Fade To Black

Bad News, or The Good News?

I saw the cloud of dust that Clementine kicked behind her as she ran over to me. She keeled over, propping her heaving torso on my shoulder conspicuously. She clutched her chest and took deep breaths.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned.

“Uh…um, nothing. I just didn’t want to make you wait,” She looked around the large body of people around the town stage. The familiar jingles of clinking metal chains caught my attention. “What’s going on here?” Clementine asked. I didn’t answer as I grabbed Clemy’s elbow and pushed my way through the crowd. Through the grunts and curses I made it to the front to find tired, starving, sallow slaves pulled on to center stage. Their arms and feet were shackled tightly by rusting chains. I looked at Clementine’s face as her confusion dissolved into stone cold disgusts. The slaves that were bought were dragged off the stage as others were carelessly pushed off, their parched mouths crying out in pain. Another group of slaves were gathering to come up to the stage. I decided we’d had enough today and I grabbed Clementine’s hand and attempted to pull her hand back out with me but she was stuck on the spot. I heard a quick gasp as I turned around to see her outstretched arms to a young crying boy with fresh lashing scars.

“Annuli!” Clementine cried out. The crowd looked at the pair with a look of awe and disgust. I loosened my grip from her as she embraced the boy, hugging his small trembling body in her arms, tears spilling from both their eyes. They exchanged foreign words as they studied both their faces. It must have been a relative, I assumed. By that time the slave traders noticed the com motion from their smoking tents behind the stage. One man brandished the thick lashing rip in his hands and cracked once on the wooden stage. He yelled at the boy.

“Back in line nigger! Someone needs to handle them slaves!” The man bellowed as he ripped Annuli from Clemy’s arms. She let out a piercing cry as she fell to her knees By now there was a circle surrounding us and I looked around the amused faces. I scooped up Clemy and held her up by her elbows. She tried to run back but I pushed through the large crowd until at last we made it to the edge of the forest. She fell from my arms, shaking hysterically. I lifted her wet cheeks and cradled her face against my chest.

“Clementine, you scared me so suddenly. You’ve been acting strange today… who was that?” I asked. She met my eyes with a solemn face, her eyes red and puffy.

“Annuli, my little brother. I finally found him and then he was taken away again!” She pounded her fists on the dirt pathway as I grabbed her arms again. She thrashed about, wailing until I steadfastly held her. I leaned down to her ear.

“Don’t worry, you’ll see him again. The good news is that he’s alive and that you were able to hold him in your arms, even If it was for a short time. We‘ve just got to avoid trouble, ya‘ understand right?” I tried to soothe her as she sniffled.

“I’m sorry I’ve been so emotional lately. Some things have come up…”She began.

“What things?” I asked as we walked down the path on our way back to the dock, the bag of candy still swinging in Clemy’s hands. She shook her head as if to tell me it meant nothing. “Come on now! I ain’t gonna get mad, what if I can help?” I offered.

“No, no, it’s alright. It ain’t nothing worth telling. Besides, we’re already back.” She said, pointing ahead where the deck could be seen. I could Hear my sister’s play and splashing in the water. I also heard my father’s booming chuckle but a strange voice followed. It was a man’s deep and throaty voice that made my attention shift. I sped up to the dock, eyeing my sisters quickly and going on the boat. I left Clemy to sit and watch my sisters.

I got passed our small room into my father’s quarters and onto the deck. A puff of smoke blurred my vision, and as I waved it out of my face the man said my name. “Well if it isn’t Jackson Sawyer Jr. in the flesh!” Once my vision was cleared I saw an aging bald man ,with a prominent beard, smiling at me. He put out a hand for me to shake it but I ignored it looking at my father who sat in his chair and looked out at the swamp.