Ninth Ward

As it becomes light outside, Lanesha brings cooked chicken to Mama Ya-Ya’s bedroom. She is happy that they survived and thinks Mama Ya-Ya is proud of her for keeping them safe, but she is still concerned about Mama Ya-Ya, who has no appetite. She tells Lanesha that she is old and winding down, and that it is good to see how strong and smart Lanesha is. TaShon arrives; he was separated from his parents at the Superdome, where thousands of people weathered the storm overnight. Bathroom supplies ran out almost immediately, and a piece of the roof blew off, terrifying everyone who sought shelter there. He walked home after the storm, thinking his parents might have returned to see their house’s condition. On the way, a white woman stopped and gave him a ride. TaShon cries from the stress of the night and then happily eats chicken. TaShon asks to stay until his parents get there, and Lanesha tells him he can. Privately, Lanesha thinks she and TaShon will have to go to the Superdome to find them because TaShon’s mother probably won’t leave if there is a chance her son is still there.

Lanesha sees that Mama Ya-Ya and her mother’s ghost sit together on Mama Ya-Ya’s bed now, holding hands and smiling. Mama Ya-Ya tells Lanesha that they have been praying and “decided we’re going to help you get birthed […] becoming grown in a different way” (157). Lanesha is irritated because this makes no sense to her, but she is too tired to argue. Mama Ya-Ya tells Lanesha she will need to move them up to the attic. While Mama Ya-Ya and TaShon sleep, Lanesha takes the boards off the bedroom window. The sky is blue, but the mess in the street is terrible and makes her feel “uneasy.”

Lanesha begins to move supplies to the attic. She sees her mother’s ghost on the attic stairs and feels proud that she is there watching her. Lanesha moves food, water, books, bedding, candles, and the flashlight to the attic. She goes to the shed for the axe with a vague idea that they might end up trapped, and while she is in the shed, water begins to fill the yard. Lanesha is shocked at how quickly the flood waters fill the house; Mama Ya-Ya is not at all surprised and reminds Lanesha that the point of the story of Noah was not the flood itself but God’s love, which he showed to Noah through hope and survival. Mama Ya-Ya convinces Lanesha that she has time to rest, so Lanesha lies on the bed and sleeps.

When Spot’s barking awakens her, Lanesha sees black, foul floodwater is halfway up the stairs to the second floor. She hustles everyone to the attic. It is a struggle to pull Mama Ya-Ya up the steep attic stairs, but she does it with TaShon’s help. The water smells like the Mississippi. TaShon panics because he cannot swim, but Lanesha calms him and they settle for the night. The night is miserably hot and the attic feels airless. When TaShon has to urinate, Lanesha gives him a cup and goes to the stairs to provide some privacy. She sees that the water is now filling the second floor. She tries to stay awake, but TaShon tells her she can rest. Lanesha curls up near Mama Ya-Ya and realizes her breathing is shallow. She tells Mama Ya-Ya that they are safely in the attic and that they will be fine. Mama Ya-Ya passes away. Lanesha knows she is no longer breathing and covers her with a blanket. She touches a necklace Mama Ya-Ya gave her and feels a lifetime of the woman’s love.

A while later, Lanesha goes to the stairs, knowing the water is still rising. She realizes she can use math to determine how fast the water is rising by timing it in small increments. After doing this, she knows they have about two hours until the floodwaters reach the attic.