As soon as the bell rang, Axe ran outside with his satchel to start another day of work. Today would be his second week at the plantation. One of the overseers stood by the gate holding a whip. He looked Axe in the eye. Axe quickly looked away knowing the consequences of looking a white person in the eye.
The man laughed and stepped aside for Axe to enter the field. Axe nodded and walked into the plot. Without further ado he started to pick the cotton. The place was quiet. No one was with him. The slaves were still eating in their huts.
Axe knew he was being watched. He was always being watched. He swallowed hard. He felt uncomfortable but he needed to do whatever it took to become a house slave. He needed to get into the master’s house and please both him and his mistress, and maybe just maybe obtain his freedom.
When he finished filling his satchel, he ran to one of the big baskets and poured the contents of his satchel into it. It was the job of some of the slaves to remove the seeds from the cotton. Axe repeated the procedure again. He’d go back, pick more cotton and when his satchel was full, he’d go and empty the contents one of the baskets. The overseer kept watching him with unending interest.
“You...Negro!” He called out. Axe stopped working and turned to him. “Come.” Axe stiffened and moved towards him.
“Why are you here so early?” He asked.
Axe shrugged “To get more work done.”
The man nodded “Go back to your work.”
Axe returned to his work. A while later, the deep sound of the horn broke the silence and soon slaves began leaving their hut. Axe looked at them for a moment before turning away. The gate swung open and they entered silently. No one said anything. The air was stiff and uncomfortable.
Axe kept working. He didn’t look back.
“Oh pray! Oh pray!”
He turned around and saw an old woman kneeling on the ground as if in prayer as one of the overseers flogged her. When the whip came in contact with her back she screamed. It shattered the silence as one breaks glass. Axe jumped and returned back to his work. As the woman screamed; as the lashes fell upon her, he jumped. He balled his fists in anger. How could a man do that to a woman old enough to be his grandmother? He stopped picking cotton and gritted his teeth. He wanted to yell at the man to stop; but he couldn’t say anything. The overseer was white. He was a Negro.
As the sun slowly rose up into the sky, it left vibrant colours of pink, purple and orange in its wake. Axe sighed as the sun’s warmth kissed his face. Warmth was a nice relief after the cold chilled his hands to the core.
It was almost time to stop for dinner and Axe couldn’t wait to drop his basket. Soon the bell rang, much to his relief. He was getting ready to leave when an overseer called him.
“Negro boy come here.”
Axe dropped his satchel and went to him. “Yes sir.”
“Go into the house and bring me my food.” He pointed to the large house at the other end of the plantation.
Axe nodded and ran to the house. He had been there before while taking the master’s son home from his little adventure. He had followed the little explorer just to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t get hurt. Thank the stars he had followed the boy.
The master’s house was large from where Axe stood and towered over the tree tops. The area around the house was filled with plants and flowers.
The door was opened by two slaves and Axe entered the house. House slaves bustled busily. None of them stopped to look at him. Axe stayed where he was, motionless and lost. Compared to what the house looked like on the outside, it looked small but inside, it was magnificent... bigger than anything he had ever seen. He felt disgusted. His master lived in a large house and accumulated lots of wealth while his slaves rotted in small huts deprived of clean water and a decent amount of food.
Axe turned his head and took one of the slaves who walked past him by the arm.
“What do you want?” He gave Axe a cold hard stare.
“I’m looking for the kitchen.” Axe replied undaunted by the man. They were both slaves... they were both Negroes so why on earth should he think he had more status than him?
The man pointed to the door at the end of the hallway “That’s the kitchen.”
He walked away leaving Axe in the middle of the hallway.
Axe straightened his shirt and breeches trying to look decent. His shirt once white was now brown with dirt and dust. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. It was then he wondered what all the fuss was about. He was only going to the kitchen to get an overseer’s food.
Axe made his way to the kitchen. He stopped in front of the small wooden door and knocked loudly. He didn’t have to wait long. It was opened by a woman with the darkest hair he had ever seen.
“Yes? What do you want?” She asked gazing intently at him.
Axe broke eye contact with her. “I’m here to get the overseer’s food.” He said, realizing that if he took a long time to get the man’s food, he’d get a flogging.
The woman smiled warmly. “Wait here. I’ll bring the food to you.”
She closed the door and left Axe standing there like an idiot while everyone else was busy.
Axe turned around when someone tapped on his shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” It was Miriam.
“I have to bring food to one of the overseers.”
Miriam frowned. “Don’t take too long to get his food.” She walked away.
Axe turned back to the kitchen door and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the master’s son out of the corner of his eye. The kitchen door opened and the maid gave Axe a big bowl covered with a plate. “This is the overseer’s meal.”
Axe nodded and hurried out the door, not stopping to look back at the little boy standing near the staircase.
Axe handed the man his food and walked away. His heart was beating like a drum. The master’s son had seen him.
It was already late when the slaves begun leaving the fields. Axe watched them go, knowing he wasn’t going anywhere soon. He had to do whatever it took to become a house slave, even if it meant working overtime.
“Aren’t you coming?” One of the slaves asked.
Axe shook his head.
“Suit yourself.” She said before walking away.
Axe’s hands felt numb after picking cotton. He had to swap places with another slave who had collapsed earlier in the day to remove the seeds from the cotton. It was hard work. He could barely feel his fingers. His neck and shoulders hurt.
“What’s your name Negro?”
Axe raised his head and found the overseer that sent him to bring his dinner standing next to him.
“Axe.” His voice came out as a small whisper.
“I see you’re working overtime. Why?”
“I just wanted to work.” Axe mumbled.
“Well...” The man inched closer. He realised what Axe was doing. “If you keep walking, you could get some rewards.” With that, he winked and walked away. “Don’t stay here for too long. You have to work tomorrow.” The man yelled as he opened the gate. Axe nodded.
Axe began humming one of the many tunes Three had taught him. He took a quick glance at the huts. The bonfire’s flames had begun to slowly go out. Axe yawned. The thought of returning to his hut was overwhelmingly tempting. He stopped working, deciding to take a temporary break and sat on the ground. He told himself he had to keep his eyes open, but soon gave into his exhaustion and fell asleep.
Axe’s eyelids flew open when someone tapped his shoulder.
“Who’s there?” He whispered loudly.
“Angel it’s me.” A small voice replied.
Axe’s heart felt like it’d burst. The boy knew who he was. He wanted to hit himself on the head. What was he thinking when he followed the child?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He hoped the idea of him playing innocent and having no clue about what the boy was talking about would make the child doubt himself.
“You are Angel. Your voice sounds like his.” The boy replied.
“I have no idea about what you’re talking about.” Axe said.
“You killed Simon.”
Axe instantly sat up. “WHAT?!”
“Be quiet!!”
“You didn’t tell your father anything did you?”
“No.”
“How did you find me?”
“I sneaked out of the house Angel. It’s not very hard to do.”
“What do you want with me?” Axe asked.
“I want to say thank you.”
“It’s my job to serve you.”
Axe gasped as Henry hugged him out of the blue. “Thank you for your help.”
Axe didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t believe he was being hugged by a white child... his master’s child.
“I brought you this.” The boy placed something in Axe’s palm.
“What is this?”
“It’s cake. Yulana baked it today.”
Axe took a bite from the cake. It was delicious. “Who is Yulana?” He asked between mouthfuls.
“She’s my friend.”
“Really?”
“She’s really pretty and nice. She has a lovely smile. She’s a Negro.”
Axe stopped eating. “She’s a Negro?”
“Yes. She’s a Negro. Just like you.” Henry replied.
“What do your parents think about being friends with a Negro?”
“Oh... they don’t know. Father is busy working and mother’s occupied knitting and sewing... well it was nice to meet you Angel. I have to go. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye,”
Henry hugged Axe one more time and was about to leave when he asked “Will you be my friend?”
Axe shook his head. “No.”
“Why can’t we be friends?”
“I’m a slave. That’s why we can’t be friends.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You and I are different.”
“Just because I’m younger than you doesn’t mean-“
“I’m black and you’re white. We can never be friends.” Axe snapped.
“Please be my friend. Please.”
Axe sighed and thought for a minute. “Alright I’ll be your friend as long as you promise not to tell anyone.”
Henry grinned. “I promise.” And ran back to the house.
That was how their friendship begun. Axe would work from sunrise to late at night harvesting cotton and Henry would sneak out to meet him. Both of them would talk about their different lives and the things going on around them.
The overseer continued to watch and Negro carefully and told George about him.
It was around lunchtime when he called Axe. “Negro the master wants to see you.”
Axe nodded. His palms became sweaty as he was led inside the house and into a private room with very little furniture. He was ordered to sit on the ground with his back to the wall as he waited for his master.
As he sat on the floor, Axe thought about meeting his master face to face again. The memory of their first encounter was still fresh on his mind. He still remembered the blows he had received, the pain that ripped through his body and the fear of being alone.
The door opened and Axe looked up. The master walked in and sat on one of the chairs. He stared at Axe for a long time. Axe didn’t flinch. He remained still.
“One of my men, Tom told about your work.” He looked Axe in the eye. Axe remained firm. He couldn’t turn away. “He told me you work from sunrise to deep in the night.”
Axe didn’t say a word.
The master snapped. “Aren’t you doing to talk Dog or do I have to make you?”
“I’m not a dog.” Axe murmured.
George’s eyes narrowed. “Pack your belongings. You’re from now on staying at the quarters close to the house.”
Axe watched as George turned on his heel and walked away. He wanted to laugh with happiness. With Tom’s help, he had been made a house slave.
Axe returned to the plantation. He smiled when he saw Tom and Tom discreetly winked at him.
“Thank you sir.” Axe mouthed.
Tom nodded and looked away.
Tom knew his job would be at stake if his friendship with the Negro was found out; yet he took a special liking to the boy. He was different from other slaves. There was a fire in his eyes that burned brightly and everyone failed to notice it. Or maybe it was because the boy reminded him of the little Negro friend he had as a young boy?