Wild, Beautiful, and Free

by Sophfronia Scott

“I wouldn’t want to think like white people do. If being lighter means I might see myself as better than someone else, I don’t want no part of that.”

If it weren’t dark, I’m not sure I could have done it. I could only see a little bit at a time, just what was within the circle of my lantern light. That was hideous enough. The thought of that sight multiplied a thousandfold was too much to bear. I saw torsos with limbs blown off. Young pale faces tilted up, their mouths gaping open, as though trying to catch rain for a drink. Men crumpled, like their souls had just slipped off the bodies and discarded them.