Memories of hardship and struggle.
I see a child being born.
I see fields and those that work it.
I see brutal men and evil smiles.
I see chains.
I see water.
I see rebirth!
I draw my hand back and stand.
“Let’s go. We’re leaving.”
“Go? Where?”
“Anywhere but here. Somewhere nice. But you have to want it.”
The chains rattle as she stands. As she pulls I can hear the slight creaking of the weak links. The darkness is subsiding and being drawn into her. Even her skin is changing from the deep black to a softer brown. Her knees buckle and she is falling, but I catch her and gently set her down.
I pull the key from my pocket and open the door, then I lift her up into my arms and kick over my lantern as we leave the dingy room.
This walk back is much lighter than the one I took to get here.
When I reach the bottom of the stairs, the Mother is there waiting.
“Is it dead?”
“She is not.”
“Then why have you-”
I kick her into the wall and the bound her body makes as it hits is satisfying.
“Massa dead?”
“No. My people do not kill living humans, especially those in my Order. But you…”
I set her down and she wobbles as her feet touch the floor. She doesn’t even have the strength to stand. I pick her back up.
“Another time then.”
“Yessum. Another time.”
ASH 9/17 
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