It was suffocating, dark and crammed with shackled slaves. There were no toilets in the catacombs where they were kept before being taken to the auction block to be inspected and sold. She was one of the lucky ones who had survived the long and harrowing journey across the sea to Zanzibar.
The following day, she was sold to an English gentleman who took her back to Liverpool. He never married and she became his life-long partner.
77 Words
I learned today that slaves were kept in catacombs below a church as they waited to be put on the auction block to be inspected by potential buyers. The conditions were appalling and inhumane. You can read more about it here. Instead of having my heroine shipped off to an Arab country as was usually the case, I had her taken to England instead.
This was written for the Weekend Writing Prompt by Sammi Cox. For instructions, click Here.
Sources: Atlas Obscura; Wikipedia; Canstock Photo
Notes to Women 
Partner may be too generous a term, as she still had no choice in the arrangement, but maybe, as implied, he was generous with her.
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He bought her at the slave market but he didn’t treat her as a slave. It’s similar to Potiphar and Joseph. Although Potiphar bought Joseph as a slave, he put him in charge of his household affairs. The Englishman and the woman became common-law partners. She was the reason why he never got married.
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The inhumanity of humanity. Thanks for this dark truth.
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It is indeed a dark truth which I wish didn’t exist. The horrific things humanity is guilty of…You’re welcome, Bill.
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🙂
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*sigh* and this would make her one of the “lucky” ones 😦
Sincerely,
David
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