Soon there reached an unpaved road and Leah watched all signs of civilization disappear into the background. Bright sunlight almost blinded her as she surveyed the countryside whizzing by while she was tossed around in her cage every time the truck hit a bump, which seemed to be constantly. Savannahs dotted with red blossomed trees stretched out as far as she could see. The scenery was so beautiful she forgot for a minute that she was naked, trapped behind iron bars and had been illegally transported to a foreign country.
They drove for hours as the hot sun beat down on her covered cage. She would have surely roasted to death if it weren’t for the breeze from the traveling truck. Soon the blank countryside became more and more forested and the truck slowed down considerably to compensate for the pitted ground that passed for a road.
After a few minutes of traveling at a crawl, heat and humidity began to fill Leah’s enclosure. It must have been around noon and the overhead sun was barely tempered by the canvas covering her cage. She was so enthralled by her forested surroundings that she didn’t notice the temperature increasing as she continued to look out through a small slit between the cloth panels. One summer after college, she’d done an internship in the rainforest of Brazil and had fallen in love with the jungle. She’d always wanted to live and work there permanently, but it just wasn’t in the cards. Leah was so excited to be back, she almost didn’t care how she’d got here. At the very least, she’d die in a place that she loved.
The truck made a right turn and all of the sudden the road was smooth. It picked up speed again and Leah began to cool off, only now realizing how hot she had gotten. After driving for a few miles they came to a slow stop and did a three point turn to reverse its position before the driver turned the engine off. Leah heard the sounds of both doors slamming and several men exiting the vehicle. The severity of her situation occurred to her once again as she slid to the back of the cage, covering her nakedness with her hands.
They were speaking in Spanish to each other, but again too quickly for her to understand. She thought one of them said We’re just supposed to leave it here? and another man definitely answered Si. The straps above her slid away and her cage was hoisted over the edge of the truck and gently lowered to the ground. She tentatively peered out to see four men climbing into the truck before it drove away on a newly paved road as the sound of the engine disappeared into the forest.
Leah sat inside of her prison dumbfounded and frightened. For a few minutes, the only sound was her heavy breathing. The light began to dim and all of the sudden she heard the calls of birds and monkeys echoing through the forest. Fat raindrops started to fall on the canvas still covering her cage as the low rumble of thunder mingled with the animals’ cries.
The sound of the rain was actually soothing and Leah lay down on the mattress as water trickled onto her body through the cloth. She had now idea what to do, how long it would be until someone came for her, and she didn’t want to think about what they would once they did. Then she sat up with a fright as she heard voices coming towards her. Small brown fingers undid the ties on the covering and the canvas flowed freely in the wind. Leah began to feel lightheaded and thought that she would surely pass out as the panels were pulled away. There was nothing but iron bars between her naked body and whatever waited for her in the jungle.
When she opened her eyes, she looked up and saw the smiling face of the old woman that fed her on the ship. She was surrounded by 3 other women, all of them dark skinned and middle aged. The old woman dropped a large shirt through the top of the cage and Leah quickly put it on. Opening the door, the old woman looked at her sternly and motioned for her to put her hands out in front of her. For a moment, Leah thought about making a run for it, but where would she go? She wouldn’t last more than a day practically naked in the jungle and would surely be found.
When Leah complied, the old woman clamped a pair of iron shackles on her wrists and guided her as she stepped out of the cage. She got a full look at her surroundings, smiling as she took in the beautiful trees and vines that made up the forest. The clouds were parting and the rain slowed to a drizzle as the sun came out again. Vapor started to rise from the puddles next to the road, the sweltering humidity returning rapidly as they fastened a pair of sandals to her feet and tied her ankles together with a length of rope.
The women started walking down a path through the trees and the old woman motioned for Leah to follow. She obeyed. It felt wonderful to stretch her legs and move around outside of the cage. The ladies chattered in a language she couldn’t understand and every time she got distracted by something on the side of the path, the old woman give her a sharp poke in the ribs to move her along.