Free No Pain Like This Body by Harold Sonny Ladoo

inches above the water, because the roots were well buried under the water; the plants did not lean too much in any direction. She made a straight row along the bank; went a little way with it; then she turned around and made another row. The faggot planted about three rows. Then she took another one, and planted chooks chooks chooks again.
    Sunaree and Panday planted too. Sunaree and Panday knew about rice planting, but Sunaree did most of the work. Panday spent his time looking for red crabs in the water. Panday didn’t want to kill the crabs; he felt sorry for crabs; he was only trying to get them out of Sunaree’s way; he didn’t
    want her to kill them by mistake. It was very hard to see the crabs in the water; it was too muddy. Panday just ran his hands in the water; whenever he found a crab, he caught it and threw it out of the way. He had to be careful because the red crabs had sharp gundies.
    Sunaree planted slow, but she planted good. Once or twice she tried to move fast, but the plants didn’t stand upright, because the roots were not placed in the ground firmly; they were uprooted by the wind.
    Pa went under the doodoose mango tree. He sat down and ate mangoes all the time. He ate just like a pig; the yellow juice rolled down his face and fell on his chest, and hundreds of flies licked his lips; but he didn’t care.
    And Ma stood up and said, “Come and help me plant some rice!”
    â€œKiss me ass!” Pa said.
    â€œBut I have to go and see Balraj and Rama in dat haspital.” “Just shut dat mout I say!”
    Ma was helpless and afraid. She wasn’t a coward or any­thing; she was brave, but brave only as a woman is brave. Like
    the time last year when Balraj went to steal oranges in Sancho Estate, he carried Rama with him. The rain was falling and falling and falling, yet Balraj carried Rama with him. There was thunder and lightning and the sky was dark; Balraj carried the empty ricebag on his shoulder, and Rama walked behind him.
    The orange tree was tall. Many lianas were choking the tree to death. Balraj climbed up, picked the oranges and threw them
    to the ground for Rama. Rama collected the oranges and threw them inside the ricebag. But Rama started to bawl, bawl as if something was biting him. Balraj climbed down the tree, because he thought that a snake was biting Rama. Rama was bawling and rolling on the ground but nothing was wrong with him. Balraj grew afraid. He left Rama inside the estate alone. He ran home through the rain and told Ma that a spirit was holding Rama under the orange tree. Ma ran into the estate and found Rama rolling under the orange tree. He told her that there was an evil spirit upon him; the spirit was biting and choking him all the time. Rama was fighting her, but Ma was strong. And when she brought him home he was still bawl­ing; bawling because the spirit had followed him into the house. Ma fought with him all night. In the morning he was better, because Ma had the strength to drive the spirit away.
    â€œCome and help me plant de rice,” Ma said.
    â€œWhy?” Pa asked, still sitting.
    â€œBecause I want to go in dat haspital and see Balraj and Rama. I is dey modder.”
    â€œNow you shut you modderass and plant dat rice!”
    Pa stood up. He stood up as a tall juniper stump. His belly was full of the mangoes he ate, so he had the strength to watch Ma. Ma was hungry, so she couldn’t quarrel too much. She just loosed another faggot and went on planting the rice.
    Sunaree was planting good, but not good enough. Her rows were not in one straight line; she was trying her best to make a straight line, but she couldn’t. When Pa shouted at Ma, Sunaree looked for Panday. He was still trying his best to rescue the reddish crabs.
    â€œPanday come and help me plant de rice!”
    â€œI not helpin you plant no rice!”
    â€œPanday Pa goin to beat you,” Sunaree warned.
    Panday knew that Pa was a snake.