Beyond the Cotton Fields

Chapter 3

The familiar popping sound of a cackling fire woke Lucy up from her pain- and fear-induced stupor. She blinked her eyes open, acknowledging the surroundings that were within her reclined range of view. All she could see were a domed wood roof and circular wood walls that were lit with the orange glow of a fire. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see someone standing over the fire. All she could make out was the figure's long hair. Because of that observation, she assumed the figure to be a woman. She looked down at her body, finding herself naked with some type of blanket covering her. She reached down and touched the blanket, pulling it back when she realized it wasn't a regular fabric blanket. Rather, it was fur; brown fur, to be exact. Where am I? She thought to herself.

As Lucy was trying to figure out where she was, the figure standing over the fire moved and came over to her. Lucy looked up, meeting the gentle eyes of an elderly Native American woman. Her long gray hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing a combination of furs and colorful beads. The elderly woman smiled down at Lucy, holding a wooden bowl in her hands.

"Hello, my child. How are you feeling?" She asked, kneeling down beside Lucy. Still in a state of shock, Lucy couldn't find the words to answer the question, and simply looked at the woman.

"You do not have to speak. I know you are confused. Your leg will be okay." The woman pulled the pelt from over Lucy's right thigh, which was wrapped up in strips of cloth. "I put moss over it to stop the bleeding once I removed the arrowhead. The wound will close up very soon." She smiled, patting her hand.

"What happened?" Lucy asked once she was able to muster up some words to make a short question.

"That is not my story to tell. Here," The woman placed the wooden bowl in Lucy's hand, "eat this to regain your strength, then you must rest for the night. Koi will see you in the morning."

"Who's Koi?" Confusion was laced in her tone.

"Eat and rest, my child." The woman stood up and walked out of the domed home. She sat up and pulled the bowl into her lap, looking at its pale yellow contents. She heard voices from outside the dome home, unable to make out what was being said. All she could make out was the elderly woman's voice and a deep, masculine voice. She turned her attention back to the bowl, sticking her fingers in it and scooping the contents into her mouth. She let the grainy mush sit on her tongue, trying to figure out what she was given. Corn. She realized and continued to eat the corn mush. When she finished eating, she put the bowl on the ground and laid back on the soft pelts that she didn't notice was underneath her before going back to sleep.

~~~'*'~~~

"She has pretty hair."

"Why is it curly like that?"

"She looks like one of the land laborers of the white people."

"One of the older brothers said Koi hunted her and is going to eat her."

"Koi is not going to eat her. She is too pretty. Koi is going to marry her."

Lucy opened her eyes, seeing 3 smaller pairs looking right back at her. She sat up, hugging the pelt close to her and looked at the 3 young children.

"Um, hello." She said, wondering where they came from. All of them were red-skinned with black hair, wearing garments made out of deer skin.

"Hello." They all replied, looking at her. While the 4 of them were looking at each other, another presence came into the domed home.

"What are you little ones doing in here?" The deep, masculine voice asked. Lucy looked up at the source of the voice, immediately blushing. A tall man with black hair going down his back stood in the doorway, wearing nothing but deer skin around his lower region.

"We wanted to see her." The only girl of the 3 answered.

"You know you are not allowed to be in the healing home. Now, scurry away."

"Is it true you're going to eat her?" One of the young boys asked.

"Or, are you going to marry her?" The little girl asked.

"That is enough. Go play now." The 3 children scurried out of the hut and into the sunshine. The man walked over to Lucy and sat down next to her.

"Hello." He said, looking at her.

"Who are ya?"

"I am Koi. What is your name, young slave girl?"

"Lucy. What'm I doin' here?"

"You are here because of me. The last time the moon was high, I was hunting and I saw movement. I shot my arrow at it, thinking it was a deer. It was you. I am very sorry for hurting you. Are you okay?"

"Yes." She nodded. She scratched her head, feeling her curls. "Where are ma clothes?" She asked, realizing she was naked in front of this unknown man.

"Shimasani, the healer, undressed you because your clothes had blood on them. One of the women is making you a dress, which will be ready soon. I must ask you something. Why were you in the woods when the moon was high? The white men do not let their land laborers leave."

"Um..."

"You do not have to explain if you don't want to." He smiled at her before standing up. "I must go out hunting with the other men. The women will take care of you, until I return." He walked out of the hut, leaving Lucy by herself.