The Ultimate Betrayal

Locked: Chapter 1

It was such an ugly face for a beautiful girl such as myself to display who was enslaved by the torture of captivity and confinement. The chains kept me refined, the whips kept me refrained, and my heart kept me sane. A sinner, a lover, or a saint? I couldn't decide as my blue eyes burned with fury and my heart filled with hatred as I watched her sister and father pose for fancy pictures. Pictures were a new thing in the south and only the rich of the richest could afford them.

My fair brown skin reddened, and I felt tears stream down my face as I periodically peered out the barn while cleaning the horse stalls. My curly brown and blondish hair that reached my backside became static as my blood inside my body ran hot. I watched my bleach blond headed sister, named Belle twirl around in circles for the camera in her expensive white dress. Belle's brown eyes gleamed in happiness and her dress snuggled her body perfectly. Her snowy white skirts made her seem as if she was floating on the air of the earth. I continued to watch as my father blew her kisses and cheered her on. My father who was known as Master Brandy had blond hair with a touch of grey in the center of his head and his strong jawline gave him an attractive appearance, even for a man such as his age. He wore a black suit and fancy shoes to impress all the guest who would arrive shortly for the celebration. The plantation hosted many parties, but I had never been included in one since the accident, not even as a servant. I was excluded, banished and orphaned.

''Don't do that,'' said a husky dark-skinned black woman who smelled of musk and wore dirty rags around her body. Aunt Karen had always been a kind and loving soul and one of the people whom I held dear to heart.

''Aunt Karen I- '' I said in a defensive voice

She interrupted my sentence before I could finish and signaled for me to close my mouth with a simple hand gesture. '' Rain, you are a beautiful twenty-three-year-old woman and your mother would be so proud,'' she said as she caressed my warm and red face gently. Her hands felt hard and dry from working in the fields of the plantation all day.

''Yeah! Well she's dead now, it doesn't matter. I'm taking the horses out for a walk,'' I snapped.

''Stubborn just like your mother!'' yelled Aunt Karen as she wobbled her husky body away from me. I walked toward the stalls and debated on which horses I should take out. I decided to take a chocolate-colored horse named Suzy and a black horse named Apples out for a walk around the perimeter of the barn fence. A sudden twinge of guilt formed in my stomach and I debated on apologizing to Aunt Karen, but when I turned around she was gone. Out of sight, and out of mind.

It was a breezy afternoon in late May and the sun was setting. I decided to walk the two horses around the interior of the fence several times leading them on separate reins. Music filled the air and the celebration had begun. People filled the plantation and a few slaves of fair skin were present at the party to cater to the guest. I wished to be worthy enough to take part in the festivities, but I was bounded by my skin color and excluded by hate.

I had walked the two horses around the gated fence a few times when I noticed a burst of laughter and screams coming from nearby a group of rowdy young adults which included my sister, Belle. The horses began to get startled and Suzy tugged away from my grasp. I tumbled to the ground while Apples trampled over my legs and ran a short distance away from me. I acquired several scratches and cuts on my hands and arms from the fall that instantly started to burn. One large cut on my arm had started to bleed heavily and stain the dusty ground.

''What a clutz!'' yelled my sister Belle who was watching from a nearby distance with a decanter of whiskey in her hand. The group of people that surrounded her busted into laughter following her remark, except for one person.