Helen Oyeyemi - The Icarus Girl

Wuraola. .

Jess moved forwards, slowly, feeling as if she was wading through treacle, or honey, maybe, thick and clouded. She was going to get TillyTilly, and Tilly was big, and strong, and more than just a little girl whose twin had died. Tilly was the sun, and the storm cloud that blotted it out. But there was a sister-girl now, one who could now call herself Wuraola where true names were asked for. Jess charged onwards, stamping on leaves both brittle and wet, feeling them crack in her spine, but smiling ferociously, smiling transfigured, overstepping big, gnarled tree roots and not falling down, oh, not now.

It was TillyTilly who had been calling her, thinking that she could win again, but when Jess faced the girl who was at once too tall and too short, blotting out the trees, her long arms reaching out hungrily, her thick black hair flying out in all directions, she wasn’t afraid. And because Jess wasn’t afraid, Tilly was. The glue in the air dried and cracked.

“Don’t, Jessy, please,” TillyTilly pleaded in a scream that rang in Jess’s ears, but Jess ran at her with the wind, an invisible current of fast-moving air behind her, taking her feet nearly off the slippery ground (she didn’t hear the silent sister-girl telling her that it wasn’t the right way, not the right way at all)

and

hopped,

skipped,

jumped

into Tilly’s unyielding flesh as she clawed at Jess’s presence

(it hurt them both burningly)

back into

Jessamy Harrison woke up and up and up and up.

Gentle hunter

his tail plays on the ground

while he crushes the skull.

Beautiful death

who puts on a spotted robe

when he goes to his victim.

Playful killer

whose loving embrace

splits the antelope’s heart.

DAH (DAVlD GIBBONS) because this novel wouldn’t have happened, none of it, if it wasn’t for you.

FIFI (RAFIF AL-RUHAIMI), my first girlina-fan, partly because you missed your stop on the Tube whilst reading a story of mine (how cool!), and partly because you charmed/bullied me into writing more.

KITTY (CATHERINE UMEH), that Ibo girl, and LEE-LEE (LIDIA DE FREITAS) of the CVMS Paperclip Klan — you’ve both been amazingly encouraging, and because you put up with my bitter tirades against everyone who dared to be having a life whilst I wrote The Icarus Girl .

JON-O-FUN (JONATHAN JAMES) for the same, and also ’cause you’re, like, a total dude. Plus. . you joined in my rants against peanut butter.

JENNY WILLIAMS because you’re kind to everyone, including me, when they need it most.

ROBIN WADE for your friendship, and also because you’re a wicked literary agent.

ALEXANDRA PRINGLE because I’m so glad my first novel was edited by someone who is sensitive to what I’m trying to say. Also, you are so much fun! (Hey, thanks for taking me to that educational reading, Alexandra. .)

LORNA OWEN and ANTONIA TILL, that fierce Helen-critic (haha), who both engaged so startlingly with Jess’s world.