 Penguin Random House Audio presents The Scent of Burnt Flowers, by Blitz Bazaoule Red for you, by Dion Graham, for Jai, a boy bibikawa, neifru, and tumim. Akhan Praverb If an animal will bite you, it will be from your cloth, part one, chapter one. Akra, 1966. Bernadette awoke to the sound of a loud blast, and thought Melvin had shot himself. She had feared this day would come, yet nothing could prepare for it. The flickering light that illuminated the small hotel room blinded her as she slid off the bed, trembling. She could feel her heart pounding through the silk nightgown she had hurriedly packed the night they fled Philadelphia for Akra, a city she had only read about in the newspapers. The story was about a young boxer who won a gold medal at the 1964 Olympic Games, Akra. She had said out loud, finding the name fascinating. She never imagined that she would be a fugitive in that same city just two years later. The sound of gunfire piercing the air jolted Bernadette once more. The hotel balcony door swung open, sending in a rush of light. Melvin leaned in and smiled. It's just fireworks, babe. Happy New Year. She sighed, deeply relieved. The sky burst into a thousand shimmering colors, silhouetting Melvin's towering frame. Even then, she could still see his bright piercing eyes, gazing ardently at her. Bernadette wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and sobbed quietly. It'll all work out, babe. I promise. Melvin whispered. This wasn't the first time Bernadette had heard those words, but tonight she believed in it. Maybe it was the cacophonous crowds celebrating the New Year or the ephemeral fireflies floating through the night sky. She truly believed it would all work out. Melvin poured Bernadette a glass of water and sat on the hotel balcony watching the fishermen stagger in a drunken stupor. A crackling bonfire brightened the canoe sails that billowed at the mercy of the wind, casting an ominous shadow on the beach. Occasionally, a young couple or two would stroll hand in hand toward the crashing waves, avoiding the large groups of women clad in all white, who had congregated for a New Year's prayer meeting. Amid the pulsating atmosphere, a somber, high-life tune seeped out of a nearby transistor radio, captivating Melvin and Bernadette. Melvin held his hand out to her, a small assurance. They swayed and each other's Sample complete. Ready to continue?