Sally Island 31

The issue with James had died down in Mafaa Island. Sheba haven't seen James in a while, after he was almost killed by Uncle sam. Sheba's mistress had adviced her against seeing James so she stayed away, knowing that she would risk him being killed by Uncle Sam if they are seen together. James at the other hand understood everything and tried to stay low key. He always dreamt of the day he will be free again and go back to his friends on Sally Island, but for time being, he needed to calm down and not get in trouble again. Sheba's mistress Elizabeth had a new friend, the wife of another prominent sailor who was also away like Elizabeth's husband Samuel Adams. She loves going to the ranch every evening to see how their slaves are taking care of the cows and the bulls. They usually take slow walks and gossip about almost every thing that happens in Mafaa Island, looking at how bored it usually is in the house with just Sheba, the walk wasn't a bad idea at all for the mistress although she didn't like going down to where the slaves stayed. Sheba's mistress didn't like seeing kids as slaves, she didn't have a problem with the adult slaves, but the kids gave her chills and she didn't like seeing them in the farms with baskets bigger than them or rearing cattle beyond their control. But since it was her only shot at kicking boredom, she would walk with her new friend Patricia, while Sheba walked behind them. 

Sunny days like these were usually a long day for James who was now only concerned about his work as a slave and nothing else. He would work all day and before he rests, he will go gather firewood for preparing dinner and take it to the homes of all the slave masters starting with Uncle Sam's. It was part of the additional punishment stipulated for him after his life was spared. There was no single moment of Joy for James until evening when he gets to see Sheba walk with her Mistress, although they weren't allowed to meet, it was a moment of joy for James. Although it still hurts him the way Sheba ignores him, he tries to understand but gets mad at times thinking Sheba could at least be a bit rebellious and break a little law for their brief joy, but she wouldn't. So James dwelled on his brief moments and would always be timely, just the moment Sheba would be on a walk, he would start dispersing the firewoods to the various homes and that way he gets to see her walk. He was so sprung on Sheba, and she didn't know the magnitude, that's why she didn't make much effort but followed only her mistress's order to stay away from him. James wasn't the kind of guy who knew how to express himself much and being that women go by what they hear, Sheba wasn't too motivated to appreciate James's affection. It would soon take a negative toll on him. 

But for the time being, he would fight the disappointment in his heart for the greater love he had for Sheba. Patricia loved the kind of dance she saw the slaves dance as the sang every evening after work. She would go watch and drag Elizbeth and Sheba with her. They walked slowly into the slave village and talked about the tales their husbands told them of their sea voyages, Sheba loved to listen and would walk behind them eaves dropping as they conversed. They talked about Mudshark, a certain Buccaneer who freed slaves on seas. She always wished he would come free slaves on land too, but then he didn't have such power, he needs more than a fleet of outlaw Buccaneers to do a ground battle, he would need well trained foot soldiers. It was easier on sea where he knows his ways than on land. Sheba wanted to be free, not really because she was a slave, her mistress never treated her as one but she had restrictions still, she would be with James if not for the restrictions, so all she could do was watch as he carried firewood around for other men. There was no single pride in slavery, Egyptian beggars had more luxury. 

It wasn't yet time for the dance, the night was still young and the slaves still returning to their huts, Patricia didn't pay attention to the discomfort Elizabeth was having from the sight of the slaves she had never been a fan of the slave plights, "but what can a single woman do?" She always thought, trying to keep a new friendship, she would battle her conscience to cope, hoping her sadness wouldn't evolve to depression. To worsen her case she would see the despise on their faces towards them as Patricia walked like she didn't even notice. Elizabeth would wonder how she feels comfortable walking through the slave village. The odds of the evening started swaying the minute Elizabeth got conspicuously uncomfortable, "how do you feel comfortable here?" She asked Patricia "what's there not to be comfortable about? Farms?" She replied with grin, obviously avoiding the subject which Elizabeth knew she understood. "Why would you not be comfortable?" She asked. Elizabeth playfully dragged her by the hand "let's leave this place, it's not for us. The men are the ones who are supposed to be here, not us." "Haven't you heard the saying?" Patricia mocked "what saying?" "What a man can do..." "Oh" Elizabeth broke in "please forget that saying, it's challenging to men, and you know how men are when their pride is challenged." Patricia's smile got interrupted  by the sounds of a stumping rush. They all turned around to a shock. One of the kid herders had lost control of a stubborn bull. 

The kids who had initially been complained to the masters by their parents that they were too small to be herders, were neglected and left without training to rare the cows. There have been a good turnover of the cow farming, but as the number of cows increased, there were fewer hands, and shortage of slaves to rare them. Mudshark has been freeing slaves and destroying slave ships, there were lesser and lesser slaves to buy. And the few available were quite expensive for the masters to buy, so the preferred reproduction within the already bought slaves and the kids were a result of the new resolution. Now their unwise decision was about producing its first casualty, Sheba had quickly stepped out of the way letting the two mistresses face their plight alone since they were not in the right frame of mind to remember getting out of the way for a loose bull. Patricia who was closer to the bull, zeroed her mind to get rammed by the bull when she fell down but suddenly saw a man who jumped on the bull out of nowhere with enough force to pull the bull down. It was James, he had initially seen the boy loosing control of that bull but still busy with his work, looking out in calculative thoughts waiting for the right time to save the day. He wasn't trying to impress Sheba, He already done that before. 

Story: Nnagoziem The Vyrus Udensi 

Illustrations: Joseph Kendy