𝑀𝑦 𝐷𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑀𝑎𝑑𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠

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I could no longer feel anything.

My body wouldn't listen to my head, my nerves... they were gone. I wasn't myself anymore. No longer beaten or bruised.

I had died.

My scars, nothing but a memory. My life, less than that.

I remember how easy it was for them to pick me, for all of those white me to take an interest in me. How much Momma wanted to fight, and yet... she couldn't. How Daddy just watched them drag me away, covering my sister's eyes so she couldn't see. How my sister still peeked, horror written all over her pretty little face.

I hated who I was, how I was born.

All it took was one of the owners' nosey little white kids to see me getting dressed. They told. Let the family know that I was born different. I wasn't no slave, I was the damn devil in disguise. A girl with male parts. I was an abomination.

Momma always said to be careful, that no matter what happens I will always be her babygirl. Daddy made sure I wore my dresses, tied my hair up, worked with the women despite being born different than them.

I guess it just wasn't enough.

They stripped me down.

They let down my hair.

They had their way.

Maybe if I was strong enough, I wouldn't have had this fate.

I was weak, but not for long.

They hung me, left me rotting for days until some of the slaves had taken me down. My body was taken off of the plantation and brought to a woman just outside of jurisdiction.

I still remember what was said the night I was brought back.

"What happened to this youngin'? She ain't no olda than ten and seven years.." the woman spoke over my head, raking her strong, grown out nails through my hair.

"Ha pops wanted ha body cremated. Said it was a sad sight to see, po' thang ain't stood much of a chance 'gainst the chancellor's boys. Somethin' 'bout ha bein' a boy ha self." A man replied.

The woman hummed. She spoke more with him before sending him off. Her humming never stopped, her presence... I had started to feel.