The Story Of A Mulatto House Slave

Chapter Six

   Janae could see Charles in the distance, with a whip in his hand. Even from the distance they were at, they still narrowed their eyes at each other. Charles' was filled with malice.

   Charles started laughing as if he had gone mad. "You must think I'm stupid Janae. You won't get out of this one, so get your ass in the damn fields!" He took Janae by the forearm and dragged her roughly to the field. "Let go, I can walk!" She shouted at him. It didn't stop him at all, as if what she said made him pick up his pace.

   When they got to the field, he threw her out towards it. "You will pick the tobacco with these niggers and if I catch you slackin' I'll whip you myself!" Charles stormed away back down the road to the house. A man overwatched everyone to make sure they were picking the tobacco or cotton.

  All the slaves stared at Janae, some with hate in their eyes others with sadness. "Hey come with me." A girl stood over Janae trying to help her up. When Janae was on her feet, she realized the girl was a mulatto. "Hey. I'm Jewel." Jewel didn't have a southern drawl like everyone else. She had sounded much more proper than them.

  "Um..Hey I'm Janae." Jewel smiled softly. "Come with me if you want to know what to do." Janae followed Jewel to the middle of the field. "Okay, you see this basket? Just pick the cotton off of the plant and..put it in the basket." She then showed her how to pick tobacco too. "Okay your turn." Janae tugged on the cotton plant, realizing how tough it was. Using more force she pulled it hard and finally got it off. "I got it!" Janae smiled but Jewel didn't.

  "You cut yourself Janae. Let me see it." Janae looked at her finger. She watched as the blood seeped into the cotton slowly. Jewel wrapped it with a piece of cloth. "That should stop it for now." 

As they picked cotton they talked. "Where are you from? You don't sound southern." "I'm from Boston. My father sold me to a man who brought me to Georgia a year ago, then I was sold to Master Joseph as a trade." "Why would your daddy sell you?"
"He was getting sick and I had to go....by the way, I've been wanting to ask you something but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate."

  "Go on." Jewel hesitated. "Are you that mulatto girl everybody is talking about who's been with the master's sons?" Janae blushed out of embarrassment.
"What? No of course not!"
"I'm sorry. They are just rumors after all."
  Charles came back later, walking through the field. "Janae! Janae!!"

Janae didn't move but continually talked. Charles came up to her and grabbed her by her forearm again. "Janae get over-Who are you?" He stared at Jewel in confusion. Jewel looked a little like Janae except the fact Jewel had shoulder length Black curls and much tanner skin. She had resembled Lily too except Lily had wavy hair that was to her waist from her Native blood.

"Jewel..Master Charles..." "I've never seen you round these parts...Get back to work this doesn't concern you." Charles dragged Janae inside the house. She was dragged so fast, she was barely walking and couldn't even look at Lily or Abigail. "Charlie..." Charles stopped for a moment but then decided to ignore Janae and keep walking.

  He brung her up the stairs to her old room and had his way with her like he always does except this time in the middle of kissing her he stopped and walked out. Janae was confused. She didn't want this but she noticed he was acting weird and the best thing to do would be to stay there. She sat on the bed for about an hour until Charles busted the door open with a bottle in his hand.

He started laughing hysterically. "You...are the devil.." He pointed at Janae, his finger slowly shifting past her.
He had smelled of strong alcohol. "Ya wanna know how?....Cause you seduce me then just...laugh at me...?" He layed on the bed, narrowing his eyes at Janae. His head was on the bed post and one of his legs were slightly bent. He pulled Janae forcibly to him and layed her head on his chest.