Caged Bird Screaming

The howling

The words on the sheets of paper appeared blurred and fuzzy as George tried reading it. He had piles of documents scattered on his desk screaming to be read. Most of them were business documents and some legal documents. He took his cup, filled with wine and took a large gulp. He twitched a little as the cool liquid ran down his throat sending small shivers through his head. He placed the glass back on the table and was trying to read a letter from one of his business associates when the door opened.

"Master." George looked up at the woman irritated by her presence. He hadn't slept all night. His dreams were plagued with visions of Harriet blaming him for her death. "A man's here to see you."

George sighed and rubbed his temples. "Send him in." He said with a small wave of his hand. The maid nodded and left the room. George sighed when he heard a soft whisper of voices in the hallway. "Come in!" George ordered getting impatient. He didn't have time to sit and wait all day.

The door was feebly opened by a small woman with black hair. Next to her was a man in his forties and three wide eyed girls stood behind them.

"Yes please come in." Both the man and woman entered the study while the three girls sat outside in the hallway. The man and woman sat opposite him and George couldn't help but wonder what they were doing at his residence at such an early hour. "How may I help you?" George asked trying to be polite.

"Well sir, we have just found out that you captured your runaway slave who goes by the name Axe." The man said fiddling nervously with his hands.

"Yes?" George wasn't sure where the conversation was heading.

"Well you see your slave murdered my husband." George turned his attention to the woman. He could see she was struggling to maintain her composure. She looked like she had been crying moments before arriving at his home.

"How do you know it was my slave who murdered your husband?"

The woman wiped her cheek as a tear fell out of her eye. "My daughter Iris saw your slave and when we inquired with Charles' slave Clarence, she confirmed our suspicions."

"Yes but do you have anything to prove my slave was the person who killed your husband?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. Iris said he has a birthmark at the side of his neck."

George stood abruptly. The woman was telling the truth. "Sir, madam, come with me." George said as he hurried out of the room.

If Axe did murder the woman's husband, there would be fines to be paid and he'd be able to make a public spectacle of Axe. The three girls hurried behind him trying to keep up with their mother. George opened the door to the room where Axe was and ushered the small group in.

"Is this the boy you saw Iris?" George asked as he yanked Axe's head up for the girl to see. The youngest child's eyes widened and she took a step back. "Yes. It is him." She was about crying when her older sister took her outside. George was glad she did that. The last thing he wanted to hear was a child popping his eardrum so early in the morning.

"Mr Turner, I suppose you shall come up with a decent punishment for the crime your slave committed?" The man asked in a commanding tone. George was tempted to sneer at him. He barely said a word while the woman stated their situation, only fidgeting with his hands.

"Yes. I do have a suitable punishment. Come with me." George went back to his house with his unwanted guests. He had the perfect punishment for Axe.

"Jasper!" He called out to a young overseer who had just began working on his plantation.

"Yes sir!" Jasper replied, eager to please his new employer.

"Take a horse and ride to the other plantations around the area. Tell the masters to come at ten o'clock to the town square with their slaves to show them what would happen to anyone who dares kill one of our own."