ONE Shark Toofs My friend Kabungo lives in a cave on Main Street It’s right by the post office One day I banged on the side of the cave with a rock Caves don’t have doors unfortunately A pair of eyes sparkled in the dark Which said a deep voice Kabungo has a surprisingly deep voice for a ten-year-old girl It’s just me I said Beverly Ohhh kay said my friend waving her hand In Even after I took off my sunglasses it was still black in the cave Kabungo is used to it She can see in the dark like a tiger
I asked her to switch the lights on Kabungo knew what I meant There was a crumpling sound then a thump and then presto a flame appeared in the fire pit Kabungo doesn’t have electricity She doesn’t have a lot of things She has a table though I don’t think she uses it She has some cutlery I brought her I know she doesn’t use that She has a black-and-white TV I guess it’s for decoration How Belly she said Kabungo has always called me Belly I don’t think she has enough teeth to say Beverly Fine K I said Sometimes I call her K for short How about you Mmm She scratched her head Itchy Have you been using your flea powder I bought her some a while back Nnnn said Kabungo shaking her head Not tasty I would have told her that flea powder wasn’t for eating but I never tell anyone anything more than a hundred times It’s my personal rule As usual there were cobwebs in every corner and dust bunnies running wild I don’t care for dust or spiders but Kabungo doesn’t seem to mind
There was something different about the cave that day I couldn’t quite put my finger on it until I put my hand on it I leaned on the table and felt something sharp It was a string with a bunch of pointy white things threaded onto it A little hammer lay next to it too and a nail What are you making I asked Juleree Kabungo pointed to my bead necklace Like Belly I took a closer look at the white things They looked like teeth K What are these Shark toofs she whispered seriously Shhh Secret toofs You mean teeth I said Without grammar words are worthless My English teacher Ms Beaux-Beaux is always saying that Ya ya Teefs I gave up So where did you get them I asked holding one up to the fire Jo’s Ocean she said even more seriously Shh I had zero idea what she meant Star City where we live
is nowhere near the ocean And I didn’t know anyone named Jo I cotch toofs shh In Jo’s Ocean Belly help cotch I was about to say No way but then I thought it might be a good idea to find out where she was getting these teeth I consider it my personal mission to keep Kabungo out of prison So I told her Okay Let’s go As I turned away Kabungo grabbed my sleeve Nnn she said Wait Sungo Sungo means night to Kabungo And sunup means day I’ve tried teaching her the proper terms but she just doesn’t remember So I told her I’d be back at sungo Promise Belly she said looking worried Kabungo has trouble trusting people Promise I said Kabungo smiled As I waved goodbye I reminded myself to buy her another toothbrush The sun sets pretty late in Star City It was nine o’clock when I reached the cave Ready Belly said Kabungo stepping out of the shadows
