Caged Bird Screaming

Fear

“Hurry Aaron.” Henry took Aaron’s arm and both of them hurried along the pathway.

“What if they catch up with you? Pharaoh will kill you!” Henry shuddered when he heard the harsh words.

He began to say “The Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but of sound mind.” When he and Aaron got onto the other side, Henry stretched out his staff and the water flowed back and covered the chariots and the horsemen.....

“Henry. Henry.”  Henry snapped out of his day dream and turned around when his name was called. He noticed he was standing on his bed and quickly sat down. His eyes widened when he saw his mother. Her beautiful face was now black and blue, covered with bruises.

“Mother what happened to you?” He ran to her.

“I’m fine.” She moved away from him. “I fell down the stairs.” It only took Henry a split second to understand what was going on. She could lie to him but didn’t fool him. His father had hit her. He could see the hand print on her cheek. She sat on the bed and smiled. “I see you have bread to eat.” She pointed to the plate. “Why haven’t you eaten it?”

“It’s hard.” Henry replied as he came closer. He touched her arm and she flinched as she remembered the events that had occurred after Laura was dismissed from the dinner table. She had known George was angry but didn’t know the extent of his anger...

She had retired into her chamber when the door flew open. She didn’t know he was behind her. By the time she sensed his presence it was too late. He hit her and she heard a faint crack as his fist came in contact with her jaw. She fell on the bed and almost passed out from the pain. She struggled to breathe as she was yanked her by the hair and pulled to her feet. He slapped her again.

“This is your entire fault.” He sad through gritted teeth and hit her again. She began to sob. “Be quiet!” He ordered. She couldn’t help but whimper softly. “I said be quiet.” He shook her violently. Her voice became caught in her throat.

“If you had been a good mother none of this would have happened.” He flung her onto the wall. Harriet felt breathless as her body crashed into the rough wall and she crumpled onto the floor. George stood over her. “You let the Negroes get to him you fool. You let them corrupt him.” He pulled her by the neckline of her dress, spat on her and kicked her. That was the final straw. She faded away as her husband’s blows rained down on her like rain. She had woken up still crumpled on the floor just to find blood soaked on the ground. She had lost the child she carried. It had been her third month. She crawled back to her bed and wept. She had no strength left to call for a slave to clean up the mess.

They came to her in the morning and cleaned up the mess but she wouldn’t let them touch her. It was their fault. They were the cause for her trouble. They were the ones who had taken her son away from her.

Harriet sighed. “What were you doing before I came in?”

Henry tilted his head and grinned happily “I imagined I was Moses parting the red sea!!” He made over exaggerated movements with his arms and puffed out his chest.

Harriet burst out laughing. At first she was shocked. It had been a long time since she laughed...not out of mockery; not with pretence but with happiness. She found Henry’s actions entertaining.

The door opened and Harriet froze in fear as she saw George with a whip in his hand.

“George.” She stood up trying to protect Henry. George struck her. She fell to the floor. “George please don’t hurt him. George!!” Henry was thrust back to reality as his father threw him over his shoulder.

“Mother!!” He called out frightened about what his father would do to him. Harriet tried standing up but couldn’t. Her legs refused to move and she just fell back down again.

“George let him go!!”

George didn’t listen. He just stormed out of the room with Henry screaming frantically on his shoulders. The slaves who saw him were horrified. They knew what had happened during supper. The butler had told them everything. Seeing Henry mad with fear stirred their blood until boiling point. They wanted to kill George. They wanted to make him pay but couldn’t do anything. They were just slaves.

 George took Henry to the whipping posts and tied his hands in front of him. “No son of mine defies me.” He said as he took the whip from the table. Henry cried out as the first lash was given. The wire platted end cut into his skin drawing blood. “Since you love Negroes, you’ll be treated like one.” He yelled as he whipped the child. Henry kept screaming as the lashes were given out again and again. Tears ran down his cheeks as the pain slithered on his back and body like fire. “You shall apologize to Laura about what you said last night.” George grabbed Henry by the chin. “Do you understand?” He brought his face close to Henry’s. Henry nodded and George’s jaw moved slightly. He then took a pail filled with salt water and splashed it on Henry’s back.

 Henry’s howl pierced the plantation. Even the birds felt the tremor of his voice and flew from their nests in large flocks.

George smiled cynically and left Henry to get Laura. Henry trembled in fear. He wanted to keep crying but couldn’t bring himself to do it out of pride.

“God has not given me a spirit of fear. He makes me strong like David and Samson.” He whispered. His lips were cracked and blood trickled down. He could taste some in his mouth.

Laura came out of the house holding George’s hand smiling happily.

“Apologize to your cousin for your insolent behaviour.” George said forcefully.

Henry shook but instantly gathered himself together. “I’m sorry for accusing you of murder.”

“Louder!!” George barked.

Henry jumped and repeated the words louder than before “I’m sorry for accusing you of murder.”

Laura laughed. “It’s fine Henry. I’ll only forgive you if you let me have the doll from Paris.” She said scornfully.  Henry nodded. “Good.” She turned to George, nodded and walked away.

George moved closer to Henry and slapped him. “Don’t you dare talk back to me again and don’t you ever talk me about Negroes. If I ever see you befriend one of them I’ll kill you and I’ll kill the Negro.” The warning was clear. George unbound Henry’s hands from the post. Henry collapsed onto the ground from exhaustion and defeat.