"Those Bastards!" said Lasette who was wiping dirt off the skirts of her new dress. "Dropping us off in the middle of nowhere and stealing our cargo. Ughhhh!" she yelled as she kicked a tree of the forest.
"Will you hush, child?," said Aunt Karen as she fastened her black coat a little tighter around her big body. Although, their escorts had abandoned them and stole all their belongings, Aunt Karen continued to remain optimistic.
"We still can make it too New York by sundown, if we follow that dirt path. Then, we can buy some horses and make it to Rain two days from now," she said.
"Kar-," Lasette trailed off.
"What is it?!,". Aunt Karen asked annoyingly.
"Someone is coming," she said.
"Well it is a road and people travel on it," she replied.
"Two coloreds alone in the woods. What does that look like to you? New York is a free state, but runaway slaves are free game," she said.
Aunt Karen rubbed her chin for moment and was actually quite stunned Lasette had made a valid point. However she would never admit that, instead she reached for Lasette's arm and dragged her towards a huge stump where they both hid.
A few moments later a black woman with a Snapsack appeared frightened in the thick of the woods. She looked to be in her mind twenties and stood at about six-feet tall. Her dress was torn, muddy and ragged under her wool coat that was in as much terrible condition as her coat. She was dark skinned with a buzz cut and seemed super strong.
The women seemed terribly frightened and she looked frantically around for some sort of rescue or safety.
There were the sounds of several gunshots and howling men and dogs. "Over here," Aunt Karen yelled to the tall figure.
The woman ran over quickly to escape danger. Aunt Karen quickly scooped up some animal droppings from a particularly large animal that laid conveniently on the ground and handed some to Lasette and the tall women.
"And what do you soppose I'm to do with this shit?" Lasette asked looking terrified.
"Put it on or die," she said stiffly as she began to wipe the animal droppings all over her body. "It will mask the smell of us and dogs won't be able to track our scent," she further explained.
The tall women didn't hesitate and quickly applied the stinking shield to her body.
After gagging a few times, Lasette had manage to decently cover herself in the animal droppings. She much rathered be alive, then eaten by wild dogs and her remains taken as a reward by some strange men.
They hid behind the stump quietly and sat close together as they feared for their lives.
Five dogs appeared in the clearing of the road followed by five rowdy men with guns. All the men appeared to look as disgusting as their attitudes. They had missing teeth, large bellies, and unkempt facial hair.
"Come out, come out! Wherever you are!" one yelled. The men all looked around frantically until the dogs decided to follow a trail in the opposite direction of the hiding women and the men followed behind them.
Lasette let a breath air escape her mouth and said, " That was a close one." Spoke to soon," said the large women who had a noticeably strong African accent. One of the dogs had returned alone and inched closer and closer to the women until it stood bright eyed and bushy tailed in front of them.
The dog began to lick Lasette's face and she shooed him away in response. "Shoo, boy," she said. However, the dog only kept licking her face and jumped into her arms. Aunt Karen laughed and petted the big grey wolffish looking dog.
''Not funny," she said unpleasantly amused.
"Keep petting him to keep him quiet. They come back," said the tall women with a heavy African Native accent who pointed in the direction of presumable dog owner.
"Where is that dammed dog, Romero!!" called the dog owner who walked into the clearing.
"Jesse!" called a voice in the near distance. "Leave the damn dog! We found a track, if it rains we'll lose it!" called the voice.
Jesse hesitated before making the decision to abandon his dog and follow the track that led to the presumably runaway slaves.
They all waited stinking and uncomfortable behind the stump for a few minutes before deciding it was safe to travel through the forest
"Now, what do you suppose we do with him," said Lasette.
''Keep him. He keep us safe during our travels across border to Canada," said the tall women.
"We're headed towards New York to live with my niece who is pregnant," said Aunt Karen.
The large women laughed and shook her head no.
"What's so funny?" asked Lasette
"Two unkempt Coloreds walking into the city...Those white boys have your head on pike as runaway slaves before can provide your documentation of freedom," she said.
"We've made it this far!" Teal said icly.
"Accompanied by white men, I expect. You're better with me. My name is Nakami and you should come to Canada with me and work as a maid. They provide free room, board, and wages. Plus, it's free county," she said pointing North.
"My niece..."Aunt Karen said.
The tall woman placed both hands on Aunt Karen's shoulder and said, " You must do what's right for own life. Imagine living in free country without prejudices or fear we currently live in,'' the tall woman explained.
Aunt Karen shook her no, but the tall woman only shook her again.
"You can always write her. If truly loves you, your niece be happy for you, not selfish," said the Nakami.
"You've got a great point and I'm going with you,'' said Lasette, who then turned to Aunt Karen.
"We can build lives of our own, have families, and be free of this slavery prone country. Please Karen. You can't live for Rain, you gotta live for yourself," Lasette pleaded.
Aunt Karen sighed and finally decided to give in to the ideal of being truly free. Deep down it was everything she had always wanted. She had been given special privileges due to her sister marrying her Master and her niece following a similar suite. However, she was never truly free and she wondered how it must have felt. She was bound by obligation and she wondered what it would be like to be selfish and have free life of her own. Not her sister's nor her nieces life, although she loved them deeply and unconditionally.
That's when Aunt Karen decided. She looked North toward the endless woods and sighed, ''Not without sending Rain a letter before we go.''
Nakami shook her head no, again and responded, ''It's too risky! We'd have to travel into city and risk being caught by those bastards.''
''Well, enjoy traveling alone because Lasette and I are on our way to send a letter...And we're taking the dog with us. Your welcome to join us,'' Aunt Karen said to Nakami in a challenging voice.
Nakami shook her head and finally gave into the invitation, ''Fine,'' she said followed by some other sort of African tongue language she muttered under her breath.
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It was a late January when Sam had left off to his work at the Jared Mathis Institute while I waited patiently for Aunt Karen and Lasette to arrive by carriage. Groggy and annoyed with the fact that I had not gotten any sleep due to the stabbing jabs of the baby. I was towards the end of being eights months pregnant, I still managed to awake on time and plaster a smile on my face. Despite how miserable I was feeling, I was still overjoyed to see my Aunt Karen who I had not seen in months.
''Your herbal tea, mam?'' said Maple. Maple was a new maiden who had been attending to my needs over the last few months. We had grown quite close and I considered her more than just a maiden or acquaintance around the house, but a true friend. I found myself confiding in her with all my secrets and emotions over the past few months. I entrusted of her with things, even of Sam's affair and we were only growing closer in friendship. Teal had made little progress and the friends I had made like Anne Harper were busy with their own lives and came over rarely for visits.
''How many times have I told you, not to call me mam? Maple, you literally know everything about me. I considered you more than a friend, but more like family,'' I said. Her cheeks reddened through her dark skin and she smiled.
She squeezed my shoulder, smiled and placed the cup of tea in front of me. We chatted for bit, until the errands could no-longer wait, and her chunky body and kinky hair bounced off to their duties around the house.
I lounged around for hours until I saw the carriage pull up and halt at the front of the driveway of the mansion. I picked up my blue dress that drug on the ground and ran out the door towards the black carriage and swung it open. "Aunt Karen!" I yelled as I hopped into the carriage. I was shocked to find a devilish grin and dark eyes gleaming at me. I attempted to run out the carriage but the footman sealed the door shut with his bare hands. "Let me out!" I screamed.
"Sorry deary, but I stole the carriage and dumbed your poor old Aunt Karen and that shanty looking girl out on the streets," he said in usual sing-song like and strongly accented New York voice.
He paused for one second while deviously staring at me with intimidating eyes. "I'm not afraid of you," I said.
"Well you should be bay-bee," he replied.
One of my boys turned up dead a few days ago and what a heart break that was..." he said as he looked up at the black carriage ceiling smiling as his eyes watered. " A small little birdie named Spleeny told me he saw you smash his head in with a rock," he said gazing at me crazily.
Damned homeless man, I knew he couldn't be trusted, I thought to myself.
"It's not true! It was me; it was him!" I cried.
He ran his fingers through his dark hair and rubbed his chin as he thought loudly and sarcastically.
He finally glanced at me again with his insanely devilish grin. "No matter if you did it or not... You are as guilty as the charged," he said as he tapped my nose and I slapped his hand away.
"You did witness my boy getting killed... Perhaps even took part in the act,'' he said as he clicked his tongue and shook his head. You and your husband just thought you could get away with something like that. Something so vile as death," he said as he waved one hand of frustration in the air.
"A life for a life, and your life is mine!" he yelled.
''You are one crazy bastard," I said as I kicked him between the legs. He bubbled over and I pointlessly pulled the door of the carriage that was sealed closed by the footman. "Open it! You, son of a Bitch!" I yelled to him and among many other things that were quite unladylike as I tried to escape within the few moments I had.
It was too late, and Chuey had gained his composure. His tan face had turned bright red and eyes were pure evil. He was mad and ready to take revenge. He took his hand and slapped me across the face. The aftershock sent me flying off the seat and violently banging my head and shoulder against the hard-wooden wall of the carriage. I Grunted in pain as I slid down to the small footing space and gripped my stomach fearing the worst.
I convinced myself the baby was fine, and I would be too. I shifted myself and nothing was broken and most importantly everything felt okay underneath it. The pain was diminishing but the evidence of assault was still present on my face. I closed my eyes and squealed from the pain still stinging my face.
"Oh stop being so dramatic, bay-beee," he said as he grabbed me by one arm and flung me back on the seat carelessly ignoring my pained face.
"I'd better tie you up so don't try that again," he said with a smirk on his face. He grabbed two pieces of rope, which he ironically had behind his back and tied my hands together.
The smell of his body made me gag and his black jacket that brushed across my dress disgusted me.
"Shut up," he muttered and proceeded to tie my tightly together as well.
"Where are you taking me?" I demanded.
He rolled his eyes and replied, " A life for a life, so possibly to hell," he said as and then hit me in the head with an hard and everything went black.
I woke up alone and untied in a shed full of hay and sunlight. I heard the sound of waves crashing into the Earth and I knew I was somewhere near an ocean, lake, or perhaps a river. I was oddly left alone and probably expected not to awake anytime soon. It was the perfect opportunity to escape and I decided to take it. I ran towards the shed door and scratched my fingers as I tried to slide the heavy door open. Just as I was about to escape, I saw the Chuey and the four other Dontello's standing in circle talking. The shed was placed on a small sandy beach near a lake and the forest was further back from the beach on my side. There was no way I could make it past without the Doetello's seeing me. Perhaps I could swim across to the other side of lake to safety. I am a good swimmer, I thought to myself.
However, it still was a long distance and my body was still bruised, but I would have to do the impossible if I wanted to survive. I took deep breath and quietly slid out the barn and made my way towards the water. Just as the water was touching my tiptoes, I felt a hard tug that sent me flying backwards. "And just where do you think you're going?" asked Chuey and his band of gang member surrounded us
"Somewhere far from you!" I shouted.
"Your one privileged Colored. You have some nerve. Was your mother the White man's whore as well? Did she teach you your manners?" he asked and kneeled down to my face.
Before I could control my anger, my fist was already flying up to meet its enemy. I punched him so hard in the face, his nose bled, and he staggered backwards on his backside. "You're going to wish you never done that!," he yelled as he crawled to his feet and raised his hand over my head and prepared to strike me with the back of his hand. I closed my eyes, placed my hands over my head, and braced myself for impact.
However, after several seconds it was completely silent. I felt nothing. I heard nothing. I felt no human presence. I opened my eyes to find Chuey and the Donetello's gone. The only evidence of their presence was specs of blood in the sand that fell from the nose of my captor .
I quickly stumbled to the ground and frantically looked around. How did five guys disappear within seconds? I should have kept my eyes open, I thought to myself.
That's when I heard it. The eeriest sound I have ever heard that it almost paralyzed me. It was coming from the water and turned around to see a woman with the bare chest of a human and tail of fish of golds and pinks. The woman was oddly and uniquely beautiful. She had big purple-colored eyes and long bright red hair. Her lips were as red as the blood residue left on the sand and her cheek bones were so deep that I could see the outline of her bone structure. . I was scared from ignorance but drawn to her by curiosity. She was so alluring, I had to come closer to her presence but resisted the urgencies
"Come to me, now," she said and her sharp teeth in the back her mouth and sharp nails on her fingers maid me hesitate.
"What are you?" I asked.
"Fear not, my dear. I only assist the good and demolish the bad," she replied.
"Come now, and I will sing you a song," she said.
I took a deep breath and walked towards the strange creature. She smiled and gestured for me to sit down. She pulled me by the arm with her cold and suction-like fingers and said, "Let me heal where you are hurt." With the soft touch of her fingers across my bruises, the pain dissipated completely within seconds. Then, she stared at my belly and gasped, "I've never seen one of those before," she said as she rubbed my swelled belly.
''What are you doing here?" I asked her
"I only assist the good, and now I shall sing you a song," she said dodging the question.
She reached for my head and I bent my head down to her hands, although I did not want too and she began to sing a song. She had a peculiar singing-voice quite like no other, sort-of like a hum. She sang an allylic rhythm that sent me a deep trance of total darkness.
I knew I was awake, but I couldn't speak or think, but only heard the allylic rhythm of her voice.
I snapped out of trance and she was gone, like she was never even there. I looked around frantically for evidence and there was writing in the sand that read, The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing will steal the Hearts of its Owners.
It was eerily quiet and the only sounds harrowing through my ears were the soft bellowing waves of the ocean. Then I realized I was cold and I should probably make my way home before night-fall and the sun was setting. It dawned on me I didn't know where I was, and I had ridden in a carriage for several hours to make it to this point.
I was lucky to find a house along the way, but I wasn't willing to take any chances to wonder around in the middle of night hoping to find a civilization. No, it was safer to stay on the beach and build a fire and stay here until the wee hours of morning, where I could travel safely. Maybe even, rescued! Someone had to see something, and someone had to notice I had been missing.
I'll be found by morning. You're going to be fine Rain I said trying to convince myself of just that. While my doubts ran rapid, I managed to catch two fish from the ocean and prepare them with my bare hands and set them to cook in a fire I had built. Then I secured myself in the shed by leaning a chair against the door before letting myself fall asleep in the hay. Luckily, I was able to retrieve my coat from the shed and it was my best weapon against the blistery cold.
I awoke to a light blue sky through the cracks of the shed. Dawn was approaching, and I needed to start my journey to civilization. I was nearly nine months pregnant and I needed to be careful of falling, tripping or over-exciting myself. I had been pushed, beat, slapped, and nearly scared to death over the past days and I had to be careful
I patted my swelled belly and said, ''Tough little fellow, are you?''. I got up and secured my coat tightly around me and prepared for the journey into the deep dark woods.