Samara
My wrists were sore, my mouth was becoming dry, and the heat creeping from beneath the door was starting to wrap around me. “It’s hot,” I whined.
The licking of my lips became rapid. That was when I remembered Shantel had come in here with food and water. The only thing was that I couldn’t see. My leg moved slowly as I tried to feel for the tray she brought. “Come on, come on,” I muttered.
When the tip of my foot hit it, I became excited.
I tried focusing on pulling it in with my foot, then stopped when I heard the door open.
Whomever it was moved so fast I couldn’t see if it was Shantel who came in or that man with the shiny bald head.
The whispers and snickers were so soft that they almost sounded like mice were having a conversation.
Suddenly, light came through the small window, causing me to turn my head.
“Are you thirsty?” I heard a girl’s voice.
“Obviously, she’s thirsty,” a male’s voice followed.
When they stepped into the light, I thought I was on an episode of Little House on the Prairie. Both looked about my age, but like they were caught up in some fucked up lifestyle.
“Get me out of here,” I told them.
They stood there as if I spoke another language.
“Hello!” I shouted.
The girl stooped in front of me. “They won’t let you out if you keep yelling. Here, drink some water,” she said, holding the cup near my mouth.
My lips landed on the cup and guzzled down every bit of what I didn’t spill of the water. When she pulled the cup away, she stood back up.
“What’s your name?” the boy asked.
“It’s Get Me the Fuck Out of Here.”
They both looked at each other, then back at me. “You shouldn’t talk like that. You won’t get to heaven speaking in such language,” the girl said.
I scoffed. “Girl, the way I talk is the least of your worries. I’m going to warn y’all now: if you don’t let me go, my family is going to burn this place down.”
“We are your family. We overheard Light of Jess-a-belle, and—”
“The light of what?”
The boy squatted in front of me. “Your mother. She’s your mother, right?”
It was one thing to see and read about cults, but to be a witness to it was different.
I wanted to insult both of them, but I could tell by how they were dressed and spoke that they grew up in this shit.
Oftentimes, we were so quick to say what another race did, but what was I to say while sitting in front of a cult with people who looked like me?
They were both good-looking with brown skin, perfect, coarse, coily hair, and both seemed to be in their right mind. “What are y’all’s names and how old are you?” I asked.
The girl smiled. “I’m Bronze, and I’m twenty years around the sun.”
He smirked. “I’m Russet, and I’m twenty-three years around the sun.”
“Bronze and Russet, huh? So, you guys are named after shades of brown?”
He started to untie me. “Yes. Brown is the color of royalty, a melanin that can’t be mimicked.”
Once my hands were free, I quickly stood. “Okay, Bronze and Russet, show me how to get out of here.”
“The only way out is through obedience, loyalty, and sacrifice,” Russet said.
I shook my head. “Look, I don’t want any part of what you guys have here. I have an entire life outside of this. I have a family, a fiancé—” I pointed, noticing my ring was missing. “—Where is my ring?” I panicked as I felt my neck and realized my necklace was missing, too.
Bronze swung side to side giddily. “All worldly things are of the Mighty One.”
“Take me to him now!” I shouted.
Russet came closer to me, staring at me curiously. “Why are you so eager to go back to a place that serves you no purpose? Look at how angry you are. You know nothing about Shine Your Light; yet, you are judging us.”
The more he talked, the more I began to realize he wasn’t born in this place, and if I knew nothing else, I knew with a little convincing he would be my easiest target.