Freedom?

Freedom?

By: Alba Semidei

Chapter One: The Day THEY Came

I was relaxing on the beautiful, wide-open shore, when they came.

The sun was high in the sky. Waves crashed on the shore. Trees swayed in the wind. Seagulls sang. I closed my eyes and tilted my head back. This is the best day ever. It had finally stopped raining and the sun was out. I was able to go out and lay on the beach finally. I took a piece of vine that I tied in a circle and kept around my wrist and tied my dark brown hair. These things stretch.

A dark shadow loomed over me, blocking the sun. I sighed as I looked up to see my sister with a cheery grin. “Yes?” I questioned as I lifted my hand to cover my eyes, blocking it away from the sun.

“Kami, can you play the hopping game? Please, please, plllleeeaaseeeee...” Zuri begged, pouting and making her dark chocolate eyes wide. Her brown hair swayed in the wind. Zuri was six-years-old and can make you smile by just looking how happy she is. In the village she is always skipping around with her friends. No one can ever get mad at her...except for me and her brother Maalik but that because we are family. The hopping game is an African traditional game. With sticks you make a large circle and you put small sticks in places and you spin around and then toss the rock and where ever stick is close to the rock, you must jump there with one foot. If it happened to be a small stick, the other team member must tell you to do something and you have to do it. I actually haven’t played this game in a while.

“You know me Zuri, a sixteen year old is never too old to play children games.” I teased her, poking her stomach. She giggled and slapped my arm away. I laughed too. “Go ask your brother if he wants to play. And give him that same face.” I grinned. Maalik is 14 with brown eyes and short black hair. He has become a very handsome kid. He is also a ladies’ man. I laughed. Right now he is probably with a bunch of girls. Hey but no one can say no to Zuri’s face. Ruth face brightened.

“OK!” she smiled and skipped off to find Maalik in our hut with the rocks and sticks to play. I bended my knees and placed my head on them. I stared out into the ocean, looking as far as I could. I wonder what’s out there.

“AHHH......” a scream came from the other side of the village.

I jumped on my feet, startled like a cat when hearing a crash nearby. I scanned the area where I was. I didn’t see anything unusual. What's happening? I sprinted to where there was more yelling. I weaved through the huts. I stopped before I could get in view. If something bad was happening, best that I wasn’t seen. I pressed my back against the wall of a hut. I slowly and carefully looked out.

My eyes widen. People, my people were being tied up by their arms and necks they were yelling for help. I scanned the faces. I saw the doctor, the cook, and the person who helped me take care of Zuri and Maalik when our parents died. I knew everyone that was there. What broke my heart was that my friends were also tied up. I needed to help them. I couldn’t just let them suffer. Before I stepped out someone made eye contact with me. Instead of saying help like I expected she mouthed one word to me run. I decided to listen. I was no help if I got caught. I ran toward my hut. I was praying that Zuri and Maalik were there or as far away from here as they could. I ran inside but saw...Nothing. No one was there. I blew a sigh of relief. They got away. I ran back outside and decided to run. A sharp pain went through my leg. OW! I looked down and saw the sticks and stones scattered in front of the hut. I observed to the sand, and saw feet marks but more than there should be. I could tell that there was something that was struggling. My blood froze. Oh no, oh no, oh no!

“HELP!” more people were yelling. I didn't know what to do. My mind was spinning. I couldn’t think straight. I decided it was best to leave and find where they are being taken. So I ran into the woods as fast as I could, not even turning back. Tears fell down my face as began to dodge trees, and jumping over rocks, trying to get farther and farther away from here.

I heard some strange voice yell something and ran after me. I didn't know what he said or who he was, I kept running because that they only thing I did know what to do. I was the fastest runner in my tribe, but this stranger was catching up to me...and fast. I decided I had to lose him. I took a sharp turn left. I stopped abruptly as I saw someone running toward me. I tried the right, but once again someone was standing there. I turned all the way around and saw no exit. I was surrounded. Four large guys stood there trapping me as if I was an animal. Their skin wasn’t like mine it was as white as the clouds that floated above our heads. Each of them were holding rope, swirling it in a circle. I didn't know what to do. I looked around if there was any way I could get away...none what so ever. They kept getting closer, closing in. There were telling me something, but I didn’t understand them. They weren’t speaking the same language, something foreign and strange. I have always been strong, I had to. I had to be the strong one in the family when ma and pa died. But I did the most pathetic thing anyone could do. I cried. The guys around me laughed. My hands tightened in fist as tear fell down my face. I couldn’t believe that I'm crying in front of these disgusting people. But I cried because of fear of knowing that all is hopeless. I couldn’t do anything about it.