The Scent of Mangoes by carbonlily
You walk with a slight limp, your patched up clothes clinging to your body with an unnerving sheet of perspiration. The sun shines down on you, cruelly, relentlessly, basking you in a fiery glow of summer heat in all its glory; as beads of sweat run down your face and a headache threatens to kill you - still, you walk with that sorry, slight limp of yours. Eyes squinting and pained.
The tempting and strong aroma of fresh mangoes mixed with the humid sea air hits you as an air-conditioned black Corolla whizzes by, whipping a jet of hot air into your face that carries the scent over to you from the other side of the road. Your hands instinctively slip into your pocket where a single pitiful ripped bill rests. Still, you decide to try.
Your conscience tells you this is wrong. Your conscience tells you that you need to look for a job. There are children to be fed. You agree. But it's a motorcycle then, that races past, and the smell hits you again. All other thoughts evaporate in the sun.
You start across the road, holding the almost-dry dampened handkerchief close to your forehead. Then there's another car; a Honda this time, and your head spins fast. This is the end. But no. You've made it to the other side. Just in time, too.
The torn bill shakes in your hand as you hold it out to the street vendor, a haggard, agitated-looking man waving off flies from his stock who scowls at you and shakes his head at the money. You turn to pleading with him, which incites a protest on the part of your dignity, but it doesn't matter. You haven't eaten in three days.
The hawker pushes you away. It's not a dangerous action, but you're vulnerable right now. You collapse on the other side of the sidewalk. No one notices.
You think you can see a black figure walking over to you. It's an angel, you think, or maybe the devil, but it doesn't matter. You don't care.
The tropical smell of fresh mangoes swims in the humid summer air the day your eyes closed forever.
***
YOU ARE READING
Summer Shorts - Anthology
Short StoryThe sun is shining, the days are getting longer and the nights warmer; it can only mean one thing, summer is here. And what's a better time to get your shorts on? But if you're not quite ready to show off your legs just yet, how about you read summe...
