Read Online A Thread Unbroken by Kay Bratt - Free Book Online Page A

pressing her ear to it.
    She heard a hushed voice. “
Kai men!
”
    “
Bu keyi.
I can’t. It’s locked.”
    “I unlocked it, but I do not want to enter uninvited.”
    Chai turned around and looked at Josi, her eyebrows raised. She pushed open the door and one of the brothers walked in. He stood framed in the doorway against the moonlight, only his profile visible, his hands in his pockets.
    “What do you want? You’re going to get us in trouble!” Chai looked around at Josi, who sat huddled in the corner, the blanket pulled up to her chin.
    “I’m sorry my older brother was rude. The fruit peddler came by in his boat, and Baba bought a bushel. I want to give you some.” He took his hands out of his pockets, holding a piece of fruit in each.
    “
Huo long guo!
” Chai came forward and took the dragon fruit from his hands, then threw one to Josi.
    “
Xie xie
,” Josi murmured, putting her fruit under the blanket.
    “Does your mother know you’re here?” Chai narrowed her eyes at the boy.
    “No.”
    “Hmm. Okay. You want to sit down?”
    The boy squatted down, and Chai sat across from him. Josi stayed in the corner, watching from behind the protection of the blanket.
    “I’m glad you don’t smell all fishy now, or I wouldn’t let you stay.”
    The boy laughed. “You
are
a feisty one, just like Mama said. I took a bath. I hate the smell of fish on my skin and in my hair, unlike my brother, who thinks it makes him more of a man.”
    “So, what’s your name? How old are you?” Chai began to peel her fruit, stacking the peelings in a neat pile in front of her.
    “I’m Tao, and I’m fourteen. How old are you?” He looked at Chai and then toward Josi in the corner.
    “We’re thirteen years old, almost fourteen.”
    “Do you go to school?”
    “We’re on summer break, but yes, we go to school.”
    “Baba won’t allow you to go to school here.” He sat all the way down on the floor, making himself more comfortable.
    “If we’re going to stay here—which I have no plans of doing—we
must
go to school.”
    “Nope, there are other girls like you here, and they don’t go to school. They stay and take care of the houses and the children.”
    “But how will we learn? How will I get to read?” Even knowing she had no plans to stay, the thought that until she escaped she would not get to read filled her with anxiety.
    “You can read?”
    “Yes, I can read! And I told you, I’m almost fourteen! Josi can, too, though she doesn’t like it as much as I do.” Chai put her fruit down in front of her and sighed.
    “I’m not a good reader. I only go to school two days a week; the other days, I help my father bring in the load from the nets. But I can get you a book.”
    “You can? When? What book?” Chai sat up straight; he had gotten her attention with that statement. If she could get books, she would be able to read to Josi and help pass the time. “I have some in my room. I’ll bring one tomorrow night, after Mother goes to sleep. You can hide it.”
    Chai smiled and picked up her fruit again. She remembered what her father had told her when he had given her a new book recently. “A book holds a house of gold.” He was right, because Chai was happiest when her nose was buried in a good story.
    “What about her? Is there something I can bring her?” Tao pointed at Josi.
    “Josi? Is there something you want?”
    Josi shook her head side to side.
    “Can’t she talk?”
    “Of course she can talk, dummy. She’s just shy—as you can imagine, your family paid for someone to
steal
us! Then we were thrown in this hole and had to sit in the dark, and Josi’s afraid of the dark. It’s a miracle either one of us can talk at this point.”
    “Calm down. Be quiet before someone hears us. I’m sorry. I didn’t ask them to bring any girls.”
    “Well, which one of you is the one looking for a wife?” Chai narrowed her eyes at the boy.
    “Not me! It’s Bo.” He held his arms out in front of