Murderville Page 0,14

could be seen as they were shoved forward. The smell of human feces and body odor reeked from the door opening, giving the air a horrendous smell. The children were forced down the wooden stairs by two soldiers who all had skin that was as black as tar. The worn-out army fatigue uniforms and combat boots they wore intimidated the kids, and their brute force was severe. In between barking orders, they spoke amongst each other in a language that neither A’shai nor Liberty had ever heard before. The newly captured kids looked to Ms. Beth who stood back while smoking a slim cigarette. Her once warm, inviting smile had turned into a sinister stare as she looked at what were merely cattle to her. The children were nothing but future cash deposits that she would traffic through the exploited country of Mexico. She kept her eyes on Liberty as she noticed her beauty, knowing that she would be worth the most because of her beauty and youthfulness.

The children who had just been captured ranged from ages eight to fifteen. All of them were victims of their own naivety and had allowed Ms. Beth to lure them into a sinister operation. Once they entered the boat they were ambushed and whipped by the soldiers and forced into submission. The children who played on the ship’s deck were only there for show and to bait other kids to the ship. Sadly, they were already trained and brainwashed to follow the orders of the soldiers, so they never tried to escape during the travels.

“Grab her! Take her to the second floor,” Ms. Beth ordered as she blew out tobacco smoke and pointed towards Liberty. Ms. Beth didn’t want her to go to the bottom of the ship where the rest of the children were being held. Throughout their voyage, Ms. Beth and her traffickers usually experienced a couple of deaths due to starvation or hypothermia. Liberty was too valuable to put at risk in such a way. Ms. Beth couldn’t allow Liberty to die before she cashed in.

“No! Don’t touch her!” A’shai screamed as he saw the soldiers focus on Liberty. A’shai tried to shield Liberty’s body, and he held her tightly as she began to scream but it was to no avail. The soldiers tore them apart and forcefully grabbed Liberty by the back of her neck. Another soldier pushed A’shai to the ground immediately and stood over him.

“Don’t try it!” he said as he pointed his gun at A’shai. A’shai quickly stood, trying to get to Liberty as they pulled her away. Liberty kicked and screamed to get to A’shai, but the soldier just flung her like a ragdoll, controlling her movements. A’shai gathered all of his strength and hit the soldier in front of him with a right hook to his pelvic area causing him to crumble on contact. He then ran over to the soldier that had Liberty in his grasp.

“Let her go!” A’shai demanded just before he punched the soldier catching him in the mid-section. The blow did not faze the man, but it did infuriate him. He loosened his grip on Liberty and focused on A’shai.

“You little bastard,” the soldier yelled as he went for his sharp pocketknife. He stormed towards A’shai and slashed him across the face. A’shai cried out in pain as the right side of his face split open like the red sea. Blood began to flow out of the wound and A’shai held his face as his own blood crept between his fingers.

“Take him downstairs!” Ms. Beth ordered as she walked towards Liberty and grabbed her hand. Liberty cried hysterically as she reached for A’shai. The soldiers pulled him down the stairs, and A’shai began to scream for Liberty.

“Liberty!” he yelled as he reached for her. However, the men overpowered him and forced A’shai into the bottom deck where the others were. The soldier pushed A’shai down to the bottom of the ship and what A’shai saw blew his mind. It was total chaos. Three-dozen boys and girls were cramped under the ship, and a foul stench filled the air as A’shai looked around. He tried to run back up the stairs to exit, but the guards had closed the doors and padlocked them shut. No matter how much he kicked at the wooden door, it wouldn’t budge and his frustration took over as he thought of what may be happening to Liberty.

A’shai cried as his young mind tried to take in