Diary of a Slave

Diary of a Slave (4)

Okay, here is the fourth part in the story. I just had to edit the original, it wasn't exciting enough. So...enjoy:

All the white people rushed into the yard and started grabbing people. I later learnt that this was called the Scramble. Indeed it was an appropriate name. It was incredibly noisy, crowded and emotional. There was confusion everywhere. Most people didn't understand what was happening. People got separated from their families and friends and little kids were crying loudly. Despite me being only a child then, I understood most things and I knew what was happening but I could do nothing to prevent it.

Danladi, Danuwa and I were situated quite near the back of the yard so we knew we would be amongst the last to go. Danuwa had predicted that Danladi would be the first to go since he was a sturdy looking boy, then me before her because she was skinnier than I am. Just shows she would have had a great figure had she not been starved. We said our goodbyes and I sighed, thinking I would never see them again and the only reminder left of home would be destroyed. Little did I know I was wrong. Or at least half wrong. I looked out and I saw the whites had finally made their way to the back. Which meant we were going to go soon. The twins hugged, just in time too, because Danladi was 'grabbed' almost immediately after that. Danuwa started crying silently and I tried to comfort her but then I was 'grabbed' too. I waved at her until the crowds smothered my view of her.

I took a look at my 'grabber'. It was a middle-aged white woman with a jolly face and black hair tied up in a bun. She doesn't look too bad, I thought. In her other hand, she held the hand of another black girl who looked about the same age as me. Her eyes were red like she'd been crying. I assumed she had just lost her family. She saw me looking curiously at her and she smiled tentatively at me. I sent a comforting smile back to her. We boarded a cart with a few other children. Since on my ship we had been the only children, I guessed that another ship had sailed in around the same time as us and they had sold us all together. Suddenly, I heard my name being called. I turned around and saw Danladi was boarding the same cart. I felt so relieved that there should be someone I knew that I got up and threw my arms around him.

A bald man grabbed hold of us and pushed us roughly apart. He said something in his language to the woman. I managed to catch the words 'slave', 'he' and 'her'. I guessed he was probably telling her to keep us apart. I caught Danladi's eye and smiled sadly at him. "Sorry," I mouthed. He nodded. The girl who was beside me asked me, "Who's that?"

"That's my friend Danladi," I answered. "By luck, we managed to get bought by the same person."

She sighed. "I was separated from my family. Now I'll never see them again."

I said a silent prayer to God, for keeping me safe and with a friend, someone I knew. I hoped my sister was okay. My mom, Danuwa, my dad, everyone I ever knew, would I ever see them again? Curse Kunle, curse Parasite, for ruining every chance I ever had of having a happy family forever. I suddenly felt a hot tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it quickly, but not before the girl beside me gave me look of concern. "No, no I'm fine," I assured her.

I dashed a quick look at Danladi but he was deep in conversation with the boy beside him so I let myself sigh silently. Good, I thought. He didn't see me cry.

The cart was very noisy because all the children had followed our example. The bald man, who I nicknamed Egghead, yelled at us to keep quiet. We couldn't understand him but his yell silenced us at once. I devoted the rest of my time to looking at the scenery. All I could see was acres and acres of farmland. I assumed we were going to be brought to one. I assumed correctly. We arrived at the plantation after some time. The girls were brought into the farmhouse but the boys were brought onto the plantation. I waved goodbye to Danladi. I didn't see him for the rest of the day. In fact, though I didn't know it at the time, I wouldn't see him for the rest of the month.

As we were walking to the farmhouse, I heard a bloodcurdling scream. I turned just in time to see a boy, who must have been only seven or eight, being beaten brutally by a giant of a man. According to a girl who had witnessed what had happened, he was being beaten because he had stopped for a rest. I stared at the boy and his teary eyes held my gaze. He looked utterly exhausted, and his eyes were of a person who had given up hope of living. I asked myself, what sort of place is this, where they take away your will to live?

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