I winced as I felt the edge of the dagger start to scratch the bottom of the sole of my thin leather boot. Johannes smirked under me as I glared.

My mind raced with ideas. Zarfia was starting to climb the ladder behind Johannes. Baron looked down at me in confusion as I refused to climb down. The best course of action now is to follow Johannes's orders. After complying to his requests I can find a way to get Abrafo away from my s.h.i.+p.

I didn't come here with a half-hearted resolve after all. I sighed as I said to Baron.

"Continue climbing up Baron."

Baron shook his head as he said.

"Believe me Mila, there are things that I've seen just from the deck that indicate this is a large mistake."

I felt like I couldn't tell Baron about the fact that I had a dagger poking my shoe. I'm sorry dude but I don't want to f.u.c.king lose my foot. I think that I still need it.

Baron sighed as he looked at my pleading expression. He peered over to look at a smiling Johannes. Baron nodded before he climbed up the last steps of the ladder and jumped up on deck. I followed him and did the same.

My heart fell to the very tips of my toes as I set my eyes on what Baron had prevented me from seeing. My hand trembled as it covered my mouth to prevent my screaming. The sound of Johannes and Zarfia jumping on deck next to me filled my ears as time seemed to stop.

On the large deck were a handful of naked African men, women, and children tied up as they struggled to escape. Red welts covered their bodies as three men walked around with whips in their hands. One of them smirked as he cracked his whip on the back of a small little girl. The man's wild black hair and beard matched his malicious features and large body.

The screams of the little girl pierced my heart as red welts appeared on her small back. Children next to her cried as they awaited their fates. The man then spoke.

"This is a punishment for your attempts at trying to escape. Did you think that jumping overboard would save you? Hahaha! Don't worry you ugly dogs you'll be getting your wished deaths soon."

The girl face was filled with terror and fear as she closed her eyes in antic.i.p.ation of the next hit. I winced as the whip came down on my back. I covered the little girl's body as I held her close to my chest. The man stopped cracking his whip as he noticed that he had hit me instead of the girl. I had never run so fast in my life before.

I just couldn't stand the sound of this girl's screaming anymore. Tears fell down my cheeks as my body shook. This poor little girl. The amount of s.h.i.+t that she must have seen and endured. I peered over to look at the other children look at me as if I was a saint. I smiled at them as I set the crying girl down and stood up to face the man.

He was easily double my size. My back burned in the place that he had whipped me. I glared at him as he looked at me in shock. This was probably the first tome that he had seen a white person save a slave. His small mind was probably struggling to understand it. I heard the sound of Baron and Zarfia's footsteps. .h.i.tting the deck as they ran towards me. I raised my hand as they stopped. I then told them.

"Don't come any closer. Stay there next to that mother f.u.c.ker."

Johannes smirked as he watched me amused. One of the men holding a whip brought a chair that Johannes sat on. Johannes crossed his legs as he sat watching me. It was as if he was some tyrannical king watching an execution. I looked at the man in front of me and said.

"What's your name?"

The man trembled under my hateful gaze as he said.

"Connor m'lady. I apologize for hitting you. You just seemed to come under the line of the whip."

I smirked. Oh?

So he apologized to me for one single whip hit but doesn't apologize to these innocent people whom he whips every day?

I turned as my heart clenched watching their terrified expressions. My eyes slid over to look at Johannes who was now enjoying a gla.s.s of red wine while watching this. My blood boiled as I felt my senses numb with anger. This man was enjoying this. He truly did enjoy watching others suffer. I spit on the ground and looked at Johannes. Johannes frowned as he understood what I meant with my spit.

I unb.u.t.toned my coat and let it fall to the ground as I unb.u.t.toned the blouse underneath as well. Baron then yelled out.

"Mila! What in h.e.l.l are you doing?"

"Baron. Didn't I tell you to stay where you are shut up?"

Baron shut his mouth as he watched my eyes burn with anger. Johannes raised his eyebrow in amus.e.m.e.nt as he watched me remove my blouse and place it on the floor next to my coat. All I had on were my slacks and corset. I then sat on my knees and faced the man. My eyes slid over to Johannes as I said.

"How many times where you going to whip the remaining individuals?"

Johannes chuckled deeply as he said.

"Ten whippings to each individual and there are five left. That would make it fifty. Why do you ask my dear Mila."

I lowered my head as I said.

"Release the five remaining children and give me the whippings instead."

"No Miss Mila!"

"Are you crazy Mila!"

Baron and Zarfia's cries filled my ears as I clenched my fists. This was the least that I could do for the moment. The five children left were no older than six years old. A child should not go through this h.e.l.l. They will surely die. I don't want to watch anyone die for the time being.

A deep rumbling laughter vibrates the deck. I looked to see Johannes slap his knee as he laughed. Tears leaked from his eyes. I clenched my fists as I felt the same fit of anger fill me. Johannes then sobered up as one of the men with a whip handed him a handkerchief to wipe away his tears.

My heart burned as hatred consumed me. This man. This man. Once I get my hands on him, I'm going to tear his limbs apart! But for now I must endure. I can't even imagine paying for all of the pain that these individuals have faced with my life alone. Nothing can atone for the sins of my people.

Johannes waved his hand and said.

"If the Miss would like that then go ahead Connor."

Connor hesitated as he looked down at me. The welt on my back was already burning like a b.i.t.c.h. I nodded as Zarfia held back a distressed Baron. Baron tried to release himself from her grip but she held on tight. I took out the gun from my holster and pointed it at Johannes.

"What are you hesitating for b.i.t.c.h? If you don't start hitting me now I'll shoot your captain right f.u.c.king now."

Connor's eyes widened as his hands clenched the whip. Johannes has a smile which stretched from one ear to another. His cheeks were flushed as the emotion of desire filled his golden eyes. He licked his lips as he said.

"Go ahead Connor. Why are you hesitating? Or do you want to be in the receiving end of the las.h.i.+ngs?"

Connor shook his head as he raised his whip. I put my pistol on the ground as I closed my eyes and braced myself for the pain. The men, women, and children watched me with concern.

I bit my lip till it bled as the las.h.i.+ngs came down on my back. One. Two. Three. My eyes blurred as I focused on counting the hits in order to avoid losing my consciousness. Crimson leaked down my mouth as my bitten lip bled along with my palms as my nails dug into them. Baron's yells filled my ears as I felt my consciousness start to slip away with the pain.

The whip wasn't a regular belt, instead it had shards of gla.s.s on the edges thus burning the skin as it slashed it. The amount of pain that I was experiencing could not be put into words. Every cell in my body screamed as the las.h.i.+ngs. .h.i.t me anonymously. My hands. My arms. My back. My collarbone. My cheeks. My legs. My thighs. My back.

h.e.l.l was an understatement to hat I was feeling.

My whole being trembled with every las.h.i.+ng. Which number was I on? Thirty. Thirty one. Thirty two. Only eighteen more. I can make it. I can make it.

I can make it....

The last thing I saw was Johannes's smiling face and Baron's screaming expression as I closed my eyes and submitted to the darkness.

...........

Thank you so much for reading my luvs! Stay safe and be careful❤️