The Red Pencil

Content Warning: Part 1, Chapters 33-79 contain mentions of animal cruelty, graphic violence, and death.

This section covers Chapter 33: “Possibilities,” Chapter 34: “Lines,” Chapter 35: “Agreeing,” Chapter 36: “Seeing the Same Sun,” Chapter 37: “Broken-Bottle Dolly,” Chapter 38: “Toy Battles,” Chapter 39: “Eyes,” Chapter 40: “Dots,” Chapter 41: “Walking, Walking, Water,” Chapter 42: “Family Pictures,” Chapter 43: “Eternity,” Chapter 44: “Melon Belly,” Chapter 45: “The Haboob,” Chapter 46: “Demon!”, Chapter 47: “Worry,” Chapter 48: “Dust Wall,” Chapter 49: “Bleat-Relief!”, Chapter 50: “Afterward,” Chapter 51: “Dando’s Confession,” Chapter 52: “Lizard,” and Chapter 53: “Apology.”

Dando and Amira play a game called “What Else Is Possible?” (62), in which they present scenarios to each other and ask about what possibilities they offer; the only rule is that the possibilities can only be good ones. It is a game about “looking at things in shiny ways” (63). Amira notices that ever since Muma told her about the Janjaweed, people’s eyes show they are uneasy and afraid—and she tries to ask why with her own eyes.

Amira continues to draw sand-pictures; she never knows how a drawing will go, letting her twig take over and decide for her.