Blood Red Road

man, Miz Pinch. I ain’t in the mood fer no time wasters.
    Miz Pinch goes still. Like a rattlesnake about to strike. Them Tonton guards of yers is all chaaled up, Cage Master, she says. You better hope that my—that … certain people don’t find out that yer lettin standards slip.
    His face goes pale. He pulls the napkin from his neck an wipes his greasy mouth an fat greasy fingers on it. But … my guards’re clean, he says, I swear they are!
    It don’t look that way to me, says Miz Pinch. Ain’t that right, Rooster?
    Yes my dear, he says. Whatever you say, my dove.
    I look at Miz Pinch, then the Cage Master. They’re starin at each other. The Tonton warn’t chewin on no chaal leaf. She don’t like the way he talked to her an she’ll settle the score by makin trouble fer him.
    Well, what’re you waitin fer? says Miz Pinch. You better see to it.
    Yes, he says. Yes. He hesitates, still chewin. Then, he heaves hisself to his feet an waddles around the table.
    DeMalo! he bellows. DeMalo!
    The door behind the table opens a crack. The noise outside spills in, a deafenin roar, as a man slips through. The sound fades as he closes the door behind him.
    He’s a Tonton. Tall, like they all seem to be, an robed head to foot in black. But this one wears metal body armor over his robes where the rest wear leather. A shiny breastplate an armbands from his wrists to his elbows. Long dark hair tied back. A watchful face. A strong face, with broad cheekbones. You don’t call men beautiful, I know that. But all the same, that’s what he is.
    He says nuthin. Waits.
    The Cage Master, so cocky jest a moment ago, shrinks. He looks off to the side of DeMalo when he says, Uh … this … uh Miz Pinch seems to think there’s a problem with the guards on the door. Of course I uh … assured her that we run a tight ship here but uh … I’d be ah … most … ah …
    DeMalo don’t show that he’s even listenin. He moves towards the main door, silent as a cat. As he goes past us, he pauses. Right in front of me.
    He raises his head. His eyes meet mine. They’re deep set. Dark, almost black. Full of shadows.
    Time shrieks to a halt. I cain’t move. I cain’t breathe. I cain’t take my eyes from his. I don’t want to.
    Lookin deep inside of me .
    Findin my darkest thoughts, my worst fears .
    I know you , a voice whispers. I know you .
    Cold starts to creep through my blood. I shiver. It runs through my whole body, from my toes to my head. He feels it. Sees it. There’s a slight flicker in his eyes. Then he moves, slips through the door an he’s gone.
    It only lasted a heartbeat. Him an me, locked inside a heartbeat.
    Nobody says nuthin fer a long moment. Nobody moves. It’s like we all felt the same thing. Like we all stopped breathin.
    What jest happened here? Who is he? They’re all afeared of him.
    Then the Cage Master lunges at the table, pours hisself a cup of grog an drinks it dry. He slumps into his chair, moppin at his forehead with his napkin.
    So, says Miz Pinch, we unnerstand each other, I think.
    Yes, he says. Of course. Now, you’ve brought somethin to show me. Yer latest acquisition, I take it. He looks me over with his greedy little eyes. So, you think she’ll be good in the Cage.
    I don’t think, Miz Pinch says, I know. This one’s very rare. Very fine.
    Not like that last one you brought me then, he says. She was a disappointment. Didn’t cooperate at all. I was startin to think that maybe yer judgement ain’t what it used to be, ha ha!
    Miz Pinch’s neck flushes a dull red. Her hands clench into fists. Mind what you say, Cage Master, she says.
    I … I meant no disrespeck, Miz Pinch. You know me, I didn’t mean to—
    Jest remember who yer talkin to, she says. Who I am. I got influence! Anyways, I dealt with that girl. She got what she deserved.
    That’s right! That’s the way! Yer one in a million! Well go on, he says, let’s take a good look at this prize of yers.
    Step up, she says to me. She goes to give me a push between the shoulders but I shrug her off.
    Don’t give in to fear, Saba. Be strong, like I know you are .
    I take my time walkin up to the table. My ankle chains clank on the stone floor. I hook a chair with my foot, pull it over an sit down.
    I lift my chained hands, help myself to one of the roasted sparrows an bite the head off. Then I pour a cup of grog an drink it down, starin at him the whole time. I put the empty cup upside down on the table.
    He