Then, Koa: Koa gets proof of Ella's abuse
And decides the abuse won't happen again
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WILD GIRL
Chapter 18:
Then, Koa
Two days after she butchered the pig, Koa rode Star to Ella’s house, her backpack heavy with smoked meat carefully wrapped in ti leaves. According to her handmade calendar, Manny would be gone for work again; he left for three days at a time with two days home in between.
Star flung up her head and snorted; she’d been doing that since she came at Koa’s call. She didn’t like the smell of the pork.
Koa patted her neck. “It’s okay, girl. You should have smelled it when I was butchering the pig. Now that was some stink.”
Star probably wouldn’t have come, then, anyway. The mare was free; she could do what she liked.
As Star clopped along the dirt road toward the tidy little cottage, Koa fingered her mother’s red plastic ID card, her fingers dampened with sweat. She slid the card back into the pocket of her shorts, barely noticing the hairy warmth of the horse’s flanks against her legs.
Why was she so nervous? Ella would help her find out more about Mama using the computer. Finding out more didn’t mean she had to do anything about it.
Star pulled up at the end of Ella’s driveway. Koa exhaled in relief that Manny’s truck was gone. She gave the mare a guava in thanks and patted her flank; the horse wandered off.
Koa walked through the garage, admiring Manny’s tools. He kept them lined neatly along the interior wall of the lean-to garage, hung on nails and pegs above a long workbench with a sink at the end. Koa envied the whole set-up; she could make anything she wanted with what he had sitting right there.
“Ella?” Koa frowned. She stepped up to the screen door leading into the kitchen. It was unusual for Ella not to come out to greet her. Koa tried the handle and found it open. “Ella,” she called.
No answer.
Something was wrong.
Koa took off the backpack and set it on the counter as her heart picked up speed. Dread prickled the skin on her back. She padded rapidly down the hall to Ella’s room.
The door was closed.
Her friend always kept it open a bit for circulation—and to listen for Manny.
“Ella?” Koa knocked gently even as her heart hammered: was this going to be the day she found Ella dead? “Are you awake?”
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