The Baobab Tree

Sahara dust dulled the trees of Bamako, Mali.

Aza stood shaded, circled by children. Her hands wound rubber strips around wood. “Tuck the ends under here; watch how the rubber grips the wood. Look now, so you can make one.” She passed rubber through holes in a patch of goat hide. “Give me a pebble, Kojo.” She leaned back, stretched rubber, sighted through the slingshot.

The stone whistled, leaves twitched, dust puffed in sunlight. A dead bird struck the ground.

“We wont be hungry, Aza.”

Aza aimed again and rubber snapped; a yellow bird tumbled past branches.

“No, not tonight.”

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

two amazing pictures of the titanic Baobab..

http://www.championtrees.org/champions/baobab.htm

http://www.earthteam.net/green_news/issues/images/july06/Baobab_Tree_AlliCooper.jpg

Reviews

[Kadie Tee]

Baoooobab. Baaaaoooobaaab.

I'm going to be walking around saying this to random people all day.

Nice little poof of a picture, like the small poof of dust that rises as the dead bird hits the ground.

It's not such a poof though, because it's strong and has an air of elegance and you know, I can't think of the word now... not "superiority," but something like that.

Help me out here, Tim.

Uhhh... anyway, it's a strong description that speaks volumes for a culture of people and gives them that air of... there's that word again. What is it? Haha.

Great work. :)

[Hedra Helix]

love these shorts;) you do them exceptionally. demon and lunch are equally strong. Dude I love baobabs. I wanted to move to madagascar once just to have them in my yard.