The Black Girl Survives in This One: "The Screamers" by Daka Harmon

by Desiree S. Evans, Saraciea J. Fennell
Here are links to our lists in the anthology: Harvesters, Welcome Back To The Cosmos, Ghost Light, The Brides Of Devil’s Bayou, TMI, Black Pride, The Screamers, Queeniums For Greenium!, Inheritance, Black Girl Nature Group, Cemetery Dance Party, The Skittering Thing, The Black Strings, Local Color, Foxhunt
15 words 10 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. mumble
    talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice
    “Why did I choose the attic again?” I mumble to myself.
  2. permeate
    spread or diffuse through
    My nose scrunches at the old, musty smell that permeates the air.
  3. dingy
    thickly covered with ingrained dirt or soot
    I shove aside dingy lace curtains and tug open the window.
  4. foliage
    the collective amount of leaves of one or more plants
    The sky is a mix of purple and pink, while the woods behind our house are bursting with yellow, orange, and red foliage that shouts fall.
  5. wobble
    move sideways or in an unsteady way
    Corey’s picture wobbles on the edge.
  6. grimace
    contort the face to indicate a certain mental state
    I grimace when I touch something damp and sticky.
  7. eerie
    suggestive of the supernatural; mysterious
    There’s an eerie vibe here that makes my skin crawl.
  8. warily
    in a manner marked by keen caution and watchful prudence
    I speed up, warily glancing at our car parked in the driveway.
  9. ominous
    threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments
    “A little late to be out walking,” a woman says, her voice shrill and ominous.
  10. chide
    scold or reprimand severely or angrily
    “Uh… Just on my way home,” I respond hesitantly, even as I chide myself.
  11. devoid
    completely wanting or lacking
    That side of her head is devoid of hair, so I can clearly make out the deep, puckered scars.
  12. gory
    covered with blood
    They’re like thick, twisted vines woven in a gory pattern down her neck and shoulder.
  13. skid
    slide without control
    Buster surges forward, jerking me so violently I fall to my knees and skid across the ground before I lose my grip on the leash.
  14. plummet
    drop sharply
    My stomach plummets.
  15. trajectory
    the path followed by an object moving through space
    For a moment, it appears as if my aim is off the mark, then the axe’s trajectory shifts as if someone is guiding it.
Created on Tue Sep 09 07:28:03 EDT 2025 (updated Fri Sep 12 11:26:45 EDT 2025)

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