, and the prophet himself is covered in ashes.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018What did Aabbo<\/i> tell you and Adeer<\/i> Long Nose?\u2019 I asked Mum.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Your Aabbo <\/i>spoke to his Eedo, <\/i>Aunt, Maryan, who is Jesus\u2019 Mum, and she told him the best thing to do is to find out what Jesus wants from us, give it to him, and then take him to a remote train station, and leave him there.\u2019 Mum drew in another deep breath, then coughed. \u2018Damn that Jesus! Safia, Idris, run downstairs and tell that man if he wants to smoke he better do it outside. Tell him I have asthma if you have to. Xirsi, darling,\u2019 she said, shifting around on the bed and placing a hand on his shaven head, \u2018air the house and then make me something to eat. I\u2019m famished,\u2019 she said, and slumped back down on the bed, one hand swiping lazily at the air to scatter the smoke.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The basement was like a black and smoke-filled club closed minutes ago and filled with a vast silence that made our footsteps echo. A narrow corridor stretched out from the foot of the single staircase towards a solid, green door. And beyond that was a cosy billiard and card-game room which doubled as a guest room. We were feeling our way along the corridor when the door to the room shot out at us. I narrowly missed being hit, stumbling aside just in time to give a stocky shape enough space to stride past. If it weren\u2019t for the hazy light trickling out from the room, I wouldn\u2019t have made her out.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Maryan!\u2019 I called after her.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She swung around and peered through the smoke for an age. \u2018Is that you, Safia?\u2019 she whispered eventually.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Never mind that! What are you doing down here alone<\/i>?\u2019 I hissed at her. \u2018That man\u2019s a stranger.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Adeer<\/i> Jesus!\u2019 Idris called as he picked his way through the smoke into the bowels of the room. \u2018What\u2019s that you\u2019re eating?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Idris!\u2019 Jesus greeted, chuckling. \u2018Come in, come in! I\u2019m having roast chicken, canjeelo,<\/i> iyo<\/i> shah<\/i>, flatbread, and tea. There\u2019s enough for you, too. Join me, please.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Idris\u2019 movements had stirred up a small wind that parted the smoke long enough for me to glimpse the food. I turned around to squint over at Maryan. \u2018You brought him food?\u2019 I asked quietly.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0She dropped her head and nodded shyly.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018You cooked it yourself?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Her head came up, and so did her hands which formed into bird beaks that started picking at the air. \u2018He\u2019s our guest, and he was hungry,\u2019 she said moments later. \u2018We can\u2019t have a hungry guest. It\u2019s shameful!\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Wow!\u2019 Idris shouted from the room. \u2018This is lovely. Maryan, are you there? Where did you buy this chicken?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018I made it,\u2019 she countered quickly but so softly I had to relay her message to my brother. \u2018There\u2019s more upstairs in the kitchen. I\u2019ve made dinner for the whole family,\u2019 she added to me.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018The whole family except Awoowe<\/i>. You burnt his food, remember?\u2019 I pushed past her and made for the stairs. I paused and turned halfway around to ask, \u2018I\u2019ve been searching all over for you for hours. Where have you been?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018In the kitchen. Making dinner.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018I went into the kitchen more times than I can count, but you weren\u2019t there. But maybe you were hiding in the stove or in the pipes, who knows,\u2019 I muttered to myself as I turned to climb the steps.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I found Xirsi at the kitchen counter drinking in the sight of platters of roast chicken, canjeelo<\/i>, grilled and seasoned vegetables, sambuusi<\/i>, samosas, and tall carafes of cold lemon water with mint leaves.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018I see Jesus turned parts of himself into food again,\u2019 Xirsi observed at noticing me.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Maryan made this,\u2019 I said.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0His head snapped around. \u2018The mute<\/i> made this?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018So she claims.\u2019 I reached for a plate and piled it high with food. \u2018Let\u2019s go give this to Hooyo<\/i>.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>

Mum was munching on the food as I related what I\u2019d seen.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Idris is supping with Jesus?\u2019 she repeated around a mouthful of chicken.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Yes,\u2019 I confirmed.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Well, it\u2019s his last supper with the lunatic,\u2019 she said. \u2018Tell that boy to never be alone with that man ever again. We still don\u2019t know what he wants from us or what he\u2019s capable of.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Xirsi licked his lips and stretched five fingers towards Mum\u2019s plate.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Tastes as well as it looks,\u2019 Mum said to him, as she shielded the plate from his grabbing fingers. \u2018She burns every single food she cooks in this house, and then, voila<\/i>, a meal worth a chef\u2019s kiss.\u2019 She eyed her plate with a mixture of appreciation and suspicion. \u2018They say poison enhances flavours, makes food taste so much better.\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Hooyo<\/i>,\u2019 Xirsi said, alarmed, \u2018what if it is<\/i> poisoned?\u2019<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u2018Go vomit,\u2019 I urged her, leaning forward to snatch the plate from her.<\/p>

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Mum clung to her plate. \u2018Don\u2019t be dramatic!\u2019 she said. \u2018She can\u2019t have poisoned it. The girl isn\u2019t capable of such things. But it is strange.\u2019 She was about to say more when a huge yawn interrupted her. She handed the half-full plate to Xirsi with an encouraging nod and said, \u2018Finish it quickly, dear, then return it to the kitchen and wash it. I\u2019m off to bed, and so should you. Safia, darling, go and drag your brother out of that basement and tell him it\u2019s lights out. Lock your bedroom doors tonight, you hear me? I don\u2019t like the idea of a lunatic roaming about freely so close to my children.\u2019 She sighed. \u2018He should never have been let inside.\u2019<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This mysterious short story in six parts will be published every Thursday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":7334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[333,332],"tags":[294,304,291],"class_list":["post-7379","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-creative-writing","category-literature-film","tag-creative-writing","tag-mystery","tag-short-story","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7379","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7379"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7379\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7384,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7379\/revisions\/7384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7379"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7379"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sum.malmostudenter.se\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7379"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}