between his yellowing teeth.
Time seemed to stall as I took in everything the drunk man had said. I studied his face to see if this was some sort of prank.
“Flying potatoes over the ssseven ssseas, flying potatoes over the ssseven ssseas,” Guillermo sang, oblivious to everything else around him.
“Sorry I took so long.” Raúl interrupted my thoughts and grabbed Guillermo’s arm, putting it around his shoulder. Helooked back at me as he propped up his friend. “You’re a good kid. Thanks for watching him.”
Guillermo’s eyes had a glazed look, and he smiled at his friend. “You ffforgive me, right, Raúl?” he slurred.
“Of course, of course.” The two of them stumbled as Raúl tried to walk with the off-balance Guillermo.
Guillermo turned back to look at me and put a finger to his mouth. “Remember, shhh.”
SEVENTEEN
T he screeching of the train’s wheels announced our arrival back at Guernica’s station. The short trip from Bermeo hadn’t given me much time to decide what I should do, but I knew I had to do something. Even if the drunkard was talking nonsense, I couldn’t take the chance. People might die.
I had to find Mathias.
Pushing my way around a few people, I walked toward the train door, waiting for it to open.
“Really, neska ? Where is your head today?” Mamá pointed to the basket I’d left behind.
By the time I went back and got it, most of the people were off the train and Mamá was waiting for me outside on the platform.
“Took long enough,” she muttered, avoiding the crowd by going around the main building.
I waddled after her. “I’m sorry.” I readjusted my grip on the rim of the basket. “It’s heavier than usual.”
Mamá balanced her oversized basket perfectly on her head, the brass scale hanging off a loop on her belt. “Don’t complain, neska . More sardines mean more sales. More sales mean more food. What you need to do is carry it like I do.”
I nodded, but kept mine pressed against my stomach. I feared that carrying it the way Mamá and the other sardineras did would seal my fate as one of them forever.
“Now give me the weights for the scale.” She held out her hand, and I gave her the small brass pieces. “If you hurry up and drop off the basket at home, you’ll still be able to make it to your precious school before the afternoon session starts.”
“Sí, señora,” I said, moving as quickly as possible but still struggling with the basket.
Mamá pursed her lips. “Carry it that way and it’ll take you twice as long, neska .” She was already halfway down the street, carrying her own, heavier load with ease. “You decide what’s important.”
I sighed and lifted the basket on top of my head, balancing it with both hands. I was definitely able to walk a little faster. With every step, I repeated, “I am not Sardine Girl. I am not Sardine Girl.”
The day felt warm for mid-April, and the combination of the quick pace, heavy basket, and fear that someone might spot me made me feel even hotter. Sweat trickled down my back. I had to make it just two more blocks without being noticed, but that was getting harder as more people filled the streets. It was a little past noon, and I’d already decided toskip all my afternoon classes in order to find Mathias. We had to tell his father what I’d heard.
Then, when I was just a few steps away from my building, I heard those dreaded words.
“Hey, Sardine Girl! Over here!”
I spun around, causing the basket to wobble dangerously, and spotted the face I least wanted to see … Sabino.
EIGHTEEN
H e sprinted toward me. “My oh my.” He smirked. “Guess your school days are over, huh, Sardine Girl?”
“Get out of here, Sabino,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Ooh, it talks. All these years I thought you were mute.”
“You’re not worth the breath it takes to talk to you.” I balanced the basket with one hand and pulled out my house key.
From behind Sabino a woman in a
Time seemed to stall as I took in everything the drunk man had said. I studied his face to see if this was some sort of prank.
“Flying potatoes over the ssseven ssseas, flying potatoes over the ssseven ssseas,” Guillermo sang, oblivious to everything else around him.
“Sorry I took so long.” Raúl interrupted my thoughts and grabbed Guillermo’s arm, putting it around his shoulder. Helooked back at me as he propped up his friend. “You’re a good kid. Thanks for watching him.”
Guillermo’s eyes had a glazed look, and he smiled at his friend. “You ffforgive me, right, Raúl?” he slurred.
“Of course, of course.” The two of them stumbled as Raúl tried to walk with the off-balance Guillermo.
Guillermo turned back to look at me and put a finger to his mouth. “Remember, shhh.”
SEVENTEEN
T he screeching of the train’s wheels announced our arrival back at Guernica’s station. The short trip from Bermeo hadn’t given me much time to decide what I should do, but I knew I had to do something. Even if the drunkard was talking nonsense, I couldn’t take the chance. People might die.
I had to find Mathias.
Pushing my way around a few people, I walked toward the train door, waiting for it to open.
“Really, neska ? Where is your head today?” Mamá pointed to the basket I’d left behind.
By the time I went back and got it, most of the people were off the train and Mamá was waiting for me outside on the platform.
“Took long enough,” she muttered, avoiding the crowd by going around the main building.
I waddled after her. “I’m sorry.” I readjusted my grip on the rim of the basket. “It’s heavier than usual.”
Mamá balanced her oversized basket perfectly on her head, the brass scale hanging off a loop on her belt. “Don’t complain, neska . More sardines mean more sales. More sales mean more food. What you need to do is carry it like I do.”
I nodded, but kept mine pressed against my stomach. I feared that carrying it the way Mamá and the other sardineras did would seal my fate as one of them forever.
“Now give me the weights for the scale.” She held out her hand, and I gave her the small brass pieces. “If you hurry up and drop off the basket at home, you’ll still be able to make it to your precious school before the afternoon session starts.”
“Sí, señora,” I said, moving as quickly as possible but still struggling with the basket.
Mamá pursed her lips. “Carry it that way and it’ll take you twice as long, neska .” She was already halfway down the street, carrying her own, heavier load with ease. “You decide what’s important.”
I sighed and lifted the basket on top of my head, balancing it with both hands. I was definitely able to walk a little faster. With every step, I repeated, “I am not Sardine Girl. I am not Sardine Girl.”
The day felt warm for mid-April, and the combination of the quick pace, heavy basket, and fear that someone might spot me made me feel even hotter. Sweat trickled down my back. I had to make it just two more blocks without being noticed, but that was getting harder as more people filled the streets. It was a little past noon, and I’d already decided toskip all my afternoon classes in order to find Mathias. We had to tell his father what I’d heard.
Then, when I was just a few steps away from my building, I heard those dreaded words.
“Hey, Sardine Girl! Over here!”
I spun around, causing the basket to wobble dangerously, and spotted the face I least wanted to see … Sabino.
EIGHTEEN
H e sprinted toward me. “My oh my.” He smirked. “Guess your school days are over, huh, Sardine Girl?”
“Get out of here, Sabino,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Ooh, it talks. All these years I thought you were mute.”
“You’re not worth the breath it takes to talk to you.” I balanced the basket with one hand and pulled out my house key.
From behind Sabino a woman in a
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