You’re through!

She was not through, not yet. But maybe—who knew?—maybe this time the path would be clear.

A CLEAR PATH BY SARAH MAY HÉNON 34THPARALLEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 12

Jorani departed from Cambodia shortly after losing her brother to unexploded ordnance.

Under the piercing sun, they had wandered towards the group of palm trees, giant leaves providing some protection from tanning. Jorani was particular about keeping her skin white. She envied the rich girls who spent all day in the aircon of an office in the capital, applying whitening moisturizer with their manicured fingers. Squatting in the shade, Jorani pensively sipped fresh juice from a coconut, played around with a stick, poking her lazy brother, so lazy he refused to go fetch his own coconut. Before he could finish protesting, the unexploded ordnance had exploded, and blood coated the palm tree, mixed in the sand, her brother’s flesh on hers, her heart emptied, her smile broken.

She lost two fingers, the baby and ring fingers of her left hand…