Chapter 12 - Page 166 - Village Goes To Work

He remembered her swollen stomach and the sores on her face. He broke down. Tears forced their way under his eyelids and his body felt suddenly weak. When he spoke again, his voice was shaky. “I don’t ever want another person to die of hunger because I was too selfish to share what I have with them.”

   Rhasha stood up put her arms around him. They held each other tight for a moment, then released their hold on each other and Jim stuck his hand in his trouser pocket. Rhasha put her arm through the crook of his arm. Jim decided this was a good stopping point. “I want to thank everyone for your attention,” he said.

   No one said a word as Jim and Rhasha left the dining hall. Neither one of them had eaten their oatmeal. They walked to the middle of the street, where Rhasha stopped Jim. They faced each other, and from the corner of his eye, Jim saw all the people in the dining hall standing at the windows, watching his and Rhasha’s every move. Rhasha put her arms around Jim’s neck and Jim slipped his arms around her waist. They didn’t kiss. They just stood in the middle of the road and gazed into each other’s eyes. Finally Rhasha pulled Jim tight against her body and Jim tightened his embrace. They held their foreheads together. A light breeze ruffled their hair. Jim thought only of Rhasha, and wished this moment would never pass.

   The dining hall windows were open. After a few minutes Jim heard giggling. Their audience began clapping and cheering. Voices yelled, “Kiss her, Jim.” Others were telling Rhasha to kiss Jim.

   They both turned their heads so they were cheek to cheek and smiled at the people inside the dining hall. The people inside the dining hall cheered even louder as Jim and Rhasha kissed passionately.