The Trail to Love and Loss

Daya

I gasped at the sight of all the armed men invading my village; they stomped about yelling and shooting their guns. I watched as a young woman was pulled screaming from her home and her husband was shot in front of her for refusing to surrender. I turned Athalia away to run, but a soldier saw me and shouted to his partners. I urged Athalia into a gallop back to my asi. I burst into the kitchen and yelled at the top of my lungs, "The white soldiers are here!" Aluli looked up from her corn and glared at me.

"Daya. You shouldn't kid like that. Now, go take care of Athalia." she turned back to her corn shucking, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

At that moment, our door burst open and white soldiers flooded into the asi. Aluli dropped her corn and E do da started shouting. I clutched Mary close to my chest. The white soldiers began yelling at us to move out of the asi. E do da refused and they grabbed him and dragged him outside. Aluli screamed and I started crying. I was horrified. I scurried into a corner, cowering like a small child in the face of a beating. Rough hands grabbed me and hauled me to my feet. I snatched my bag from the floor before being shoved forward, my bare feet protesting against the dirt floor.

Aluli and I were hustled outside. Mary hung limply in my arms. A soldier threw Aluli onto his horse and galloped off. I screamed for her, seeing the terror in her eyes. She screamed back, pummeling the soldier riding with her under a barrage of glancing punches and kicks.

Another soldier seized my arm and carelessly flung me sideways onto Athalia. I fought to right myself, hoisting my body into a sitting position and swinging my leg over her back. I clung to her mane and sobbed loudly. My body shook from the jarring sobs and from fear.

Athalia was lassoed and a lead rope was tied to another soldier's horse. Soldiers busied themselves by tying more ropes around her head to keep her from running away or biting anyone. Athalia panicked, not being used to being restrained.

Suddenly, I thought of Grandmother and Asim. What had become of them? Were they hurt? A soldier told me to be silent and he swung into the saddle of his horse. He then led Athalia and me back into the village. I searched for E do da. He was nowhere to be seen.