Little Bee (The Other Hand) Chapter 11 Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • The final chapter is narrated by Little Bee. The police arrive five minutes after she calls them. As they begin to question her, she hears the policeman's radio say, "THE CHILD HAS BEEN FOUND" (11.8).
  • When she gives her name as Little Bee, the police become suspicious and she is arrested and taken to a holding cell.
  • Sarah visits her that night in jail and Little Bee confesses to Sarah that she was there with Andrew the day of his death.
  • Three days later, Little Bee is driven to the airport and put on a plane back to Nigeria, accompanied by a guard. She's very scared.
  • While waiting for the plane to take off, Little Bee hears someone say her name. It's Sarah.
  • She and Charlie are going with her to Nigeria. Sarah believes that if she stays with Little Bee, she can protect her somehow.
  • In Nigeria, the police decide not to arrest Little Bee, Sarah, or Charlie, but guards are posted up outside their hotel room at all times.
  • Sarah wants Little Bee to help her collects stories from other survivors like her, to help bring the story to the public, and perhaps save Little Bee's life. Little Bee agrees.
  • Sarah gives the guards money every day and the guards let them walk around while it's light out.
  • One night, Little Bee dreams of her sister. The next day, she tells Sarah, "<em>Please</em>, […] <em>we have to go to the sea. I must say good-bye to my sister</em>" (11.165).
  • So Sarah gives the guards extra money and the three of them drive out to the beach in Benin City. At the beach, Charlie is having lots of fun playing with the other kids, wearing, of course, his Batman costume.
  • While Little Bee is relaxing in the sun, Sarah alerts her – some soldiers have arrived. She tells Little Bee to run on, so she can blend in with the other black women on the beach.
  • Little Bee goes down the beach to a rocky point and watches from a distance as a soldier pulls his gun on Sarah. Suddenly, Charlie starts running, and Little Bee sprints toward him.
  • Little Bee and Charlie meet, and Charlie runs into her arms.
  • She is afraid he'll get too hot, and she tells him he should take off his Batman costume.
  • Finally, she reveals her name to him. It's Udo, which means "peace."
  • The soldiers are walking toward them. Charlie takes off his Batman costume, and runs off, playing with the other children.
  • Little Bee feels a soldier's hand on her shoulder, but she doesn't look up at him. She keeps her eyes on Charlie, happy, playing in the water with the other children, and then she laughs, and keeps on laughing until the sound of her laughter is louder than the sound of the sea.