The Black Stars of Melanin

Agonising Antecedents

Her eyes glistened in the shadows, exiling any hidden feelings of distrust within Jinto towards her. For indeed he could see it. He could see something hidden behind her mystifying, sultry stare. They say the eyes are like windows to the soul and verily hers were tinted windows that guarded and concealed an uncharted heart.

"I'm ready when you are... Zinneera." Jinto encouraged.

"Well, where shhhal I begin?" Zinneera said to herself. Just then she revealed a little more of herself. A light, mystic-green hand emerged from the forest's dark concealment, gently caressing the tree trunk.

It was only her hand, but it was enough for the caring man to know that she was certainly beyond beauty itself. Her hand looked as though it had been woven out of silk, with features that flowed like heavenly water. It's proportions so perfect that you'd think she was given the honour of designing it herself. Jinto remained transfixed for a moment, before Zinneera continued with her story.

"I hail from two landsss. My mother isss indigenousss to Melanina, while my father... he is from the Desh." she explained.

"The Desh?" asked the Melanin man.

"Desh, also known as Bhoora. It's a land sssimilar to Melanin, but also quite different. Their people are beautiful and are known for having rich cultures, exotic foods and beautifully brown skin. Oh and don't get me ssstarted on the lavish weddingsss we're known for! So if Melanins are called black people then the Desh or Bhoora can be called brown." the exotic woman revealed.

"Right, I see! Sounds like an amazing place and an amazing group of people." Jinto said warmly.

"They are, except for my father.... If my mother could be described as an angel, then my father isss nothing short of a devil in human skin! I often wonder how filth like him ended up with my mother, but devilsss are meant to be good at beguiling the innocent after all... He must have whispered constant sssweet nothings to her, entrapping her in his toxic tendrils of affection and abussse, creating a vicious cycle..." the solemn Zinneera paused while the wind blew, whispering a sweet lullaby to soothe her searing soul.

"I can ssstill see it! I can ssstill see the look of a broken women who'd plastered a plastic smile on her face for the sssake of her daughter! I can still hear the sound of battered flesh being butchered and beaten. I can ssstill feel the crushing anxiety I felt all those years ago when he would terrorise usss. Depression loomed over our house like a perpetual storm cloud, while my father ruled us with a despotic iron fist! Despite my mother's best attemptsss at keeping up appearances, it was clear as day that she was gothically gloomy. One day she went out on one of her usual evening walks. Father was violently insecure and dissstrusting, so he would be ever suspicious. My mother would go out anyways and when she would return, he would blacken her eyes and bruise her body...." Zinneera halted, remembering the atrocities.

Jinto's rage was palpable, he was the type who couldn't bare the suffering of the innocent and the helpless. His body began to shake with fury and his flames ignited in response. "So.... What happened next...?" he said through the grit of his teeth.

"Jinto... these beatingsss were regular, even I wasn't safe. He despised my green skin and would beat me too. We were almost... used to it." she said with disgust.

"Anywaysss, one particular evening she went out as usual, then it happened. A man as kind as you are, looked upon her with empathy. He made her feel valuable, validated and worthy of love. He would alwaysss tell her how beautiful she is, how amazing her daughter is, how life is too short to be depressed and that she should enjoy life. His uplifting speech became more personal. His wordsss and praises became laden with love for my darling mother. She truly deserved the world Jinto! She deserved that and more! She was my everything, but now, I am all I have. She knew she wanted better for herself, she knew she had feelingsss for the man. But out of either good character or a twisted loyalty... she pushed her admirer away, as to not be unfaithful to her abusive husband! Alasss, oh Jinto but true love cannot be quelled and that man would not yield nor relent. He was adamant in saving my mother, and loving her, no matter the cost." the woeful woman wearily unraveled.