She Was a Slave

Set Sail

When I awoke my back is sore and
I feel like my body is swaying from Side to side like I'm in the ocean.
I try to get up but my arm won't move my wrist arm chained down , and so are my ankles

I start to panic my eyes are open but I can't see anything.
I feel sacred I'm blind in the dark I can't move I have no way to protect myself so I lay there helplessly.
The memories come flooding back , my parents, my grandma and my village all gone.
"Where are we?" I ask softly
Someone next to me answers
"The captured use and put us on a boat they are taking us to a place called America where we are to be sold like cattle!"
I could hear the angry in her voice.

I want to cry but my body just doesn't have the strength to then I fall into unconsciousness where I have no dreams just darkness

   Every so often the white man with the red hair would come down to feed us I stop try to think of ways to escape I was chained down like an animal, Even if I did manage to escape where would I go, we were in the middle of the ocean, it's not like I could swim home.
I stayed put for what felt like months.
 

Start dream

Mama and I sit under tree that give us shade from the sun, I lay my head in her shoulder as she weaves together a basket for are hunting trip today
"Abeni I'm sorry...."
I look at hurry strangely, I gasp she was now chained up to the tree the lock around her neck was to tight.
I scream for help but no one seem to notice
"ILL GET YOU OUT MA ILL SAVE YOU"
I try to grip the chain but my hands slip thru it , it wasn't even there.
"I COULDN'T PROTECT YOUR FATHER!!"
End dream

The boat jerks to a stop and forces me awake I try to whip away the tears
My hands are still locked to the ground.
I can hear the men up to shouting orders and stomping around all in a hurry.
I lay in my own filth waiting for something to happen it reeks down here of piss, shit and dead children that they live down here to rot and for the rats to eat.
They don't ever clean use to we have no choice put to lay in it.
The door above us swing open and the moon shines in- such a glorious sight to see.
As I admire the sight of the moon that was denied to me for months I didn't notice the man with red hair and some other men dressed is strange clothes had come down the Stairs.
They were unlocking the chains.

"Get up you bleeding monkeys! We have to get you clean since you can't seem to do it yourself."

I was confused I didn't really understand what he was trying to convey to us but I felt it was an insult so as he was unhooking my from the floor I stood up and spoke " Ons verstaan ​​nie wat jy sê" (we do not understand what you're saying)
The man turned towards me be before I could register what happened i was on the ground my right cheek Stung in searing pain.

He backhanded me! I didn't say anything rude I just wanted to know what he was saying.
I held my cheek and look up at him in anger and confusion "hoekom!?" (Why)
He looks at me in disgust
"you best keep that Nigger mouth shut before I knock all ur teeth out" he walked a way Unlocking the rest of the kids from the floor leaving the dead ones down.
I was appalled he didn't even bat an eyelid as he steps over the dead like they are nothing.
When he finished unlocking us he pulls us  towards the doors.
I look to my left and see a small girl probably no more the 10 try to pull her head up but it was still locked down .
He had stepped over her probably assuming she was dead.

  I run over to her and try to rip the chains free but the are to strong "Sy is in die lewe te bevry haar!" (she is alive free her) I pull on the chains and shout "bevry haar te bevry haar asseblief!" (free her , free her please)
The white man pulled my chain to drag me out, but I was stubborn.
I hooked my arm around her and held on for dear life
I can't just leave her here to die and get eaten by rats.

I felt him stop pulling I thought he had understood and he would unlock her chains.
POP
blood , skull fragments and bits of brain fly in my face I see the round bullet enter head and her eyes go dark An ungodly sounds crawls out of me
"SHUT UP !! "
He grabs the chain that is connect all of us and drugs us outside to the deck.
I'm still crying a girl older the me gives me a cold look
"stil nou voor julle ons kry al vermoor!"
(quiet now before you get us all killed)
I shut my mouth immediately I didn't want anyone else to be killed.
He pulls us to a wagon and we climb in huddling close to each other for warmth.
The wagon move I take one last look at the moon and how it shines over the beach for it would be a long time before I saw it again.