dewashed.

I .

They swam in silence. She had no words to contextualize her feelings. melrose was angry. She was used to anger. She hadn't grown up with it but it became necessary the more she understood about the world. Anger was an excellent motivator. It did not necessarily beget violence or destruction, but it did crave action. The more melrose learned about her people, her country, her past, and her present, the angrier she became. At first, it felt embarrassing to be angry. To be the face of the angry black woman for those who didn't understand and didn't care to. To confirm the stereotype in their eyes. But she learned it wasn't about them. It never was. She was taught to let them think what they will. Her energy was better used channeling that anger into positive movement. Using it as fuel for desired change.

When melrose got angry, she read. Kwame Nkrumah, Octavia Butler, Frantz Fanon, bell hooks, James Baldwin, Angela Davis, and so many others. She refused to let her anger be wasted. Not when those who came before her had sacrificed so much.

The anger was familiar. But there was something new. Anxiety? Anticipation? Reading, though important, was very different from actual revolutionary action. And melrose was headed right towards it for the first time. She looked at the group around her. They were some ten thousand strong. The full force of the group was five times that size, but the rest would stay for now so their leaving would not cause too much commotion back home. It was still so surreal to see the Omolokun, let alone set off to war with them. Her drowned cousins. Generations of survivors no one could have ever anticipated. melrose could scarcely believe it herself.

melrose emerged from the water, appreciating the feeling of the sun on her body once again. They had arrived at the shore just as the sun was rising behind them. She gasped when she looked at her cousins. On dry land, their skin was the darkest of browns, almost black. It had a chromatic sheen to it like oil, clearly the softest, most lustrous skin ever seen. Only a select few rose from the waters, as not to draw unwanted attention. They were waiting for melrose. The Omolokun looked to her for guidance as most of them had never been to the surface before.

"Most of our people are concentrated in population centers— cities. Especially in the south, but we're all over the country. Since we in the northeast, we start with Philadelphia, Newark, Chicago, Cleveland, Baltimore, Detroit, and DC. If we focus there, the message should spread quickly. Afterwards, we gotta hit the south. We go to Charlotte, Atlanta, New Orleans, Jacksonville, Birmingham, Memphis, St. Louis? Next, the southwest. Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Vegas, LA, the Bay Area. Ion know the notable areas of the Northwest but again, gonna be the cities. So, Seattle? Hopefully the movement's gained enough traction by that point anyway. Our people are ready to fight. We're just disorganized and disempowered. Our job is to change that." Koso nodded at her.

"Thank you, cousin. Omolokun. This is what we've been working towards. The liberation of our land family. There are millions who survived that journey cut short for us. And for hundreds of years, they survived just as we have. But enslaved. It is time we do our part to help free them. The oppressor easily has us outnumbered a thousand to one, if not more. But we have the element of surprise, and mother nature on our side."

They began making their way towards Philly. For a long while, they encountered no resistance in their journey. Koso said this was because the Earth was working with them. "This is why we stick to the wood." he said. As they drew closer to the city, that became more difficult to do. There were less trees, but it was now dark out. On the road, this was beneficial. But with the city came lights. melrose noticed the light reflecting off of the Omolokun like they were made of galaxies. At the edge of the city, they waited with baited breath. The leaders were about to give the signal to advance when melrose halted them.

"We run out there like that, they gon kill us. We need a plan."

"We cannot give them any time to prepare." Niyi responded. "We hit them hard and we hit them fast. Organize our people, and quickly take control of the city while it sleeps. Once word spreads, we call the rest of the resistance, hopefully the rest of the Omolokun come..."

"Ain't gonna work. When they realize what's happened, they droppin' bombs." she replied.

"On their own citizens?"

"They've literally done it for less. In this exact city, mind you."

Everyone was silent.

"We need to be smart. Hit every city at once. Infiltrate, then join with the locals and let them lead. Be supportive, supplementary."

"You named over a dozen places. We don't have enough people."

"We do for the cities here in the northeast. Once the resistance is strong enough, we move to the south."

"Won't the south be at a disadvantage?"

"What if they catch on to the plan and start rounding them up?"

These were valid questions.

"Fine. I say, we just gotta get to every city then. We'll be spread thin, but again, we only supplyin' the tools and the communication. At the end of the day, the people gotta stand up. And they will."

"Okay. That's roughly four to five hundred in each city. It'll have to do."

melrose was assigned the Philadelphia position, as she knew the area and her family was close by. She would have to see them soon. She wasn't sure how long she had been underwater. The plan was to have the Omolokun divide into small groups, anywhere from one to a dozen, enter the cities, and connect with the oppressed peoples there. When all were in position, they would release the people from the jails and prisons. They would destroy the police stations. They would lock down the cities and prepare for the larger battle to come. Most if not all of the preparation had to be done discreetly and carefully. Not to mention some of the Omolokun had several thousand miles to travel to reach their destinations. It was decided they would all have exactly a year to be ready.