Bill and Lewis huddled in the back of the cart. Several other men, women and children were in the same state, some crying, some praying, and some looking completely hopeless. Bill couldn't put his arms around his brother due to the ropes around his wrists, but they did stick close to each other. Lewis leaned on Bill as he whispered soothing words to him. Eventually, Lewis fell asleep.
Bill stared off into space, thinking. What now?
The wagon they were in seemed to hit every bump in the road, jostling Lewis awake every once in awhile. Then Bill would have to whisper soothing words again in hope that he would fall asleep, forgetting the situation they were in. And, yes, Bill cried. He let the tears slip down his face as Lewis slept. He would never admit to it ,of course.
He hadn't noticed that he had dozed off to sleep until something was shoved into his hands. He looked down at the bread in his hands. Lewis jolted awake and glanced down at the bread in his own hands. The brothers decided to take a chance and eat it. No use wasting good bread to
suspicion. It wasn't like the traders were going to poison them.
Soon, the wagon stopped again. This time, the traders had reached a village. They dragged their captives out and chained them together, making a long line of slaves. Bill and Lewis were in the back. Lewis held on tight to his brother's shirt. He felt like crying again, but no tears would come. He was dried out.
The slaves had to walk like this all the way through town. If any of them tripped or slowed down, the slave traders would crack their whips at their feet. Sometimes that would cause them to trip and fall, which brought more whipping.
At last, they made it to a sort of marketplace. People were gathering around a stage. There was a man who looked well dress yelling to the people asking how much they'd pay for the ragged woman in chains on the stage. She was crying. The rest of the slaves were on the side of the stage. After the slave was bought, the next one was brought up.
Lewis was whipped in the feet to keep moving. He stumbled forward and soon they were all moving again. Lewis limped slightly, along with the other slaves who had gotten whipped.
After the slave train had finally made it to the end of the line, they were being hacked off the chains, one after another, and being sold. Lewis clutched Bill's shirt as if it was a lifeline. Bill whispered back to Lewis that it would be alright, but he didn't even believe the words himself.
The lady in front of Bill was taken off the chains connecting her to Bill and Lewis and was easily sold. The slave trader turned to Bill who was free from the other slaves and grabbed Lewis the best he could. The younger boy was shaking in fear of being separated from his brother. "You'll have to sell us together," Bill said, trying to sound demanding.
The slave trader barked out a harsh laugh. "Fat chance," he said. He grabbed Bill and yanked him away from Lewis, who immediately started crying. His worst fear had come true. "Bill!" He shouted.
Bill swallowed, unable to do anything. "I'll find you, Louie!" He called. "I promise!"
He was dragged onto the stage and sold by a harsh looking man. The slave trader shoved him into the crowd and the man grabbed Bill painfully by the arm, pulling him farther away from his brother. Bill tried to look over his shoulder to see if he could find out who bought Lewis, but that earned him a blow to the head. "Listen up, boy!" The harsh man yelled in Bill's ear. "You'll do exactly as I say, when I say it! That means listening to me and answering with 'Yes Sir'."
"Yes Sir," Bill mumbled. The man struck him again. He smelled like liquor. "Louder!"
"Yes Sir!" Bill called. The man nodded. This man's name was Harvat Micho. He was known all around town for working slaves so harshly, they usually didn't last more than a year.
Still on stage, Lewis watched as Bill was hit twice by a harsh man. Tears slipped down his cheeks as he was sold to a gentle looking woman. She took the chain and led Lewis to her home. "My name is Marsha," the woman said. "There's nothing to be afraid of." Marsha Younger was known for treating younger slaves almost like her own children, and only scolded them when she had to. Being nice to slaves was frowned upon, but Marsha believe that everyone was equal and she used slaves to show people that.
Bill and Lewis were soon walking to opposite sides from town, Bill to likely death and Lewis to slave luxury.
~theshipper101~
Yay!! Update!!
There was just this one part that I could not think of a transition for!
Sorry for the long wait!
Hope y'all like this!
