Forbidden love with a forbidden colour

~Forbidden Love with a Forbidden Colour~


Jimmy looked over at Maria, his eyes glistening with rage and hurt. He seemed to be saying something to her but she couldn’t make out what. Maria trembled, as his eyes seemed large and hurting. His dark skin and tall figure reminded her of the romantic nights they had once had together. Those passionate nights, secretly in a secluded area. Her life had felt brilliant then and she didn’t want that bliss to end. Now, there they were, standing at the front of a courthouse with their whole community watching and Jimmy was about to be put to death for “forcing” Maria to marry him. It was forbidden in the Country; the death sentence was given to any Black man who tried to marry a White woman.
Slowly, he raised his hand and blew her a kiss. Maria stared at him; her feet were unable to move as she watched him being lead away. Tears fell down her cheeks as she reached out wanting to hold her love one more time. Suddenly, before leaving the room Jimmy pulled free from the policemen and ran forward towards her. Maria felt his strong arms around her as her tears fell down her face. She cried out loud as she pulled him closer.
‘I’ll love you forever Maria.’ Jimmy whispered struggling to hold her as policemen tried to pull him away.
‘I love you too Jimmy, I always will.’ Maria cried, and screamed when he was ripped from her arms.
Looking into her eyes, one last time, he ran towards the policeman and grabbed his gun. Around him, everyone gasped as he put it towards the policeman’s head. But then, slowly, he put it to his own. Maria helplessly watched as her love looked at her for the last time and it suddenly came to her mind that when Jimmy had put the gun to his own head people had sighed with relief. The gunshot seemed to split the courthouse in half as Jimmy fell to the ground. Maria screamed and pulled free form the policeman who was holding her and ran towards Jimmy. Bending over she sobbed out loud, her eyes angry and wet. Pain soared through her and seemed to be cutting the inside of her mind as she wept crazily over her love. Looking up, she saw everyone in the courthouse frozen, staring silently at her and not knowing what to do. Steadily, she stood up and looked at them accusingly.
‘Look what you have done! This Country, America, is a pathetic and selfish Country. A blind Country made of blind men! You do not know black people. You think that just because you’re used to seeing white skin that black people aren’t normal. Well as a matter of fact, ten of your pathetic ignorant beasts aren’t worth one black man. I loved Jimmy and he loved me. And if your ignorant law says we cant be together then to hell with you!’ Maria paused, her eyes darting wildly. She saw many people put their hands to their mouths, too shocked to say anything.
‘When you found out that Jimmy and I were in love, you were shocked,’ She continued, ‘and made up some ridiculous story that he forced me to love him. You can’t forbid love! Look around you; these are the people in your society. What did black people ever do to you? Does it make you feel proud that you can boss them around all you like? You law brings in segregation. You are colour-coding our country! How come you don’t separate black posts from white posts? Why do your buildings contact black material if you dislike that colour so much? Oh, and how about we separate all the black pigs from the others and all the black rabbits from the white ones! Would that make you feel better?’
Maria felt her voice growing louder as her face flushed deeper with anger. She felt satisfied that she was getting the message across. The words that had come out of her mouth were her belief. They were words she had wanted to say for so long, bursting inside of her and squeezing to get out. Finally she had let them go and effect it had on its audience were exactly what she had dreaded. But she wasn’t finished, not yet.
Taking a deep breath, Maria started again. ‘I, am an American. And, I am an ashamed American. I am ashamed of how people in this Country can be cruel and brainless. I am ashamed of our racism! Stop this now before your blind minds lead you to disaster!’
Looking around she realized people were not looking at her. From the corner of her eye she thought she saw someone snicker but when she looked closely their heads were bowed in shame. Smiling, she knew she had achieved what she and Jimmy had been trying to ever since they met. Looking down at her love, she clutched his hand and looked at her community. They were looking at her now, some crying and others struggling to resist their emotions. Maria picked up the gun, which was clasped in Jimmy’s hand and raised it to her head. She had achieved her goal but it wasn’t over yet. Her goal would be completed when she died and her Country realized what a mistake they had made. On then would she and Jimmy succeeded.
‘You’ll never be alone again Jimmy.’ She whispered as her hands tightly gripped the cold metal. Looking up at her community one last time she smiled for she knew no one could stop her. After what they had done, they had no right to. Maria also knew that her and Jimmy’s death would stop most racism and that people would be able to marry freely. She had to show the Country the mistake they made and then maybe in another life when she came back, black people and white people would be friends.
Slowly, she gripped the cold metal harder and pulled the only thing that was standing in the way of her and Jimmy; the trigger.




~*~The End~*~