Jahl lives with his people, the Hamica, in the jungles of a nameless world. They live at one with nature. It’s a simple existence, centred around family and community. One day all this is snatched away when Jahl is captured by slavers. But he’s a proud man from a proud people, and he never shows his fright or anxiety, despite what he feels inside. They take him through the jungle, through swampland and farmland, to a town that has seen many like him come before. In a strange, wooden building in the middle of the town square, Jahl is put into a harness, naked and spread-eagle for all who have gathered there to see. It’s humiliating and degrading, especially when the bidding starts. For the first time, Jahl is truly frightened. Who will purchase him? And for what purpose?

Goodbye to the Jungle

He washed, then dried himself with one of the towels that sat folded and stacked on a shelf. He hung the towel on a peg to dry and returned to Brocknor.


“Ready,” he said, eager to escape the confines of the villa walls, if only for an hour or so.


“Good. We won’t delay. Could you collect those?” He pointed to three bags made of twisted and tied dried seagrass. “We’ll need those to carry things.”


They bid goodbye to Mari, crossed the front yard, and exited through the large wooden gate. An elderly man stood on the other side.


“Ah, Ralan,” said Brocknor. “Is everything ready? Your men? Your tools?”


“Good. Good. Then I won’t hold you up. We’ll be gone about an hour.”


Obviously satisfied, Brocknor started heading into town with Jahl beside him.


Chapter 14