Dreams of America (a fictitious story by David Charles Kramer)
Dreams of America (a fictitious story by David Charles Kramer) Gnorrth was at war with itself. The North said it was fighting to end slavery. The South said it was fighting to preserve order. Black fought black. Each side claimed righteousness. Between them, the camps multiplied. No one in the camp argued about politics anymore. War was something that happened far away. Suffering was not. They had been taken from another country no one named anymore. Only the crossing remained. The ships had no space for dignity. Only bodies. Chains. Breath shared between too many lungs. No separation from sickness. No sense of time. Some people died. Some people wished they had. Everyone arrived. “Move, bigot.” The word replaced their names. It wasn’t shouted often. It didn’t need to be. It settled into the bones. Elias worked where the ground never seemed to change. Dirt became stone. Stone became dust. Dust became mud. And then it started again. Beside him...