Une Fille Beau (The Beautiful Girl)

*This story takes place in Cap Haitien, Haiti.  As a third world country, Haiti holds
hundreds of orphans, left by parents unable to feed even their own mouths.  There
is little economic structure in this country and the only jobs available are scarce and
temporary.  This is a story of a beautiful girl, an unquenchable hope, and an
unexpected flight.*

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         Where the clear Atlantic waters meet the turgid island soils of Haiti, she found her
home.  Among the inlets and capes, she stood alone, wanting, wishing for more.  Her
home was surrounded by fishermen who found their only shelter under cardboard scraps
and their only food in the vast waters that met their eyes each morning.  She remembered
wishing, “If only my home could provide such shelter and sustenance, I would feel free.”
On some days, by using the skills she had acquired, she could afford a fish or two.  Left
here years ago as a little girl, her survival had come deep from within, a place she had
found, the only home she now held.  With no mother, no father, ...no one, her survival
was given to chance.  Although she spent many days motherless, fatherless, Espere`
managed to shine her bright white smile to all the people in Cap Haitien.  Even when
planes flew overhead, there seemed to be an intrinsic amazement and wonder about their
flight, and she would smile as she pondered them.  There, in the sparkling waters was a
hope she could not ignore.  She could recall times of warmth and play.  These were
far-off snapshots, retrieved only from distant pages of her memory.  For four years,
visions were all she had to comfort her.  The cloudiness that would often fill her mind
would bring thoughts, hopes, and visions of the future.  Most of the visions she
experienced had to do with the future, with things not yet seen with the eyes but felt in the
heart.  Visions of white winged birds would often fill her head and help her spirit fly as
she stood all alone, an orphan to the world.  She found her identity like the tide, strong
and present at times, but distantly visible at others.  She resembled her mother because of
her deep brown eyes, her tawny complexion, and her stable, rounded shoulders.  Her
mother was known for her searching disposition, never satisfied with the life she found
herself living.  Trapped, yet still breathing.  Despite her strength, she struggled to
overcome the clutches of her husband’s claws.  Her father, a man of lost dignity, could
not find enough reason to keep their child.  He could barely feed himself and his wife,
how could he feed this growing child?  So, on a dry and early morning, they left their
eight year old child, their Espere` (hope), in the shallow waters of Cap Haitien.
        Along the same northern coast where Espere` had been abandoned so many years
ago, stood a Fort called Liberte` (freedom).  Here at this fort lived a prominent family
who had a daughter and an adopted son.  Their daughter, Louisa, was fifteen years old.
She had a long, thin figure just as her mother and light brown eyes that you could almost
see through.  Their son, a former orphan, was named Liberte` for the freedom that he now
had with such a prominent family who had always welcomed him as their own.  His
figure had improved over the years after the adoption and he now looked as fit as any
thirteen year old boy.  He had long, dark hair that was plated on top of his head and deep
brown eyes that reflected anything in their sight.  This family had gained its riches from
their French lineage that stemmed from hundreds of years ago.  The mother and father
always believed that their daughter and son would move to the capital city of Port au
Prince, but the son never saw this future they so often dreamed of.  He felt a strong tie to
the northern coast, to Fort Liberte.  He enjoyed walking along the coastline, meeting new
places and faces that often gave him a sense of home.
        The sun set on a day that seemed, to Espere`, rather finite though she didn’t know
why.  As the sun began descending this evening, she carried through with her normal
routine of walking along the coastline, looking for shelter to stay the night.  Most of the
fishermen knew who she was after so many years, and so one would usually offer an extra
blanket or piece of cardboard flap for the night.  Settling in on this twilight, as she tucked
herself in and nestled into the only semi-corner she could find, she witnessed something
divine hit the night sky.  She felt as if it had been hers to see, for she did not hear anyone
around her echo the yell of excitement that she managed to hold inside her heart’s thick
walls.  Throughout the night, half awake, she dreamt about that star with a golden tail that
blazed a trail right through her consciousness.  She wondered and pondered its meaning,
as she felt something she hadn’t in so long...hope.
        The next day she was stirred, almost routinely, by the fishermen gathering their
scraps of net and string for the morning’s catch.  Now, there are not many watches in
Haiti and the only way to live is to wake by the sun’s light and to settle with it at the end
of the day.  The man who had been so generous to her the night before rose, rubbed his
eyes and, as habit, reached for his fishing supplies.  It seemed so natural, there never
seemed to be any doubt to his mind that there were fish to catch.  Espere` admired this
dedication, this trusting, ceaseless action the fishermen displayed.
        Today was Monday, market day.  She decided to hurry into town to enjoy the
excitement and colors she knew would be present there.  The market place is crowded
and carries its own personality.  No matter if you find your home in the local cape, or in
distant towns and villages, you will get pushed around in the midst of the market-going
crowd.  There were baskets and beans, animals and chairs, odds and ends being sold in a
pattern that seemed to resemble a gigantic patchwork quilt.  Above all the hustle and
bustle of this place, she could see a fort that held its station on the side of a mountain by
the coast.  She swore she had never seen it before and wondered about it as she pushed
through the crowd.  “It’s so strong and stable,” she thought as she noticed its fortresses,
and then got distracted and placed her eyes on the back of the woman in front of her.  She
was quite tired and so decided to find a place, any place to sit down and rest.  Finding a
small, worn chair she sat down ready to watch the colors and excitement that would pass
that very spot. Unexpectedly, a woman in a red straw hat that sheltered her from the sun’s
intense rays, stooped low to stare into her eyes.
        “Bon jour,” she said.  Espere` was so taken by the bright red color of her hat and
its sheltering comfort that she almost didn’t hear the words meant to greet her.  Madame
Lucia` had spotted Espere` from the far reaches of the market, nestled in her resting place.
Lucia` often visited the market, keeping her eyes peeled for lost children for whom she
loved to care.  Today Espere`’s chance had come.  Lucia`, a compassionate soul, offered
Espere` a place to stay, a home.
        Lucia` lived up on the side of a hill which overlooked Cap Haitien’s waters.
There in this humble abode, she would find rest.  Each night was filled with dreams,
beautiful dreams that comforted her soul and whispered deep truths to her in familiar
voices.  She dreamed of places she had never seen before and sometimes she experienced
the world in the body of animals.  Wet in the water, high in the air, deep in the forests
were some ways she spent her nights’ dreams.  After the most vivid dreams, Espere`
would wake and sit for a long time trying to recall the images created throughout the
previous night.  Lucia` would often sit and listen to Espere`’s descriptions of these
magnificent, lucid dream lands.
        After school one day, Espere` returned home to the hill.  She loved coming home
to this place that was given to her so generously by Lucia`.  She knew she had a place to
call her own.  There was a sense of comfort but something was still missing.  There was a
longing deep in her heart, a desire to find more, and an understanding that she soon
would.  As Espere` entered her room, she found a white paper crane on her window sill.
It was small enough to fit in her hand and looked as if it could fly, as if it had just perched
there while it rested for an enormous future flight.  The rarity of this find baffled her but
did not stop her from enjoying its beauty.  This bird brought her excitement and she
decided that she could not stay inside much longer.  She placed this new treasure in her
pocket and descended down the hill which now held her home and walked on the beach,
tracing the water’s movement on the turgid land.  Sitting by the water’s edge, Espere` met
a strange yet familiar face.  Farther down the beach she could see a young boy walking
along the water’s edge just as she had.  As he approached closer, Espere` rose up to her
feet and peered in his direction, trying to catch his eyes.  She had been watching him for
quite some time and hoped he would turn and look her way.  Just as she thought he would
walk past her, he turned an abrupt step toward her figure.  “Bon viet”, he spoke softly to
her face.  “Bon viet”, she replied.  They exchanged names and she decided that she loved
his name, it was Liberte`.  Espere` thought he looked to be around her own age, maybe a
little older even.  With all of her might, she could not keep from bursting the scene with
her bright white smile.  He returned the gesture, almost immediately and then they
laughed together.  With her eyes, she motioned for him to have a seat next to the spot she
had chosen.  They talked and shared stories of their days along the coastline and at the
market place.  As the sun began to descend, they both rose to leave.  They said their
goodbyes, exchanged one more smile, and walked back home.  Espere` headed up the
nearby hill, but, as far as she could see the boy continued to walk into the black darkness
down the coast.
        The next morning, Espere` woke, ready for another day.  She felt new and strong
and like herself more than ever before.  Before heading off to school she stuffed her paper
crane treasure into the pocket of her dress.  After another long day at school, she returned
to the water’s edge hoping to find Liberte` once again.  The sun continued on its path
across the sky and brought no sign of him.  This night was filled with special dreams,
dreams that seemed to foretell events of her life.  The only things that she could
remember from her dream were a bright light and a clasped hand.  She pondered these
things as she sat on the beach after another long day at school.  Along the water’s edge,
she could see Liberte` and her heart leapt inside of her!  “I knew it, I knew it, I just knew
we would meet once again,” she thought.  He picked up his walking pace as soon as he
recognized her and once again took a seat right next to her on the sand.  They shared
more adventures and told of their dreams for the future that often seemed unrealistic and
unattainable, almost silly.  They seemed to connect the most when they spoke of the
loneliness they sometimes felt, for they both had no mother or father.  As the sun
descended once again, Espere` rose to her feet, said her goodbyes, and started for her hike
home.  Liberte` remained on the sand to gather his thoughts before returning home.  He
realized that there was something beside him on the sand.  “It’s a paper crane,” he
thought, filled with confusion and disbelief.  Memories of his home from years ago filled
his head.  He remembered a red straw hat, an unquenchable hope, and a paper crane.  He
picked up the paper crane and carried it in his pocket all the way home to the fort on the
distant hill.  He returned home and rummaged through a box that held some of his
belongings.  Every item seemed to speak of the past, of previous temporary homes, of
memories buried.  He finally found what he was searching for, and yes, it was the same
crane!  Folded the same way and everything!  “Wow,” he thought, “Espere` s home must
be my old home!”  He wondered how to share all of this with her but decided he could
wait until the next evening on the beach.  They met once again, in the same spot.  Espere`
was surprised to find Liberte` waiting for her at their spot on the sand.  With gleaming
eyes and a pounding heart, Liberte` placed his clasped hand in hers.  He motioned for her
to look, and she did.  Inside, she saw two white paper cranes worn to a tawny color.  As
they stood side by side with the sand between their toes, they smiled so big that their
bright smiles shone an enormous light into the bleak darkness of twilight.  There, on the
northern coast of Haiti, two orphans found the true home they had always dreamt of and
they called it pure love.  They now held hope, freedom, and joy for the days ahead.