1845
He needs to get his meaty hand off my neck. I'm not going anywhere and he knows, so is he just showing off?
"Styles, for being in debt with Carter Kendricks, 13 months of working as a slave." The judge stated.
"What?! It's $200!" I shouted, straining against the officer's hold, but I just ended up getting jammed in the ribs.
"Cased closed, boy." And he slammed his wooden hammer, causing a ringing sound to be heard in the empty court room. "Let's go." Officer Hasty roughly pulled me out and still had his damn hand around my neck. It was almost like he was showing me off, and for what? Catching the big, bad run away the owed $200?
He tied me to his old, fat horse and we were off.
*Bonnie's POV*
"Bonnie!" Jaquelyn, our house slave, shouted from the bottom of the stairs. I shot up in bed and hastily looked around. I was late for morning chores. "Father's going to kill me!" Jaquelyn rushed in and handed me my working clothes, saying, "Hurry before Master Erik wakes up." I resisted thanking her- Father told me to never thank the negros. I put on my weathering dress and tied my stained shoes.
I jogged down the grand stairs and flew out the door. I was quite relieved Father hadn't awakened by the time I was outside because things could've gotten nasty. I walked out to the barn and filled the horses' buckets up with hay and water, and also milked our three cows which took longer today because they put up quite a fight. I then fed and groomed them, whispering in their ears all the while.
By the time I was almost done, someone came riding up our dirt road very slowly, I furrowed my eyebrows and set down the dented, rusting pail.
"Jackie?" I called heading towards the door. When I opened it, Father was stumbling down the stairs, doing and undoing his cuffs while muttering curses under his breath.
"Goodmorning, Sir. Do you need help?" I quietly asked. He jerked his head up and narrowed his eyes. Oh, no. I never wanted him angry, it's bad enough he's drunk at seven in the morning.
His eyes then softened, nodding. "Yes. I can't seem to figure out these damned clothes. Why do we need them again?" I smiled at him while finishing up the last button.
"Someone's outside, Father. I don't know who, though." When I looked up he had abruptly stood up and left without a word.
"Miss Paige?" Came Jaquelyn's soft voice. I turned and tried not to smile.
She was wobbling over to me and grasped my hand. "This boy coming to work for your father, he's bad news, y' hear?" I nodded slowly. "I'm nothing compared to your...mother...so I can't tell you what to do but I'd advise that you keep yer distance, alrighty?" I nodded and asked, "Before you tell me anymore, will you tell me his name?"
"Harry Styles."
