His Dark Obsession

Chapter 1

I smiled at the pretty, colorful butterfly flying around me; its wings reminded me of a rainbow. It was so beautiful.

I calculated the butterflies' next movement before reaching my hand out and grabbing ahold of its wings between my fingers. I held it up closer to my face and scrutinized it. Unfortunately, it wasn't as pretty as I thought it was. First, its face and body didn't represent its wings' beauty.

"Dollanie baby, what are you doing?" I turned around to see my mama walking toward me with curiosity written on her face. My mama was the most beautiful woman that I've ever seen. Her beautiful face glowed in the light as she smiled down at me, her cheeks covered with freckles that I had inherited from her. Her long luscious afro flowed down her back as she had just combed it into two cornrow braids, similar to my braided hair. Dark chocolate brown eyes shined back at me as she kneeled to my eye level. I brought the butterfly into her sight, showing her what I had caught. "Look, mama. It's a butterfly, isn't it beautiful?"

"Yes, baby, it is beautiful; why did you catch it?" mama asked, holding my hand before gently taking the butterfly away from me. "Because its wings are pretty, I thought its body would've been pretty too, but it wasn't. It's scary."

"I see, baby, it's not fair for you to take something because it's beautiful; you could have broken its wings, then guess what? It wouldn't be able to fly anymore. That's not very nice, is it?"

"No, I'm sorry, butterfly" now I felt bad for the butterfly; I could have hurt it or made it never wake up. "Give me your hands," mama said, holding her hands out for me. I placed my hands on her with my palm facing up. She gently placed the butterfly in my hand, and as soon as she did, it flew away immediately, far away out of our small village.

My stomach started growling, catching my attention; I looked up to see my mama smiling down at me. "Is my baby hungry?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then come on and let's feed that little tummy," she said, tickling my tummy, causing me to giggle. I was very ticklish "stop it, that tickles," I said between waves of laughter, causing her to stop and grab my hand gently as we walked back into our tiny home.

I sat on the mattress on the floor as my mama walked over to the pot of food and brought me a plate of ugali, and we started eating. My mama makes the best food. I love them so much that I hope she can teach me to cook one day. Unfortunately, I can only help her by carrying and bringing her supplies far away from the fire. She didn't want me to get hurt; she said I was only eight and would teach me to cook when I got older. I can't wait to be older.

After eating, I ran out of the house and to the backyard, where we had a guava tree. The sun was beaming down on us. As I looked up at the top of the tree, analyzing how I would get there, I squinted my eyes and examined the tree for any bugs or sharp branches. I started climbing it when I had located some and deemed it safe. I wanted to taste something fruity and sweet. Guava is my favorite, after mangos, of course, but we don't get a lot of mangos around here. Mama said it was because we don't have a mango seed; why don't we have them? Why don't we have other fruits other than guava? I always have many questions like why are there only ten people in our village? Why are there no boys other than uncle Addo and Baako? Where is everyone else?

Everything was so confusing to me, but I am a patient girl. Mama said she would answer all my questions when I was older. After I finally climbed up the tree and sat down. I can see the front of our house from up here and the whole village.

I looked around to see what everyone was doing and giggled when I noticed Amanda trying to cut a piece of wood, she lifted the ax over her head before swinging it down, but she missed. She needs to be more careful, so she doesn't hurt herself.

My attention was drawn away from her when I heard yelling. It was Baako. Why is he running and yelling? "They're coming; run!"

Who's coming?

"Dollanie! Where are you!"

"Mama! I'm right here," I called out to her; not soon after, she came running with a bag wrapped around her, "jump down to me. Let's go!"

I was so scared to jump down, afraid of hurting myself, but I would if my mama said to jump. She knew what was best for me. So I quickly jumped and landed in her arms; she put me down and grabbed my hand before running, pulling me along with her. "Mama, what is happening? Wh- why are we run- running?" I was terrified at my mama's speed, forcing me to match her pace, but my little legs couldn't; they were burning.

"I can't run- more; my leg hurts a lot."

"We have to keep going," she said, hauled me into her arms, and continued running with me wrapped around her.

Why is my mama so scared? And what are we running from? The sounds of branches and leaves getting crushed under my mama's feet and our heavy breathing were the only things I could hear as she ran through the forest.

I closed my eyes and buried my face in my mama's chest, not wanting to see all this. I was scared and didn't even know what we were running from. What about my aunties and uncles back in the village? Are they okay?

My eyes snapped open as I heard my mama scream. I looked up and saw a rope around her neck; she was pulled back, causing her to fall on her back and me to land on top of her. "mama!" I tried to pull the rope off her, but she was dragged to the floor.

She struggled against the rope and eventually got it off and pushed me behind her. "Baby, quickly go hide behind that tree, don't come out" I listened to her and hid behind the big tree. I heard shuffling, running, and sounds of neighs made by some animals as they neared my mama; what was it? I wanted to peek my head from behind the tree and look, but I was too afraid.

"Zoolanie, we meet again" I shivered at the rough voice of the male speaking to my mama. "It's impressive how you slaves think. I have to give it to you though, managing to escape the palace for 8 years now. Impressive, but that is over. Come back with us peacefully, or we will take you by force." take my mama away? No!

"All my life, I was trapped by you imbeciles; I'd rather die than go back to that ruthless kingdom," my mama yelled angrily; I'd never heard her speak like that. A gasp escaped my mouth when the harsh sound of skin landing against skin echoed throughout the forest. I knew my mama was being hurt; it made perfect sense. I wanted to run to my mama and pulled her into a hug but restricted myself, she told me not to come out for a reason.

"Fucking ungrateful filth" this time, the thud of a body was heard. Please, God, save my mama, don't let them hurt her anymore.

"You will come with us willingly!"

"Never!" my mama yelled back, matching his tone. Tears fell down my cheeks when I heard my mama being kicked to the floor.

"Hold on." All the noises stopped when I heard the gruff voice say. "Someone is whimpering." I quickly placed my hand over my mouth when I realized the sounds were coming from me.

"Who the fuck could be hiding here??" He yelled and slapped my mama again, but she remained silent and calm. Then, I screamed when I was pulled from behind the tree and into somebody's chest.

"Nooo," my mama said and tried running towards us. I watched as my mama's hair got snatched and harshly pushed back on the floor.

My lips tremble with tears flowing down my cheeks as I struggle to free myself from our attacker. "Wow, incredible! She looks just like you, Zoolanie, but so different." I watched as a man with white skin approached me; his eyes were a color that I had never seen before; they were light green, reminding me of a rainy day in the forest. His eyes were full of evil intention. I looked around and noticed about six males who looked so different from me and my aunts and uncles; they were white, with different hair colors and textures, eye colors, and even face structures. I flinched when he gently placed his hand against my cheek and ran it up and down my face, "Why can't we smell her?" someone asked, not too far away from us. "Don't fucking touch her! I will kill all of you, I swear! Don't touch my baby!"

"Oh, relax, you know we don't hurt kids. Let us go home, my wild Zoo, oh and our new strange collection," he said and started laughing with the other white males surrounding us.

I screamed when one of the males marched over to my mama with a long black metal thing and struck mama on her head, making her fall down to the floor, unresponsive.