Chapter 2: The New World

Hakashima enters a new world of the Aztec population

“Get up,” called out the Aztec man.

I woke up before they reached towards me with a spear. It was morning alright, and the Aztec’s were waking the prisoners with their spears. We all rose to our feet and they led our way.

            Thankfully the heat wave was over two years ago, it still was tiring and hot in this landscape. Walking passed a large load of territory we were finally given some rest and a gulp of water. As stubborn as I am, the minute it was my turn to drink I used that water to spray it at the Aztec’s face.

He strokes me across the face. “No matter how much we torture you, you won’t break.”

That stroke reminded me of the monstrous white man who killed my sister. Laying my eyes on my sister’s bracelet we continued.

            It has been hours since I lost the feel of my toes and the dryness of my throat. I was now regretting wasting the water on that witless man. The thirst now affected not only my throat, but now my mouth, a few minutes afterwards my legs wore out.

“Another one down,” called out an Aztec.

‘Get up Hakashima!’ ordered Hamaluoa.

I slowly got up on my feet before the Aztec man could kill me. Those who dropped unconsciously out of thirst or tiresome, would be left out to die in the forest or killed that instant.

            I continued, slowly, yet progressed the walk. All the running has finally worn out my feet, but I still got to move on.  

At that instant the mysterious man called out to one of his warriors. “Give her water.”

The Aztec man nodded.

Not knowing what their intentions were the Aztec man poured a bowl half with water and tossed the bowl at my tied hands.

Fury towards his actions I threw it at his face.

            That definitely hit the spot because the mysterious man dashed towards me with the water flask and grabbed my head back, tossing the mouthpiece to my mouth. I tried spitting it out, yet couldn’t because he held my throat not giving me any choice, I swallowed.        

            He let go of my throat and walked off. Glaring back at him, I finally realized that for the first time in my life I felt hopeless. He will pay for this humiliation, I swear it.

When we reached the hilltop, at last the journey has come to an end; henceforth, the temples of the Aztec God’s was at view. We trembled at the sight of it because the stories we have been told was that if the weather was not at ease the Aztec’s would sacrifice a human’s life at the peak of the tallest temple so that the God’s could see and have mercy on them. All prisoners would have their head chopped and roll down the temple to reach the bottom of the stairs to be staked on a spear to be shown upon the public.

            Most of the prisoners were now dragging their feet to slow down the pace. They know what is ahead of them, they’ve known ever since they were children. Our parents would tell us this horrifying story about the Aztec’s to prevent us from going alone in the forest. Our hesitation was no match from the strength the Aztec’s carried. So they dragged us forward no matter what. As we walked closer to the town a lot of Aztec civilians came upon us; poking, touching, grabbing, as if we were their prized animals.

            The Aztec warriors finally separated the men and women with children at separate paths. This only brought desperation towards the female’s, crying out and protesting towards their men.

“Ashamina! Ashamina!” cried out the woman, the woman who first spoke out to me when I woke up from a drugged state.

“Paminoka! Paminoka!” Ashamina cried out.

His yell was slowly distant and made Paminoka cry in dispare.

‘Paminoka,’ I thought.

That is her name, I believe.

“Okay, don’t fuss. There are plenty of them to bid on,” said an Aztec warrior to the crowd.

            Observing all the warriors, I realized that the mysterious man was not among us. He must have gone with the male prisoners.

“How much for this healthy looking woman? She’s got all teeth.” A stranger, the bidder, added as he made one of the female prisoners open her mouth towards the crowds. “She would be good for house cleaning.”

“A bag of corn I’ll bid,” called out a woman around her late forties.

“SOLD!”

            One by one every woman and children were taken away. The elders were set free for the lack of strength and health.

Paminoka was next.

I hesitated.

She looked back desperately.

            I don’t know why I feel the urge to protect her the only thing that matters is to not lose a familiar face. With the strength I had left, I pushed my right leg back in between the warriors legs, the one behind me, and tangled my leg around his knee making him fall to the ground. Mission accomplished, I ran towards Paminoka.

The crowd gasped.

            Before I could reach her two guards grabbed me down to the ground on my knees

“SOLD!”

Paminoka shrieked and spread her hand towards me.

“No!” I cried out in anger.

She was disappearing before my eyes among the crowd.

“Paminoka!” I called out her name.

With that tears fell down her cheek and smiled. “Stay alive, the slave who runs free, one who will set us free.”

I breathed heavily. ‘What?’

I was brought to my feet towards the bidder.

Dragging my feet and shrugging out of hold from the men was no use because now I was confronted by the crowd.

Some were getting ready to leave; however, the bidder called out to the crowd. “She is the slave who runs free.”

The crowd gasped as they stopped their pace.

“How do you know she’s the slave who runs free and not just trickery?” yelled out a man in the crowd.

The bidder grabbed my hands and raised them. “She holds the bracelet of her dead sibling.”

The crowd was silent.

“Give us a reason why we should even buy her? If the stories are true, she is a dangerous woman,” an Aztec woman broke the silence.

The bidder dropped my hands. “Look at her! She is a legend.”

“What use would she be? If she’s just a legend,” another woman scowled.

“She is strong enough to fight at the arena; she could be a farmer’s slave, hunt, work among men, most of all she can give you men strong children. How much would you pay for her?”

“A grain of salt!”

“A bag of apples!”

“A stack of beans!”
All Aztec men shouted.

“A dozen of parrots and a dozen of toucans, with a burial full of shining stones and yellow rocks.”

The crowd went silent.

The bidder slightly trembled and agreed. “SOLD!”

There were a stack of parrots, toucans, those gems and shining yellow rock suns put to the ground.

            I was handed to the man and dragged throughout the crowd. I kicked, punched, and screamed, yet this strong man did not fidget.

            We walked and walked until we reached a small temple, yet a few 250 feet smaller than the biggest official temple.

We walked up the steep stairs and eventually made it to the top.

He threw me to a closed and tight room where there escape.

An Aztec woman glared at me. “What do you need her for?”

The man stared right back at me. “She will give us riches.”

She scowled back at him. “How so?!”

“She will fight at the arena.”

She gasped. “But….she is a woman.”

He grinned. “And the best among all.”

“Husband, I don’t like this.”

“I need her well fed and nourished by two weeks. You got that understood?”

She sighed. “Yes husband.”

They finally left with their chit chat and I was finally given some peace. I don’t know what they have planned for me; however, I don’t think it is a good one either.

Author's Note

Done