Page 82 of Twice
“Why?”
“Missionary work.”
“You teach my people God?”
“My parents.”
“You should teach them money. That what we need. Money now. God later.”
“OK.”
“You have money?”
“Not really, no.”
A fly buzzed between us. He swatted it away.
“My name is Alfie.”
“Juma.”
I offered my hand, which he looked at, then shook weakly.
“You want elephant?”
“I’d like to see Lallu, yes. I used to play with her.”
He rolled the toothpick in his teeth.
“You want to buy her?”
“Buy Lallu?”
“You have money?”
“I can’t buy an elephant.”
He made a snick sound with his mouth. “Elephant worth a lot.”
“To who?”
He stared for a moment, then gave up on the conversation. He nodded to his left, and I followed him past a large shed and rows of cassava and mango trees. Surrounding them were makeshift wooden fences, and on every post was a yellow box full of bees, designed to keep elephants away.
Juma slapped his shoe in the dirt and kicked at some stones. We walked for a few more minutes until I heard the sound of snapping branches. And suddenly, there she was—Lallu, standing beside a large tamarind tree.
There are no words for when an elephant first comes into your view. Only that your eyes widen and your heartbeat accelerates. Lallu’s ears were longer than I remembered, and her massive back more hollow. But it was her.
I instinctively froze in place. Elephants have an incredible sense of smell, so I knew she’d already picked up my scent. And I knew to let her react before I did. Her ears moved slightly. She took a few plodding steps forward.
Juma watched curiously. Soon, Lallu was just a few feet away. She lifted her trunk and uncurled it into my chest. It should have frightened me, but it didn’t. Knowing I could time jump if things got dangerous helped. But honestly, it felt sofamiliar. Lallu ran her trunk along my head then behind my shoulders. She seemed to be nudging me toward her. I eased in and she made a soft noise. Juma laughed.
“She remember you, man.”
“You think so?”
“Listen. She telling you.”
I felt myself smiling broadly, flushed with a nostalgic joy that came rushing back like a kid running to greet a parent at the airport. I edged closer into Lallu’s massive legs, and she wrapped her trunk under my arms.
