TE20 Migrant Mosaics

Disappearing

Martha dashes to the wall and starts scratching its surface

EDGAR : martha stop

MAX : martha’s desire to leave first came to light on a rainy day in august when she was twelve a white lada pulled up in front of their house all the kids on their street surrounded the car from which martha’s uncle aunt and cousin

from germany stepped out the uncle opened the trunk

full of chewing-gum wrapped in silver foil packets of cigarettes marked with a red dot coffee and chocolate everyone could take what they wanted from the trunk after a while martha forgot about her aunt’s polka-dot dress that she liked so much she also forgot that later on behind the house her cousin let her have a few drags of his fag and then taught her to kiss until her lips turned blue from that entire day martha only remembered the scent of the people from germany they smelled like fresh soap she came across that same smell whenever 85