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He was as pathetic as he was evil

I bolted upright whentoher as she reached forI squinted and noticed liquid was running down the insides of her thighs Mama’s skin was too dark forof blood Her patch-ridden dress was hiked up indecently My heart felt like it would burst with fear when I realised hoeak she seemed to be She was only thirteen years older than me Master forcibly took her innocence when he was only fifteen years old himself He inherited his slaves from his father, who died and passed on the business of trafficking to Master

As I stared at my mother, she suddenly looked decades older than she was, and it frightened me to death

“Mama,” I rasped “What’d he do to you?”

My wonderful, caring, and utterly selfless mother patted my hand before she wrapped an aruide her over to her bunk situated just a few inches away from the patch of dirt where I slept She adjusted her threadbare dress and offered me a smile I set my jahen she sat down and whimpered a little

“Mama,” I repeated “Tell me”

She lay on her back and sighed deeply I saw heavy pain in her wise eyes, the kind of pain that dwelled within a person and caused their soul to wither and die My mother had only known pain in her life, and I hurt for her deeply because of that

“He said that Nicah took so I told him I took the apples so he wouldn’t hurt her, and he told et on my knees before him He … He … I do not wish for you to hear of such—”

“Mama,” I cut her off, exasperated “I have seen his cruelty”

“And I pray to Alhty that you will never have to experience it, Levi”