Rafa hurried through the dark of the new moon evening, stumbling on unseen objects, making his way to see Mother Conga Carlota the Astrologer. I must have counsel before Pêro leaves tomorrow. He pulled up the collar of his shirt.
I must have counsel before Pêro leaves tomorrow.Yes, he was free, but he’d never be free of this damning mark. The search for escaped slaves and prisoners was a daily affair now throughout the city and, even though he was neither, incorrect identification was an ongoing problem. His neck muscles clenched. He veered off the main throughway of the Mocambo, threading through the narrow paths and hidden back alleys of the quarter, ones only the residents of the barrio could navigate.
Shoulders brushing the broken packed-earth concession walls, Rafa halted abruptly b
