Looking out into the sea of eyes, Amara felt self-conscious. She was on the platform looking down at her bare feet. Stripped of her dignity and pride, naked to the lust of the many men before her. Her hands moved on instinct to hide her body but were swatted away by the man who was auctioning her. Tears ran down her face. Her prized possession was being showcased in the most demeaning way. Her mind was all over the place; she wanted her home and her husband. As the hands probed and inspected, one question was present in her mind.
Why was this happening to her?
Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought this could happen to her. She stood there paralysed, thinking on her final moments with her husband. On the night of her marriage before it was consummated, several men from the neighbouring tribe took them away. Like sacrificial lambs, she and her people were taken away from their home to start a new life in the West Indies. This life where blacks had no rights and their identities were erased.
She wished her husband was still with her. He had gotten sold to Thomas Stevens. At a time like this when she was about to break for all the world to see, he would wrap his arms around her and whisper in her ears, "shh, its okay now. Don't let them see you cry, my baby." He would pet her head. She clothed herself in her memories. This was where she found solace.
"Sold to Eddie Smith for $150." The words jerked her back to reality. When the payment was made she looked at Eddie. She remained silent, making sure not to offend her new master lest she receives the same treatment Safiyah got. Safiyah was a young woman she met on the ship. Safiyah had tried to resist her new master taking her away. Now she had a back eye. Safiyah's master would make any girl flee. At 6ft 5inches, with a scar covering half his face, John was a walking terror machine. His breath reeked of alcohol and people seemed to always stay out of his way.
Amara thanked heaven that her master looked nothing like John. Eddie was Kingston's heartthrob billionaire.
YOU ARE READING
Manumission of the Heart
Historical FictionThey say the night of marriage is one of the happiest days of a woman's life but this was not so for Amara. Instead, it turned out to be a nightmare where she and her husband were taken from their homes.
