martes, 11 de marzo de 2008

By the river

It’s late at night, and all the slaves are back in the senzala (the house where they sleep). Shebeh is making rice and wondering where Kami is. After returning from the plantation the girl went out to the house fields instead of going to rest. Eventually Kami enters the kitchen, and tells her what she saw by the river.

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"He pulled her by her foot, until she was close enough and then he leant over her and grabbed her shoulders and pulled her half out of the water. Then he tied that big rock on her chest, and lifted her with both hands, and then he pushed her back into the water".

Shebeh stopped her vigorous shaking of the rice pot and looked down at Kami "Who was he, do you know his name? Was he from this senzala?" her voice had gone high pitched.

Kami shook her head. “He was white. He was wearing soft, bright clothes, beautiful like the dress of the lady in the water”.

“It’s not our problem, then. Best you keep quiet, and don’t talk to anyone about it. If they want to kill themselves, that’s none of our concern. ” Shebeh’s voice was steady and slow once more. She wiped her wet hands on her cotton dress and put her hand on Kami’s hair. “And now go to bed, get some sleep, and forget what you saw. It will seem like a dream in the morning.” She resumed her rice washing.

Kami pursed her mouth and didn’t say anything. She thought about it, and she very much doubted that she could forget what she had seen. The lady had been so peaceful in the brown river, floating in the lazy, curly ripples that the wind pushed out. Her face had been beautiful and her long black hair extended away from her, moving in the water, as if breathing together with the river. It looked like she wasn’t dead, but dreaming; like her dream went out of her and into the river, and then further, to touch the trees in the riverside, with their leaves reaching for the water. Why did Shebeh want her to forget, she asked.

The old woman lowered her eyebrows and her voice. “This attitude of yours is very risky, girl. Don’t you realise the danger we’re in? We can’t go on as if we never left Africa, go running in the field, spying on the masters, and then telling everyone we meet that they are murderers. We stick to our work, and we take care of ourselves. And you best listen to me if you want to grow up and become a woman. Rest. Eat. Do your work. Give them no reason to notice you, and no reason to regret having bought you. The more invisible you become, the safer you will be. Do you understand?” Her black eyes were fixed on the girl’s.

Kami slowly nodded her head.

“Now. Did he see you?” The girl shook her head, her eyes closed.“Could he hear you? Did you leave any sign that you were there?” The head shaking went on. Shebeh used both hands to hold Kami’s head in place. “Good, now go to sleep. And remember not to talk about this with anyone”.

The girl left the kitchen, and wondered if she would dream the lady’s dream. Her hand reached under her shirt and touched what she had found in the grass by the river: a silver necklace with a ruby in the shape of a beetle.

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