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Aldershot snapped out of a nightmare inside his cabin. His body, distempered with a slight calenture and nightgown soaked with sweat. Nevertheless he was glad it was only a dream after seeing himself bolt down a shoreline away from many angered African children that held sticks and wanted to assail him to death. He lit a lanthorn to illuminate his dark cabin, fell to his knees and said prayers of forgiveness to God. In between his prayers Mr. Richardson knocked on his door. Aldershot had told Richardson the night before to see him in the morning so they could finalize plans on how they would sell their acquired property. ‘You may come in,’ he granted.
‘Sorry if I’s disturb your prayers, lord Aldershot,’ said Richardson. He brought with him a bottle of Gin.
Aldershot sat on his spring bed and said, ‘Not too early for a booze?’
A smug smile on his face, Richardson pulled a chair from the table. He doffed his round-crown hat and said, ‘Heard you asking for me Lord’s mercy. You really think God cares ‘bout these bondmen?’
Aldershot fanned himself and answered, ‘I don’t know what to believe anymore. Just yesterday I felt no guilt at all, this morning I feel strange. I’m not sure if it’s right to force our perceived good on other human beings?’
Richardson scoffed. ‘Ain’t gon’ be compared to dem’ animals, sire. Lang syne when we was growing up in Baptist, dem’ priests make us believe in something they call Individual Soul Liberty.’
Richardson’s words felt like doses of relief medicine for Aldershot’s weary frame. ‘What signify that?’ He wanted to hear more.
Richardson put the bottle to his lips and tippled. ‘It signify every man or woman gat liberty to choose what him or she conscience see right, and him or she ain’t responsible to no one but him Author for whatever they done.’ Richardson continued with fervor, ‘Sire, God make dem’ niggers to serve we whites. Tis’ God who done these thing, you ain’t need to worry ‘bout that.’
‘But Gabriel, if scriptures say, “He hath made from one blood all nations of men”, does this not mean our perception about different races is a social construct? Let’s not blaspheme against the good Lord.’
‘Yes, you’s right on that, but after Ham gone sleep’d with him father wife, God command that dem’ niggers slave for the others.’
‘And you can demonstrate the blacks come from Ham?’
‘Ain’t that obvious, sire. We white is Japheth. Dem’ Arab, Indiun and Chinese peoples in the East is Shem. Be advised, Isaiah say’d we go forth and inherit wealth of dem’ gentiles. Leviticus say’d we gat right to buy and sell dem’ niggers. Deuteronomy say’d we sleep with dem’ women if we like. If we ain’t act fast, somebody else gon’ do these things, maybe them from East. That the truth, sire.’
‘So you don’t think Africans should have the liberty of ruling themselves?’
Richardson guffawed. ‘Africa just a big piece of juicy steak, sire; we gat the fork and knife. Look it this way. They gat gold, right? We takes it, turn the damned thing into jewelry and trade it back to dem’ chiefs. Dem’ chiefs in barter give us they peoples as slaves. Tis’ dem’ slaves that build we Country back home. Good profit, ain’t it? Why stop we now? The old adage always stand, boss, “like a mule keep the nigger fit but dumb”.’
Aldershot shook his head in defiance. Richardson’s views now felt like a legion of demons swimming without restraint inside him. He said to his assistant, ‘I think you are leaving the subject of faith and getting somewhat philosophical here. Your words are specious but I struggle to advocate, as you continue to misconstrue scriptures having no letters in subjects in which you speak. Although I do tend to agree with your ideology in a manner of speaking, Richardson, that we must seize the advantage while we can. Now let’s discuss business.’

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well, interesting cover.