Next to Mum, Grand was my favorite person in the whole wide world—and lucky for me, I was her favorite too. She was the one who gave my brother, Freddie, his sheep, and from the moment he got it, he made up his mind that this sheep was not just an animal. It was his pet for life.

That Saturday in October started like any other day. Freddie took the sheep across the street to graze, then came back to play with us. We were children, so nothing about it seemed strange. Some children had rabbits, turtles, or dogs. We had our sheep, and that was just how it was.

About an hour later, the sky began to change, and our mothers started calling from their windows. One by one, they sent us off to do what we had to do before the rain came. Freddie was told to bring the sheep back across the street. Henry had to take a coconut to his uncle. I had to run to the backyard and pick up the clothes from the line. It was all so ordinary that none of us could have imagined how quickly everything was about to change.

Suddenly, there was a loud screech, then screaming and shouting from the street. I dropped the clothes and ran, but before I could get far, Mum stopped me and sent me back inside. I did not understand what was happening. All I could hear were the grown-ups outside, crying out, “He dragged him! He didn’t stop!” 

Some memories never leave us. They follow us, teach us, and become part of the story we carry. If you would like to continue the journey with me, I invite you to read Blink Once, Blink Twice, Silence.