Taken | h.s + bey ✔️

Bonus: Manon's backstory

Manon's POV

1872

I've been residing at the Tibodeaux home since I was a small child.

Yes, it is 1872, and yes, slavery had been abolished, but we all know it didn't actually go away. Not truly.

Of course, they found a way to keep it around without actually calling it what it was. Instead, they call it debt peonage. On top of that were Black Codes and all that other mess.

They claim to give us freedom but do everything they can to herd us back here with no other choice.

My parents were "freed" in 1865 but had to go right back to field work to pay off debts and I had to come right along with them. They had no choice.

They passed, though, but I'm still here working off their debts. I'll be leaving soon, though.

It's bittersweet almost. I hate it here and I hate the Thibodeaux family but as young as I am, I've become something like a mother to the rest of the young girls here. When I'm gone, they won't have me to protect and guide them.

The Thibodeauxs are known for having a liking for younger, black females. Hardly ever had men working for them. And when the women here weren't so young anymore, they suddenly weren't wanted.

What they "need" younger girls for hasn't been asked of me. Yet. They're sick, but I guess still sensible enough to know not to try it with me.

I don't work inside. I guess they see that I'm most useful as a healer or housemother of some sorts. They get sick, they come to me. They harm the other girls, they send them to me. I don't see a hassle with helping the girls, though. I genuinely care to keep them healthy and alive. They've built a tiny shack outside for me to tend to. A room that's big enough just to fit two cots, a chair and some shelves. And I get my own small garden. So, it's not the worst.

"Manon," I heard a soft voice call my name from behind and I looked back. The sun was bright and nearly blinded me but I knew from the few short, red curls flying in the wind that it was little Josephine.

I stood up from my squatting position where I was tending to my small garden. I approached her, "What is it, sweetheart?" I asked her with a smile.

The clouds moved into the way of the sun and I could finally see her clearer. My smile immediately dropped, for I did not like what I saw one bit.

Josephine looked like she had been attacked. There were dried tears on her cheeks and she had a small cut on her bottom lip. Her chest and neck area was very lightly bruised. The chest area of her dress was ripped open and she was using her clutched fist to keep the fabric together and from exposing herself. From the looks of her wrist, I'd say she had been tied up to something.

"Josephine...," I said lowly and stepped closer to her.

"They need you inside," she cut me off nervously, "Thomas isn't feeling well."

"Josephine what happened to you?" I gasped when I looked down and saw more of the damage done to her dress.

"They want you to fix him something a-and make him feel better," She stuttered. She refused to look me in the eye.

I felt a sickness in my stomach. Josephine was just 14. And if any one of these girls was most like a daughter to me, it would be her.

"Come here," I demanded and headed inside the shed they gave me. She followed.

"I have to get back inside, Manon," she sounded scared when she spoke. She closed the door behind us.

"What did they do to you?" I whispered angrily.