The Dragons, the Giant, the Women: A Memoir

The Moores walk with Satta until sundown toward Vonzuan, a town north of Junde. Wayetu examines Satta. She notices her stunted cornrows and the “godlike […] certainty of her steps” (239). She nods hello to other rebels and makes small talk with them during their trek. Some of the male rebels eyeball her with desire. Wayetu wonders if Satta ever met Hawa Undu and “tried to talk him out of this war” (240). If she did, she wonders if Hawa Undu looked at her the way the male rebels just had. Wayetu starts to feel tired and cries, but Gus prods her to continue. To motivate her, he has Wi repeat a prayer that reminds her of the Lord being their strength and refuge. Wi repeats it several times. Finally, Wayetu stops crying.

By afternoon, Satta and the Moores make it to Vonzuan. They see two huge tanks and rebel cars. Rebel boys crowd around the vehicles, laughing and being profane. Satta talks to them. As she walks away, the boys whistle at her. She tells Gus that the bus is leaving in ten minutes. Gus is concerned about taking a rebel bus, but Satta tells him that it’s the only way out. To cross the border, they must go with rebel transport. Gus becomes terrified. Satta assures him that he and the girls will remain safe.

Ten minutes later, a vandalized bus pulls up. A few women around Satta’s age are onboard. Wayetu turns around to see who else is on the bus, but Gus pinches her, reminding her always to look forward, never back. The bus starts on its route. Satta sits across the aisle with another girl, while the boys talk loudly and profanely in the back of the bus.

The bus slows down a short while later, and the family and rebels exit the bus. Satta leads them toward a large checkpoint 50 yards away. The rebel army is interviewing those who want to go into Sierra Leone. Those questioned are either allowed to pass or apprehended for questioning or killing. Satta instructs Gus. She says that he must walk close to the front of the line. Satta will talk to the rebels and tell them that he’s with her. He must then show the rebels his identification to get his travel pass. He asks Satta to take the girls to Mam in case anything happens. Satta assures him that she will.

Before they arrive at the front of the line, Gus lines the girls up side-by-side and kisses them. He reminds them how much he loves them. He then goes to meet the rebels at the checkpoint, with no sign of the worry he showed moments earlier. The girls hide behind him. The rebel guard tells him to get the children from behind him. He then demands Gus’s identification and birth certificates for the girls. The rebel asks why he is going to Sierra Leone. He coldly eyes Gus, who answers that he’s arrived to meet his wife in Bo Waterside. The rebel then asks what Gus’s profession is in Liberia. Gus says that he’s a teacher, but the rebel looks skeptical. Nevertheless, he gives Gus a travel pass and nods toward Satta. They then pass with her across the border into Sierra Leone.

Satta directs them to the house where Mam is staying and says that she’s leaving now that her job is done. Gus wants Satta to continue on with them, but he knows he won’t be able to convince her to do so. Wi asks if they’re going to see Mam. He assures her that they are. They open the front door to the house that Satta pointed out and, indeed, Mam is there, “sitting in a chair against the wall” (247). She shrieks when she sees Gus and her daughters. She then tells them how she prayed for them and about all that happened to her in the US.