There once was a child who was placed in a crib, across fire and sand they came, her skin was the a pale hue of blue, the shade did shift to green which made her parents laugh, for the thought she looked as a forest nymph so the shade changed to ivory white, as Pearls in the sky.
The flame of the desert they placed in her eyes and there remained a restless flame of sun, she burned and yearned for the sand to be beneath her feet but all she tread upon was grass so her eyes faded to emerald.
The fire embers still rose although too small to see she never could be human for her soul longed for the hot scorching sun. Smoke filled her soul and so her spirit flew with the smoke that reached up to the undying sun.
So her humanity was forever lost.
The poem sung of a Djinn child raised by humans, awaiting to return to her desert home.
It always made me very sad for some reason but it had been told to me every night and every night I asked for it to be recited to me.
Then when my childhood days were over I left the comfort of the farm and I decided to travel the world.
Everyone understood although there were pearls of tears in their eyes.
My aunt and uncle had treated me as their own child and my cousins regarded me as a little sister, I still had a restlessness in my soul just like the poem had read.
Jacob, my broad shouldered cousin warmed up his Chevy pickup truck and waited patiently for me in the mud ridden driveway.
I knew even then I would never return to this place.
I had felt so at home here, so I thought I had belonged here but right now as said my last farewells, I felt very out of place.
My whole life there was a absolute blur in my brain.
I felt that once I left there that all traces of my existence there would fade and disappear entirely.
The footprints would wash away from the ground my the wind and rain.
Soon the seasons would change and the memory of me would be blown away like the autumn leaves.
I was right. I had been right all along.
Soon my name would be changed, I'd be nothing more than a slave to humanity.
Anna Japhia would mean nothing to anyone.
I'd probably be given some sick name such as Doll Face.
I was very pale skinned and the sun did nothing to change it.
No redness came to my overly rounded cheeks and not even a inch of me had darkened from the relentless heat and brutal sun.
I enjoyed feeling the seemingly undying warmth of the sun on my skin.
It made me feel alive. The sun warmed my heart and soul and for a few moments I finally felt at home.
The people of the desert were cruel and unkind.
They bound me with ropes and metal chains fettered my ankles.
The only redness was the blood from the blisters that came from the rope and metal constantly rubbing against my skin.
This was my fault. I shouldn't have strayed from the rest of the group but I I just had to explore.
I wasn't devoid of strength. I was made of pure muscle, complements of all those years of labor on the farm.
There was a man that grabbed ahold of me from behind.
I slammed him against the wall, smashing his shoulders into the stone wall. He screamed alerting the rest of his pack of thirsty men.
I scratched, I bit, I kicked and i even broke a few bones.
There wasn't a man in their band of ruffians that weren't injured or wounded.
They were all covered in bloody cuts and were moaning and groaning holding onto their tender broken bones.
They threw a bag over my head and somehow they tied my hands together behind me.
After all the fuss that I made none of the men even wanted to touch me.
They asked me questions but i told them nothing.
One man thought he was being funny. "I bet you're a virgin aren't you? Your value will go up if you are. You have such beautiful ivory skin. You won't be on the market for long. It won't be long till some rich Man snags you up my pretty".
His rough hand slid around my mouth.
He went to examine the inside of my mouth.
I like a rabid pitbull sunk my teeth into his finger until I heard the crunching of bone.
I spat out the metallic taste of his blood.
He screamed, whimpering at his bloody broken finger.
"I told you not to mess with her. She's a fighter."
Another man calmly reprimanded him.
"She's a viper. She nearly broke my finger in half. I've known dogs to have a gentler touch than she has. There are dogs that are tamer than she is.
I thought you said Americans were soft and passive.
She is practically a dragon. When you said you'd get a American, I thought we would be getting a little puppy dog.
This is not a cute anything. She's a shark of the desert. How are you going to sell such a merciless little monster?" The man with the broken finger said through clenched teeth.
"Stop complaining. She is new. She has not been broken in. A little discipline and hard labor will soon take care of that. She is strong but her strength will not always save her. She just needs a good master. A master who will beat that fire right out of her.
We must be careful who we give her to. Give her only to one who has very deep pockets. Old money, not new riff raff. Find someone who has been rich for a long time. You know a older gentleman perhaps."
This man walked over me shoving the other foolish man aside.
"You better not try escaping. You will soon lose your way in these desert sands. You will starve and then your mouth will become hard and dry as stone. 3 days you won't be attracting any men then, the only thing you'll attract are the birds. You want to die a slow death, you can run. Stay with us and you won't go thirsty, starve and the birds will will not make a banquet out of you. So either you die at the hand of nature or you live under the care of our tents".
"I'd rather die than become a slave to men".
All the men laughed.
"You are a funny one, little viper. If you stay alive the ghouls of the desert shall devour you."
"I hope the servants of Iblis will devour you and all your men. I wish that the the ruler of the shaitan shall devour you himself." I venomously threatened him.
He laughed and he shoved me into the sand.
"What do you know of shaitan you stupid ignorant girl?"
"I am more educated on the subject than you may think. You think that woman are stupid. I can do algebra all in my head and I have read a over a 1000 books. There are a million words swirling around in my head. I know geography and I have a fine sense of direction.
So if you think I'll lose my way amongst the sands of this desert. If I escape I shall remember all your faces and I shall make you all wanted men. The authorities are probably already looking for you as we speak. I'm sure they'd love to know where you are".
"Quiet Bitch! You know nothing. You want to survive keep your mouth shut.
You have a empty head. Your brain is full of nothing but fluff and nonsense. I'll have you know little viper The Ruler of the Shaitan does not exist and neither does his army. The people of the Djinn cannot save you either.
Those are tall tales. Mere children's stories. Those that have faced such terrible creatures are long gone. You will be too if you are not silent".
"You can't kill me. So I have nothing to fear you wretch. You want me alive. So stop with your idle threats you dolt".
He placed the gag back in my mouth.
Someone threw a dusty rug beside me that I could sleep on.
"Are you sure you wish to have them all fall at the hands of the army of Iblis?"
A husky voice asked me from behind one of the smaller tents.
A warm scaly hand tore the gag from out of my mouth.
"Speak. What is your wish sweet child of ivory?"
I expected to see a monster bending over me.
There was a man in a dark blue suit and his eyes were a dark chocolate brown. He had strong handsome chin, his face was comely and dashing. There were certain parts of his skin that were rugged and coarse but he was nonetheless extremely good looking.
"I wish they would all drop dead and then be devoured by some unworldly creatures such as the servants of Iblis".
"Is that what you truly desire?"
"I would like to survive and that one there, I'd like for him to stay alive so he can tell the tale of how he survived. Nobody will believe him."
"Indeed no one will. The thought of his fallen men and memory of the ghouls carrying their corpses away will forever haunt him. Would that be satisfactory to you?"
"Yes it would. The memory will drive him mad."
"I like the way you think. Consider it done. Before the sun sets this despicable band of men will be gone. You and this other foolish wretch shall be the only survivors."
He straightened up and went behind the small tent yet again.
Somehow i managed to close my eyes and actually get to sleep. I wonder if this stranger cared for me. He was such a dream. Almost good enough to marry. Marry me Kind
Sir.
Oh yes of course I'll gladly accept.
Yes I will marry you.
Marry me and I will forever be happy.