Yulana stood by the window peeling an apple. She squinted as the big yellow ball ascended into the sky making it different shades of pink, yellow and orange. She turned her head wishing Miriam was beside her chattering happily about the beauty of a new day.
“It’s a beautiful day Miriam.” She said softly wiping a tear from her eye. Yulana waited, expecting Miriam to answer...but she never did. She was gone. She was never coming back.
Yulana finished cutting the apples and began baking the bread when she heard footsteps behind her. She initially thought it was the mistress watching their movement. She kept working, not daring to look up in case the mistress was standing by the doorway.
“Yulana.”
Yulana stopped and turned around when she heard Henry’s small voice.
“Yes master.” She replied.
Henry was standing by the doorway clutching one of the soft stuffed bears his cousin had given him for Christmas. “I had a bad dream.” He said softly as he walked towards her.
“Oh.” She picked him up and placed him on the small table “What happened.”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
Yulana stroked his blonde hair “It’s better telling someone about it.”
Henry’s eyes widened like saucers when she said that. “Really?”
“Yes. Now tell me about your dream.” She sat next to him and stifled a groan at her aching bones.
Henry sniffed “I dreamt I was being chased by one of the blood hounds.”
Yulana sighed “But it didn’t catch you did it?”
“No.”
“Well then there’s nothing to be afraid of. The bible says God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and sound mind.” She caressed his cheek. “There’s no need to be afraid because God is with us and he will always protect us.”
Henry nodded and smiled weakly “Thank you Yulana. I feel better now.”
“Remember Henry God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power. Whenever you have a bad dream, tell God about it and he’ll protect you. He will not call you a coward or a fool. He’ll gladly help you”
She ruffled his head as he left the kitchen “Goodbye Yulana.”
“Goodbye Henry.”
With the help of two girls, Yulana set up the eating room for breakfast. She paid careful attention to what the girls did, making sure everything was perfect else they’d all face the wrath of the mistress.
She grinned when the girls finished their work and later found out their names were Eugene and Jenny. Both were mulatto; just like Jack.
Yulana turned away and exhaled loudly. She couldn’t think of Jack. She couldn’t think of Miriam. Her faith would run even lower if she thought of them.
“You can leave now.” She dismissed the girls who scurried out of the room. Yulana too left, silently closing the door behind her.
Harriet stood by her box filled with jewels and smiled cynically as she took her pearl necklace and placed it in her pocket. No woman, especially a slave would steal her son away from her. She shut the lid and walked out of the house to the slave quarters. Some women who saw her walk past bowed their heads and hurried away. They didn’t question why she was in the slave quarters. Even the overseers who saw her looked the other way and twiddled their thumbs knowing they knew if they said or did anything, they would lose their jobs.
Harriet entered Yulana’s hut and scanned the small area. Yulana did live like an animal. She took the necklace from her pocket and placed it under Yulana’s pillow and left. She would show the Negro who was boss.
Harriet loved the way the Negroes and overseers cowered away from her when they saw her. She enjoyed seeing their fear. She was the mistress. She was the one in charge.
“Where’s my pearl necklace?” Harriet screamed as she flung her boxes across the room. “I put it here this morning and now it’s gone.” She grabbed two unfortunate slaves walking past her chamber and shook them violently “Who has my necklace?” The women were too frightened to reply. Harriet slapped one of them “Who took my necklace?”
One of the women began to whimper and Harriet struck her cheek. “Answer me.”
“I...I don’t know mistress.” Harriet snorted at her stammered reply and then pushed both women away. She ran into the other rooms throwing boxes across the hallway and flinging clothes everywhere trying to find the necklace. The slaves would clean up her mess later. It was their job.
Harriet stormed into her husband’s study “My pearl necklace has gone missing.”
“Are you sure you haven’t lost it?”
“I placed it in one of my boxes this morning and it’s not there.”
George raised an eyebrow “Who do you think might have taken it?”
“Yulana must have taken it. She was in my chamber this morning. You have to check her belongings now.” Harriet screeched.
George stood up and hurriedly left the study. Harriet followed him and together they searched Yulana’s hut and there George found Harriet’s pearl necklace. He turning bright red in anger went back to the house and ordered a slave to send for Yulana.
Yulana entered the study and closed the door behind her. George sat at his desk and Harriet sat on the small chair beside him. Yulana resisted the urge to scowl at her.
“You called for me master.” She said with contempt.
“What happened this morning?” He asked.
“I made breakfast and set up the eating hall with some other slaves.”
“Did you enter my wife’s room this morning?” He raised one eyebrow.
“No.” Yulana answered flatly.
“Did you enter my wife’s room yesterday?”
“No.”
“My wife’s pearl necklace went missing this morning and we found it under your pillow.” He held the necklace for Yulana to see. Yulana looked at Harriet and bit her lip to stop herself from saying something she’d regret. “Why did you take my wife’s necklace?”
“I didn’t take your wife’s necklace master.” Yulana replied angry at the fact George would accuse her of stealing his wife’s necklace. She had served his house hold for more than thirty years without a single complaint made about her. After all she had better things to do with her time than steal his wife’s necklace.
“Did you or did you not steal the necklace?”
“I did not steal your wife’s necklace.”
“LIAR!!” Harriet screamed and lunged at Yulana striking her on the face. Yulana made no attempt to shield herself from Harriet. She knew Harriet’s motives of wanting to get rid of her. Yulana knew Harriet had seen Henry hug her some days ago. She knew Henry loved her more than he loved Harriet.
“You filthy liar! You stole my necklace.” Harriet shrieked and then burst out crying. “Hang her George she’s nothing but trouble.
Yulana turned to George, her brown eyes pierced his own. George looked away “You shall be hanged for stealing my wife’s necklace.”
“I didn’t steal your wife’s necklace.”
“Don’t you lie to me in the presence of God!” George barked.
Yulana shut her mouth and turned to Harriet “I am innocent. Both you and I know that.”
Harriet slapped her and walked away. Yulana turned to George “I am innocent.”
“Then why was my wife’s necklace found under your pillow?”
Yulana didn’t have an answer. George walked out of the room and some men came and to take her away. As they took her away, she saw Henry playing out of the corner of her eye with his toys. Yulana smiled as she saw him playing and muttered a quick prayer to God to give him an even better companion that she had been.
........
Axe groaned as the bell rang signalling for the slaves to assemble in the yard. Axe wanted to hide somewhere and come out once everyone else came back. He wasn’t ready to watch someone die again. He didn’t want to see their body limp, swaying from side to side. The thought of Miriam made his head spin. He could still see the blood flowing and seeping through the cracks in the wood. Axe shivered when he remembered he had no choice and followed the other slaves to the yard.
Without a word or an explanation of what was going on, the slaves were herded into the town’s main square. Some froze in horror when they saw Yulana standing at the stairs, ready to climb the stairs leading to the platform. Her brown eyes were glassy and emotionless. She was surprisingly calm with her head held high.
“This woman has been found guilty of stealing one of her mistress’ belongings.” A tall man read from a scroll. Some slaves murmured. They didn’t believe what he said. Some had known Yulana since she was a child and knew she would never steal something belonging to her master or mistress.
Yulana was then pushed onto the podium. As the hanging noose was placed around her neck, she called out “I am an innocent woman.” She turned her gaze to Harriet “and you know that Harriet. God is my witness.” And with that, the platform dropped beneath her.
Some gasped. A woman fainted. Yulana swung like a cloth hanging on a drying line during a windy day. Her eyes were wide open, bold and strong without any fear. Harriet sank away, feeling Yulana’s gaze hit her like an arrow. Yulana had been glaring at her when the platform dropped. She had fixed her final sight on her.
Harriet turned around and returned back to the house. Death was an unfortunate thing, but It was a part of life. The woman would die anyway. As much as she tried reasoning what she had done, she couldn’t shake the guilt from her mind.
Thank you all so much for helping me reach over the 500 view mark!! i'm so happy. Thank you for your support!! I could not have done it without you! Thank you! :D
RIP Yulana.
I must be honest people, I'm going to push your buttons with this story. But please stay with me. Don't kill me. I need to go to London first before I die ;)