MULATTO (Iyila) (Editing)

chapter seven ~ Dedicated to Me

STILL AT THE JOHN's MANSION

"Whas dah?" Deila shakily repeated as she rushed to Iyila side and at the same time trying to balance a tray filled with supplies on her hands. Somehow she managed to carelessly drop it on the ground, only spilling a little amount of some water on the floor but she didn't seem to bother because her mind was completely concentrated on the horrific scars she had just seen on Iyila's body. Hesitatingly, she knelt beside her and reached for Iyila's cloth, on the other hand.

Iyila quickly stopped her hand before she could unravel her. "I am sorry" Iyila coldly said. "But I can't let you see this" she added, for fear of receiving nothing but pity in the end. "Please" Deila sincerely begged, after waiting for an almost not coming answer. Iyila sighed and nodded.

She reluctantly let her unravel her. Deila gasped in shock and her eyes widened in fear when she saw the scars on Iyila's ribs. It was something she had never seen before. Iyila frowned as she noticed the timorous look on Deila's face and how it turned white as if she had just seen an ugly ghost.

Nevertheless Iyila couldn't argue with the notion that she indeed looked like a ghost and could be confidently considered as one.

Except for the traditional white gown ghosts were generally believed to wear, Iyila's frown intensified when she noticed Deila blink off a tear, just as she had predicted, pity. "I am sorry about this," Deila uneasily said, tracing her finger on the almost faded scars.

"Don't be, I don't need your pity, this is the reason, why I was reluctant to show you, because I know you would pity me, I am completely fine," Iyila angrily snapped, aggressively pushing off Deila's hand.

"Ham so sorry, ha neva mean ter vex ya so much," Deila apologetically said following her discovery about Iyila's anger "Jus dah ha never see so much sc... ," she stammered and looked away.

"Ha neva see so much scar on any negro, ham so suprise dah ya survav it, how di ya survav?" Deila sorrowfully asked.

Iyila only shrugged, "I do not know, but I am alive," Deila nodded and let some minutes pass before she spoke again.

"Ya work in a plantation before?"

Iyila confusedly stared at her as if she was crazy, wasn't it obvious that they were slaves and good for nothing except working on a plantation, she sighed and replied, "Yes," she said, yet in that same cold, emotionless tone, "Wah plantation?"

"The Macauley's," she replied, preparing to cover herself, however she quickly forgot her preceding action when Delia venomously spat Amos's name and her eyes sparked with hatred, "You know Amos?" Iyila curiously asked, Deila nonchalantly shrugged, frowning,

Iyila nodded believing her shrug as an approval, "you worked for him?" Iyila asked. "Yes, four yers, dah man wes a brute," Deila said in a forced chuckle that advertised her hate for him. Iyila stared at her. It was clear that Deila might have gotten a share of his wickedness and she was yet to forgive him.

Iyila watched as Deila her rolled her eyes with anger. She didn't want to continue the discussion due to Deila's discomfort on the issue, but her curiosity got the best of her. "Did he ever, um did he... ,"

"ravish me?" Deila supplied, raising an eye brow, Iyila unwillingly nodded. "Yes. Dah massa did ter me everything he did ter negroes like us, buh dah don make me anger n," she hatefully said, her voice was quivering and was filled with so much pain, she wiped her eyes before she spoke.

"Dah bastard ravish mah sister in front of me and... ," her voice trailed off, causing her to break into sobs. Iyila watched in total confusion. She didn't know what to say or do, her head, surprisingly lost all its consoling words.