Chapter 25

CHAPTER 25

ON BOARD THE ESPERANZA, WEST ATLANTIC OCEAN

Afia woke with a start; they had been at sea for a few days now and most of the women were wretchedly sick which made everything that much worse. To combat the worst of it they were given no food, just some water. She lay listening to the groans of the other women, breathing through her mouth to avoid the stench.

She’d had plenty of time to regret her foolish attempt to speak with Omari, yet despite the consequence, she took comfort from the knowledge that he was one deck below her and that he knew she was here on the ship with him. She just needed to hang on, and they would be reunited somehow at the end of this journey. Azaka would not forsake them.

Gradually she became aware of what had woken her, a persistent small hand tugging at her tunic. It was one of the children, a girl.

“What is it?” she asked wearily.

The skinny child tugged at her again and beckoned her to follow her. She sighed, “what’s wrong?”

“Mama,” said the girl. “Please-”

She got on her knees and crawled after the girl. The little girl was short enough to stand up and walk. Pushing through the bodies, she came to a woman lying on her back one of her hands flung our pink palm up, the fingers curled.

“Mama,” said the girl again and shook the woman. Her head wobbled with the movement, but she didn’t wake up.

Afia swallowed, her mouth dry. She reached out to feel the for the woman’s pulse. Her skin was cool and there was no pulse.

She wrapped an arm round the child and said softly. “Mama’s gone sweetheart. She’s gone to the great mother Azaka.”

The child stared at her dumbly for a few moments and then tears rolled down her cheeks silently. Afia hugged her and held her for a long time. Eventually she passed the child to one of the other women and going to the grating she yelled up through it.

“Hey someone has died down here!”

Initially her yelling was ignored, but eventually, someone who understood what she was saying must have heard her because the door opened, and guards came in to collect the body. The child wailed as her mother’s body was removed and Afia did her best to comfort her.

“What’s your name sweetheart?” she asked rocking the poor little thing in her lap.

“Zuri,” came the muffled reply.

“Zuri, well let me tell you about my little sister, Nia who is about your age.” She kept up a flow of stories about her sisters until the child’s eyes began to droop, and then she curled up with the little girl and they both slept. Her last thoughts of prayers for the departed soul of little Zuri’s mother, Abena.