The rain lasted through the night, neither were sure when they had fallen asleep.
Chyna's groggy eyes looked upon the ceiling. She blinked a few times and sat up.
Looking about she could see no signs of Cap anywhere.
She sat herself up and looked down at the ground.
Covering her mouth Chyna tried to stop herself from laughing but failed to do so.
The roar of hoarse laughter caused Cap to jolt awake. He propped himself off the ground and looked up at her perplexed.
"why are you on the ground?" she asked.
Cap rubbed his forehead which he found to be very sore. "hell I ain't sure, musta fell off the bed when I nodded off. " he said getting up in a sluggish movement.
Chyna chuckled and gently pressed her index finger to the red spot in the center of his forehead.
Cap closed his eyes and groaned at the slightest full pain it caused. "you're gon' get a knot right there in the middle of your head" said Chyna.
Cap grimaced "my hat should cover it up" he said. Chyna gave him an apologetic smile. "but it burned up didn't it?" she asked.
Cap started to laugh silently leaving Chyna confused. "must hit my head hard, I forgot about the fire" he said.
Chyna sat up more as he sat at her side "mayhaps you should visit the doctor " she said.
Cap took her arms in each of his hands. "I'll go if you go too, shouldn't count on no home remedies for these burns" he said.
Chyna fell silent "I can really go into town? " she asked trying to sound far less hopeful than what she was feeling.
But she was tired of being out on the Hatfield lands. She wanted to see more faces, and she wanted to try and find at least one face like her own.
Cap chuckled "if you wanna - yeah" he said. Chyna blushed a bit but nodded.
Cap patted her head and stood up. "gon'go home and change and will be back for you with Ma, Cotton and the wagon " he said before taking his leave.
Chyna washed up fast and got dressed even faster. By that she owned much to choose from.
Chyna stood ready and waited for Cap to come for her. She couldn't stop her inward smile.
Matewan was much smaller than pikeville, it consisted of a general store/apothecary, post/labor office a dress parlor and the whore house.
Even as small as it was, Chyna was still trilled. Only....
No coloreds. Pikeville had a good handful.
Chyna sighed and as Levicy went off to the dress parlor Cap lead Chyna and Cotton towards the doctors.
"Well good to see you William! " called Rutherford. Cap cringed a little and Chyna cracked a smile to stifle her laugh.
"hey Dr. Rutherford " Cap greeted.
"what can I do for you? " Rutherford asked.
"I -" Cap stopped and Chyna chuckled silently, he knew this was going to be painfully comical.
Cap let out a long sigh and lifted his hair away from his forehead exposing the small red mark which was far darker now.
"kinda hit my head" said Cap.
Rutherford rushed to examine him. "how so? " he asked.
"he fel-" Cotton started loudly Chyna quickly grabbed Cotton's arm and pushed her finger to her lips. Cotton gasped and then nodded while giggling.
"on the job, just wasn't watching that branch." Cap said his lie coming put as smooth as the truth.
" you ain't got much luck with trees...maybe try a different profession " muttered Rutherford as he focused on Cap's forehead.
"just needs a cold pack on it, try a raging In cold water" Rutherford said.
Cap nodded "right, well see we also got another problem -Chyna" Cap called Chyna quickly lowered her posture and stepped forward.
Cap frowned, he hated how she did that, just sank into herself.
"show 'im your arms" Cap urged. Chyna lifted her arms. "ah....another one" Rutherford said darkly before turning on his heel and heading for a shelf of ointments.
Chyna and Cap glanced at each other. "whats that supposed to mean? " Cap asked.
"be the 5th colored this week to stop by with burns... Most worse than this. Been a string of fires. Might wanna go down to The Shanty at the edge of town the bar all them go to" Rutherford said.
Chyna paled a bit and her eyes wandered over to Cap. Who was gazing hard at the ground.
Rutherford returned with a bottle of white ointment "twice day for 3 weeks, maybe longer. And keep the burns clean" he said.
Chyna nodded and Cap paid Rutherford "thank you doctor " he said ushering Chyna and Cotton out of the apothecary.
"fires? Setting fire.... Cap-" Chyna whispered as they stood outside.
"yeah, I know. There's a reason why ain't many colored folk in these parts but... Thought these groups had been run off ten years ago" Cap said quietly.
"what groups Cap? " Cotton asked.
"bad people Cot"said Chyna.
"Cotton why don't you go find my ma. We got a few more things to see too" Cap said. Cotton nodded "okay, see you guys soon" he called with a wave before walking off.
The afternoon sun brought welcomed warmth to the slight chill of the late autumn day.
Chyna and Cap headed to the edge of town. Cap watched Chyna with a air of irritation. She still had that stance
"why do you do that? " he asked her.
Chyna looked up at him confused "what am I doin? " she asked.
"all sunk in and stooped down like you is tryin to be child sized or something like your hidding " Cap said.
Chyna blinked a few times and looked down. "it's jus what we do, we do this so no one else will think we mean no harm or disrespect..." she said.
"well you don't have to do that with me around, you should stand tall you ain't no worse than anybody else" he said.
Chyna gave a bitter smile. "maybe but that don't change nobodies mind, it's just something we have to do. " Chyna said with a sigh.
The pair stopped in front of a mildly run down shack. It probably used to be a mill at one point
Loud music with a bayou and French flare came from the building. Along with laughter and the sounds of people enjoying themselves.
Cap smiled "sounds like a good place to be" he said.
Chyna glanced up at him. "it ain't gon'go very first you, Cap maybe you should wait out here" she said.
Cap scrunched up his face and his eyes looked a bit hurt.
"it's not that I don't want you to, it's jus.... If white folks is really doin this. Them unbothered aren't gonna be civil with you" Chyna warned.
Cap smiled "sure they will" he said. "I'm with you, that's gotta be enough " he said.
Chyna shook her head "fine see for yourself but don't you say I didn't warn ya" she said before leading him inside.
"hey there miss lady" greeted a tall man with the darkest skin even Chyna had ever seen. He raised his cap too her and gave her a toothy grin.
Chyna bowed her head and felt her cheek flush.
Cap bit his tongue fighting a sour feeling unjust chest. When the man spotted Cap his grin fell into a cold glare.
"have a seat, what can I get ya child" asked a curvy squat woman with a kind round face and light brown eyes.
She had a bright warm smile on hat made Chyna feel at home.
Cap watched as Chyna's sunk in posture melted away. Now sitting confidently.
"nothing for me thank you jus, here to visit" Chyna said. The woman cast her eyes to Cap and eyed him with suspicion.
"alright, just give a hollar for Iris now - that's me - if ya need anything. Best fried okra for miles and miles" Iris said taking her leave.
"colder in here than a baby born out on a Christmas sleigh ride" Cap muttered.
Chyna smiled apologetically "sorry, I know the feelin but I did warn ya" she said.
Cap went to speak when a shadow fell over them both.
"what's a pretty lil thing like you doing with this scrawny little peckerwood?" a man who looked like an ox.
Cap glared and went to retaliate. Chyna rested her hand on his knee out of view.
Cap's voice clumped together in his throat.
"I beg your pardon sir, but this here is my friend. We are only here to find about who is doing a this" Chyna said showing the man her burned arms.
Good gaze softened with pity "they burned up my brother Henry's house and him along with it....my sister in law half her face is gone" the man said voice full of sorrow.
"sorry to hear that" said Cap. The man looked at him with scorn "yeah, yeah I bet you are." he said in bitter sarcasm.
Cap looked at him with that dry unamused gaze.
"look I'm only here to find out if it's true that one of them groups is still around - I need to protect Chyna " Cap said.
The man laughed "you wanna protect her you'd stay away of her. Them boys see her with you and you'll be the death of 'er" he said.
"are they around or not? " Cap asked.
"why don't you watch your tone In here boy - this place for colored folks and I won't feel nothing about beating your snowy behind blue and throwing you out" the man growled.
Chyna stood up and started walking "come on Cap" Chyna said quietly. Cap got up and followed her.
Iris scurried over to the man roaring In anger "what you run them off for that little fella had money! You costing me money James! " she yelled slapping his thick arm.
"you ain't want no white Mans money Iris" he said only to be hit again. "like hell I ain't! " she barked.
Darting away from him when rushed out the door spotting Chyna and Cap heading away. "Ol'James ain't got no say so here! You come back now, anytime, best fried okra for miles! " Iris called.
On the wagging the idea home Cap's ears turned a bright red. He could still feel the warmth of Chyna's hand on his knee.
The thought melted almost all of his bitterness towards the treatment he was given.
But one thing it didn't get rid of was that there was a new danger lurking in the hills.
He would have to have another row with his Pa. He could leave Chyna as open prey alone through the night in that tackhouse.