sleep, but Gael seemed to have other plans.
"Where are we going?" I asked for the umpteenth time.
"You'll see." His eyes twinkled mischievously. I smiled, pretending to be excited, and commented on the beauty of the town. Truth was, I didn't feel excited in the least. I actually feared secrets because they made me feel like I was opening Pandora's box. I appreciated Gael's efforts and I knew he meant well, but as much as I tried, I felt so disconnected from him. Since the airport, my mind seemed preoccupied and distant, and I couldn’t help myself.
The vehicle raced through the busy streets, past crowds of people gathered in front of dilapidated taverns. Eventually, the vehicle took another right turn onto unpaved terrain, leaving the city behind.
Looking out of the window, I saw people, dressed in barely more than rags, their faces worn out and tired. The houses we passed by were huts made of what looked like cardboard boxes. In front of them, children played and laughed the way only children can. My throat tightened as I watched all these people struggling with poverty, mothers holding their babies in their arms in sanitary conditions not fit for a newborn, children with no future. A sense of hopelessness crept over me. The children reminded me of my own childhood far away from the luxury of Western civilization. Life had been hard for my family, but we made the most of it. We appreciated the simple things: our family, our friends, and that we had so much to be thankful for. I remembered how we used to snuggle together under a thin sheet when the Russian winter covered the vast lands in a white blanket that could freeze a grown man to death within a few hours. And every spring we were grateful to have survived.
The driver stopped to ask for directions and motioned a kid to come closer. The child obeyed and approached us, unaware of the danger that might be lurking in a stranger's vehicle. At the boy's sight, barely older than ten with dark curls and torn shorts, something broke inside me. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye, hoping Gael wouldn't notice, and reached into my purse for money.
"What are you doing?" Gael hissed.
I ignored him as I rolled down the window and handed the kid a few banknotes, watching his eyes widen for a moment before his hand clasped around the money. He said something, which I interpreted as a thank you.
Gael grabbed my arm tightly that it hurt a little, forcing me to face him. "What's wrong with you? Don't do that ever again. You can't just walk in here and advertise how rich you are, unless you don't mind a bullet through your head."
I pulled my arm away, irritated, anger rising inside me. He was right, of course, and yet deep in my heart I couldn't care less. Gael knew nothing about poverty, but I had experienced it first hand, so he could just shut up.
The car sped off again.
"Look, I'm sorry," Gael whispered in my ear. It's all about your safety. I couldn't live with myself if something happened to you."
"I'm old enough to know what I should or shouldn't do."
He nodded, and a glint appeared again in his eyes, flickering like a candle flame and disappearing a second later. We drove in silence for another five minutes, up what looked like a tiny hill with wilted grass and garbage to either side. The car stopped again, this time in front of a hut larger than the ones we had passed. Even though there were other houses around, the area looked less crowded with front yards and tiny fences barely reaching my knees. A stray chicken jumped on top of the front car hood, not minding us as we got out. I could hear pigs squealing and a horse neighing, and figured this must be some sort of ranch.
My sandals sank into a hard layer of dirt as I looked around. In spite of all the dust and the garbage lining the street, the yard looked clean with a stony path leading to a cottage with whitewashed walls and dried herbs hanging from the windowsills. Colorful ribbons hanging from the branches of a thin tree swayed in a soft breeze. Gael grabbed my hand and pulled me behind him as he whispered, "Come on."
I followed even though uneasiness settled in the pit of my stomach, making me gasp for air. As