The Slave

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 13

The highest bidder was Tommy, he had looked at Ukeh from his hand to his chest and feet, he checked his stomach and his anus and finally he bought him for Thirteen thousand dollars.

They asked Ukeh to kneel and bend before his master. And Ukeh knelt down and did as he was instructed and he suddenly felt a sharp burning sensation at his back under his neck. Ukeh let out a loud scream, if he was not chained he would have strangled someone.

“You have just been branded with your masters seal. Wherever you go, whoever sees you will know that you belong to Mr Tom” Robert said.

Ukeh looked sternly at him, he hates this guy, he would strangle him if given the chance. He was pushed to one side among the slaves that have already been bought. He stood and watched as every other person was auctioned and sold.

One young man who was being auctioned looked at Robert and spat at his face. “You took me from my wife and now you are selling me off like a commodity, you are evil, evil, evil. I was with my wife for just two days. Just two days and you took me from her. I curse you, I curse you.

“Shut up” Robert ordered

“I will not shut up, what is the worse thing you can do to me? What you dog” he screams in anger.

“Who will take this fool for one thousand dollars? Robert announced.

The men rushed out and quickly paid for him. He was branded and taken away as he cried.

Bassey and Okon were also auctioned and sold out and Ukeh made sure he listened to the name of thier buyers. Richards and Louis.

As thier buyers took them away and Ukeh wondering if ever he would see them again he heard a voice say “it is time to go”, as he turned to look a big blow landed on his face that sent him to the ground.

“You don’t look at your master’s eyes, ever! Do you understand? It was Robert

“Yes” Ukeh replied as he tries to stand up, and another blow sent him falling again. “When you reply me, you say yes sir, do you understand?

“Yes sir” Ukeh answered, if not for Nti that he wants to find, Ukeh knows that this Robert can not best him in a fight. He hated him so much but then he remembers what the old man told him, to always be calm and so he kept cool.

A rope was tied on both his hands and tied to the carriage that Tommy was sitted on.

“What is your name boy? Tommy asked

“My name is Ukeh”

“What the f–k is Ukeh? Who bears that kind of a name? Anyway I will call you Bush, because you are from the bush. You get that? Do you understand me Bush?

“Yes sir, Ukeh answered.

And the horse starts running dragging Ukeh behind. He ran along breathing heavily and trying not to fall. His master seemed to be enjoying the show because he kept laughing non stop. Ukeh wondered what was so ammusing that he was laughing about.

“Come on Bush, run, come on run, catch up Bush” he kept on saying

Ukeh kept running behind, he was tired and angry, but he will okay along with the white man, he will not make one mistake that would jeopardize any chance of rescuing his sister. He has come too far, he had endured too much to ruin it now. He will do everything he was told to do, he would be loyal and obedient just until he finds his sister Nti.

He ran behind the horse shouting “Yes master, yes sir.