But of course...this all started many years before my death...
Any hopes of a breeze were absent on the 16th day of August, the year of 1714. The sun was in the middle of the sky, its rays burning the ground and tanning the skin. The only sound that could be heard if you stood in the middle of the dirt path was a faint clicking and humming. If you walked closer, the clicking would turn louder into the sounds picks and shovels hitting the dirt. The humming turned into a choir of melancholy voices, singing a song of hope and deliverance.
Another sound merged into the already present ones, the sound of a small horse drawn wagon that made its way down the small path up to the house that was in the middle of the plantation. The dark red mansion with white trim loomed above the visitor as his carriage came to a stop by the front door. The song of the workers ignored him, the words floating on the windless air:
A mighty Fortress is our God
A Bulwark never failing
Our Helper He amidst the flood
Of mortal ills prevailing
For still our ancient foe
Doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and pow'r are great,
And armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.
A young man of about 25 stepped out of the hutch, carrying in his hand a small black handbag that immediately began absorbing the suns heat as he walked to the front door. He had just raised his fist to knock when the door swung inwards to reveal a black, older woman, dressed somewhat elegantly for a slave.
"Ye mus' be th' doctor."
"I am."
"Com' on insi'. Theys waitin' for ye upstai-uhs."
The door closed behind the doctor as he stepped inside.
Meanwhile, behind the small mansion sitting on a wooden step were two other figures. One, a tall, dark, and lanky male that was dressed in a pale white worker's shirt, dark trousers, and worn sandals; the other a pale young girl of about the age 15 whose long black curls hung around her shoulders and contrasted her face immensely.
"What's wrong with Mama?" the girl asked timidly.
The dark man placed his hand on the girl's shoulder and squeezed gently. "There's nuthin' wrong with yo mama, Nova," he replied to her softly.
"Then why did Papa have to call the doctor over?"
"Your Papa is concerned for her."
"Shouldn't I be concerned, Amadi?"
Amadi looked into her eyes, his own sad ones shiny with unshed tears. "Your papa has enough concern for the both of you. All you need to do is pray."
"I'm sick of praying."
"Then I shall pray for you. How is that?"
The girl smiled. "How did you ever end up here, Amadi? You don't deserve this life."
"Who are you to tell me what I deserve?" Amadi asked lightly. "God has put me here for a purpose and I rejoice for whatever that purpose may be."
She smiled. "I hope someday I will have as much faith as you. It makes your eyes glow and your heart get bigger."
He laughed. "So you can see through me?"
"I can feel it."
Amadi wrapped the child into a big hug, rocking her slightly back and forth. "You are such a special child, Nova. But soon, you will no longer be a young girl. You will grow into a beautiful young woman and live up to the name given to you."
"My name is too big. I do not want it."
Amadi let her go so he could look into her golden eyes. "You are right. Your name is too big for you right now. But do not throw it away," he said sternly, clasping her firmly on the shoulders and keeping intense eye contact. "Keep it safe and use it when the time is right for it."
"How will I know when the time is right, Amadi?"
"You will know. It takes many years to learn things like that.How long do you think it took for me to learn that God has given me a purpose?
The child appeared to be thinking. "A long time."
"Yes."
The two sat in silence for a moment, the sounds of the shovels and singing filling their ears. The girl looked up at the second floor of her home, gazing at the window longingly.
"Nova."
"Yes, Amadi?"
"Promise your old friend something?"
"Anything, Amadi. I would do anything for you."
"Whenever you are afraid, I want you to think of your name. It is very powerful, so powerful you mustn't even speak it aloud. It will chase away any fear, no matter how great, and it will give you strength. Do you understand?"
"My name isn't that magnificent, Amadi," she replied doubtfully. "I don't see how it could make me not afraid."
He smiled. "You will see, Nova. When that day comes when you shall speak it aloud, the earth will tremble in fear and knees will buckle."
"Now you're just telling tall tales."
"I am not," Amadi said seriously. "It will be bravura the day you are known as --"
xxx
"Known as?"
Blackbird laughed. "You didn't really think I was going to tell you, did you?"
Jack frowned.
"Don't get me wrong, Jack, I've grown up. I don't give a shit about what Amadi said. But I still don't feel quite comfortable with the idea of letting myself loose that way."
He shrugged. "Suit yourself, girly."
"I'm no girly," she replied defensively.
Jack grinned. "Touched a soft spot, 'ave I?"
"No," she replied, still in defense mode. "Are you interested or not, because I can just as easily quit now." Blackbird stood up abruptly, ready to swish past Jack to the party outside.
"Nah, nah," Jack said, placing a hand on her leg to stop her. She glared at him. "Please, by now you should know that I'm anything but a gentleman." She seemed to consider this as he flashed a golden toothed smile.
"All right, Jack," she said, shoving him lightly on the shoulder as she sat back down. "Now this next part...this you'll have to pay attention to, because even I still don't understand everything."
-TBC
("A Mighty Fortress is Our God" © Martin Luther)
