the search

SHIPS APART

My life had suddenly changed for the better I might have still been captured , starved ,beaten and humiliated but I was able to smile through all of it. We were in the ship for I think years because we grew and yet our environment was constant ,the same rusty walls , that seemed to extend as time went on. People died one by one ,the weak ,the old and children. I might have been among them but Obi and Oluchi were my strength they taught me how to grow and become stronger ,they taught me how to live .

I was finally comfortable around everyone , Obi and I would climb the walls just to catch a glimpse of the sun through the small, transparent circles that were close to the roof,at the end of the walls .It  was always easier for him because of his height and strength and Oluchi was always envious of his ability to do almost everything . ''The next time you climb, I shall do it'' Oluchi would always say but never did as she said.

I had learnt a lot about my dear friends , Obi was most of the time silent unlike his sister , Oluchi was way!!!!! lazier  than Obi . She seemed to always want to stay in the same place though I highly did not think it was this hell we were living in . Oluchi talked more about their personal life than he did . She told me of  the way her uncle led all the people in their kingdom as they burnt their mother in the middle of palace in front of them and then sold them to the white men claiming that Obi was not fit for being the next king since his mother was a witch . They were sold when they were 7 and moved with the white men to the east where they learnt  our ways and languages , they lived and worked for  most of the wealthy chiefs and kings of our region until they were chosen for the travel to the unknown lands .

We were only 20 of us left for many had died because of the cold and more were becoming ill each day that passed even though it had become hotter , with the sun always shining so bright providing us with immense light and heat . Oluchi was always the one to assert our grievances though she was always beaten ,we were all beaten in the end because we would fight back especially when they did beat her . Being fewer in a small room had it's effect on us, we were more like family with so much love for each other .

'Our mother' Zakara was a somewhat old woman that was too strong for her age, if it was not for her wisdom ,you would think she was in her in her early thirties . She was so beautiful and kind always comforting us and telling us funny stories even Obi who rarely smiled would laugh out until his stomach begun hurting . '' Ihunde, where is your heart ?'' she always teased knowing I hated it when she called Obi that ,though after some time I had learnt to answer by pointing at my chest and this always made her smile . She was the oldest person and there were other three women that were younger and two men , the rest were all about my age and this meant more fun and noise while Nyana, Nshuti, and Karane the three older women tried to keep us silent in order to prevent strokes from the white men that always seemed to be on stand by ready for us to make even the slightest mistake.

We were awoken by our mother one day as she sung her heart  out with so much joy  only to notice that the ship had come to a stop . Oluchi jumped so high that she  reached half way the walls .  Obi climbed the walls immediately and then climbed down just as fast to confirm that we were still at sea though there was another ship in sight . No sooner had he said that than the white men entered dragging all the women including myself out of the room . I watched as Obi yelled and struggled to hold on to Oluchi and I , as Zahara was killed for resisting since she  kept on holding her son so tightly as sobbed . Everyone was in so much shock that we all first froze for some time though we were all pulled back to reality by the bazungu who never stopped dragging us out of our home.