Letter For An Ex

CHAPTER SIX (Too Lucky)

The Emperor wanted to buy ten slaves, he ordered two of his servants to pick out ten most healthy people amongst us. We all sat on the floor as the servants walked in our midst looking for their master's choice. "Hey you", the Emperor screamed pointing at me, I was terrified and couldn't say a word until one of his servants lashed me with a whip, "Get up!! lazy thing", the servant said and I stood quickly in pains. The Emperor screamed again, but this time it was to his servant "Let the young man be, I want him to be among my slaves", he said. "But sir, he is too old to be your slave compared to all the young bloods here", one of our captains complained to the Emperor who replied in anger, "Young man I've not come here to bargain with anybody nor let anyone decide for me."
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I and nine others were selected to journey with the Emperor, we counted ourselves as the fortunate ones among others, but I was way too lucky. We journeyed on sea for over 90 days, all we did on ship was to steam water and serve the Emperor's food everyday. But the cold on see was so severe that seven slaves among the ten of us died, I'm still wondering how I managed to survive that overwhelming cold that claimed lives. We finally arrived at the borders of California, we were conveyed in a truck from the border to the Emperor's textile industry in Phoenix.
I served as one of the weavers in the industry and the Emperor liked me, he said that I was a very hardworking person and promised to award me one day, but all I wanted was freedom to return back to Africa. I just wanted to behold you again in my arms but it seemed like liberty was'nt meant for me, the Emperor admitted that he would never set me free cuz he wasn't ready to loose me. I became his special servant and was transferred to serve in his house as a housekeeper, I met another man who had served as a cook for years and we became close friends. He introduced himself as Mtumbe from South Africa, "I was detained as a prisoner for a crime I knew not in my hometown, even my family turned against me and there was nothing I could do until I was sold as a slave to serve the Emperor for Thirty years, this is just my fourth year and I'm not even sure if I would make it to the seventh year because my bones are getting weak and weaker everyday. You are a lucky person bro, the Emperor loves you as part of his family but the only thing is that, you shouldn't expect freedom any sooner cuz he will not easily let you go just like that. My advice for you is that you should keep serving diligently cuz I had all the opportunity to poison the Emperor's food but I wouldn't, he is our master remember", these were Mtumbe's words every time before he passed on. His words kept me going until one day, the Emperor called me.