Caged Bird Screaming

The lie

“I bought a Negro two days ago and what a vile creature he was. He bit me and yelled despicable words at my boy.”

Henry’s eyes widened. From what he could remember, that wasn’t true.

“He said, he’d attack my family and sacrifice us to his pagan gods.”

A few people gasped. Women covered their mouths and men’s hands turned to fists. Henry remained hidden at the back pew.

“As tough as this may seem, we have to change them. We have to introduce them to Christ. We have to change their vile ways. We’re meant to save their souls.”

The people began talking softly. Henry looked at his father dressed in his black suit, his hair patted down. His eyes were light, almost transparent. Henry wasn’t deceived. He saw the liar in his father’s eyes and trembled not from the cold, but from the anger that burned within the walls of his chest. His father was a preacher and they were in church. He was not only lying to the congregation but was lying in front of God. It was as if he was slapping God in the face as the false testimony was spoken out. Henry knew he shouldn’t have snuck away from the children’s area, but his curiosity always got the better out of him.

He didn’t listen to his father’s pack of lies. He sat in his seat, with his head bowed. His father seemed like a true man of God on the outside but on the inside, he was a cheat and thief who didn’t give God a second thought during the week. It was his duty to be the good son. Speaking out against his father would be the death of him. He prayed God would not strike his father down like he struck down Ananias and Saphirra.

........

“Three I’m back!” Axe yelled as he ran into the hut.

Three was sitting by his straw mat crying.

“Three?”

She turned her head as she heard his voice. He hurried towards her.

“Axe is it really you?” She asked.

Axe nodded. “I’m back.”

Three embraced him. “I’m back.” Axe whispered. “I’m back.”

Something happened. Three began to disappear. “No, no.” Axe began sobbing as Three slowly faded away. “No, no.” Axe crumbled to the ground in misery as she became a part of the air.

He opened his eyes. It was a dream...or was it? It couldn’t be a dream. He had held Three. She felt warm and tangible. Her smile was sincere, her touch was real. Now she was gone.

He was thrust back to reality. He was in a new place. He was back to square one. He was to start his life all over again. He would get a new name and a identity. His past would be forgotten. He would be like a wanderer, roaming the world endlessly.

He meant nothing to his master. He was just profit. No one cared about his feelings. No one even asked him how he felt. He was just a slave.

Axe slowly raised his head and looked around. He was all alone in a darkened room. The raw pain from his back slithered slowly and steadily through his body, finally making his head hammer at the pain.

“I want water.” He tried raising his voice, but what came out was a raspy whisper. No one was there. Axe felt like a child, alone without comfort. He felt trapped in his own body. He longed to break free from his prison cell and escape.

The door creaked open and Axe opened his eyes. “Water .... I want water.” He whispered again.

A deep laughter filled the space of the darkened room. Someone lifted Axe’s head and put a cup to his lips. He felt a surge of gratitude fill his heart as the coolness of the water touched them, but then the cup was taken away from him and the water was thrown to the ground.