“No mistress. Please!”
“Ah, he talks”, she said with satisfaction.
“I’ll talk, I’ll kill the boy, I’ll do whatever you want. Just…don’t kill them.”
Asmodeus laughed and laughed. The sound was an assault on Bulitia’s ears. He felt like they might be bleeding. But he dare not lift his hands to cover his ears. Nope. He just held his breath and bore it, praying for the end to come quick. It didn’t though. The laughter went on for an interminable time. And then Bulitia was being lifted from the ground, levitating above the grass as his heart threatened to run out of his chest. He was perishing with fear and there was nothing he could do about it; no one he could call.
He closed his eyes, waiting for the end but it didn’t come. And then suddenly, the woman was gone. He opened his eyes and looked around. There was a body on the ground, a man. Lying there with his eyes closed, legs and arms spread-eagled. He was a tall man, well built, toned. He wasn’t breathing. Bulitia stared at the body; it looked familiar. Very familiar. He looked around to see if anyone else was around but the area was deserted. He walked quickly toward the sugar cane where culling of leaves was taken place. He caught sight of Jefta, slashing away, complaining under his breath as he was wont to do.
“Jefta!”, he called, feet pumping as he hurried toward him. Jefta didn’t so much as turn a hair. Bulitia came toward him and extended his hand out to shake Jefta out of whatever reverie he was in. His heart stopped as his hand sank into Jefta’s with no regard toward the solidity of the other’s being. He withdrew his hand and then tried to rest it on Jefta’s shoulder. The hand sank into Jefta’s shoulder, and disappeared.
Suddenly Bulitia understood. He knew who the body under the trees was; staring up into the rain. Sightless. Because death had taken his sight away. He looked around fearfully; waiting for something, or someone to come for him. He waited and waited, but no one came.
Once the men were through with the field, he followed Jefta listlessly back to the cabin where the slaves gathered together under a huge three stone fire and watched the women cook catfish and hoppin john for them. After dinner, some of the slaves began to sing songs of sadness and fear and defiance. Bulitia sat and listened sadly, reflecting on the fact that he would probably never see his family ever again; until Mulungu claimed him….why hadn’t Mulungu claimed him already? What was the hold up. Bulitia stared up into the sky and thought about screaming.
“Forget it man. You are yoked to me; nobody’s coming for you.”
The creature was sitting next to him with long horns like a goat and red eyes; sharp teeth and a grey wrinkled face. The thing turned to look at him with a wide grin that showed all its sharp teeth and Bulitia wanted to scream and scream. Because even as he saw the creature’s true form, he also saw the woman it was pretending to be. It was the most terrifying thing that had ever happened to him. He tried to move away but found that he couldn’t.
“And now, your friends can join you so you aren’t lonely”, the thing said its sharp toothed smile widening in a way that had Bulitia holding his breath. Would she eat him now? But then she turned and her eye fell on Khakati, tending the fire or staring into it. She pitched forward, face first into it with no warning. The others tried to get her out, beat the flames from her face and body, blow some life back into her…but it was too late; Khakati already sat next to Bulitia, staring at him and the creature in fear.
“Please mama, spare them?” Bulitia tried again even as his non existent voice threatened to fail him. One by one, Abednego, Jefta, Asha, Lucia, Tosi and Luby fell down where they stood and soon there was a new circle of brethren surrounding Bulitia. The brethren to whom he’d brought death. He looked down, wanting to have tears to shed, but nothing came.
“You will wait, and you will watch and when I command you…you will kill”, Asmodeus informed them. No one said a word even as the creature disappeared into the ether. Khakati turned to him, “Bulitia, what is happening?”
Bulitia looked at her and then at the circle of slaves surrounding him, “I don’t know. I wish I did.”
They heard footsteps approaching from the right and turned around to see a tall, handsome being with black hair and grey eyes watching them all sadly. He shook his head and bowed it.
“I am sorry”, he said.
“What are you sorry for and who are you?” Asha asked.
“My name is Armand”, he said, “And I along with you await the same thing.”
“And what is that?” Bulitia asked.
“The Child of Destiny”, Armand said.