These characters are mine and they rock…right?
Violence: A little
Sex: None
Synopsis: She woke up on a plantation will she escape and with a new companion?
Katherine came to and felt like she was moving or being transported.
"Found this nigga in the uncharted land….think we can sell her?"
"I don't know…but that just don't look like some nigga.."
"You're right…but some white man will want her in his house right?"
"Yeah, chain her up…the horse…he's mine now."
"But he's crazy…. thing looks like he's got a hoof in the grave and still won't be saddled."
"You had better tame him and fast."
She glanced around the wagon to see a few chains dangling from a wall. She squinted at the cracks of sunlight that seeped through the rickety wagon and passed out again.
Katherine woke up screaming and an old black woman rushed to her side. Katherine looked at what she was dressed in and at her surroundings.
"Where am I?"
"Don't be foolin girl you know where you at."
Katherine looked at her feet, her boots were gone and her leather ensemble was replaced with a tattered white gown.
"No."
Katherine stood up shaking her head walking closer to the window.
"No.."
She stood at the window eyes closed, not wanting to open them. She gripped the windowsill until her caramel fingers turned pink. She could tell by the hustle and bustle outside where she was. She opened her eyes and saw dozens of blacks walking around, cleaning and doing chores and her heart sank. She was back…away from Lee, and on some damn plantation.
"No!"
Katherine dropped to her knees crying. "How long have I been here?"
"You've been here a week darlin'."
"What….Lee's gone…damn it!"
She punched the floor making a vase near the edge of a table fall to the floor.
A the sudden noise a white man bursts through the door and stared at the both of them.
"She back on her feet?"
"Yes sir….but she still limping."
The man's gazed was that of a man ho looked at a beggar.
"Get her properly, tomorrow she start in the house."
"No I won't."
"What?" The man put his hand to his side grasping the handle of a whip.
"Girl has ya lost it?"
"No I haven't…I got papers…I'm being held against my will!"
"Okay then let me see them."
"I don't have them….look the men who brought me in took my clothing…all my belongings…even my horse."
The man burst into laughter and bent over slapping his knee.
"Okay….Sue, get this girl back in bed she's still delirious."
With that the man exited the room and walked away.
"I can't stay here."
"Well ya got's no choice…."
"Yes I do…and it ain't here."
She darted from the house and towards the gate, which bordered them. She thought she was free until two burly white men stepped in front of her.
"Where you going girl?"
"Corsa…I got business there."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah…so if you'll just move…I'll be on my way."
"Get back to work you mutt."
"What did you call me?"
"Yeah just cuz you got some damn white blood in ya you getting out of place."
"I'm not white!"
She kicked one man in the balls and then took his rifle and butted his friend in the nose. Blood spewed from her capturer's nose and he fell to the ground holding it. She was going to ran into the underbrush but ran into wooden planks.
"What!"
She kicked at the wood trying to break it in but was shoved from behind. One of the men pointed a rifle at her and she dropped his gun and cursed out loud.
"Get that nigga strung up…I'm gonna whip you good!!"
The one holding his nose rolled in agony while another white man grabbed her and drug her to a post where her arms were bound to it and her dress was ripped from the back. The white man stalked away and Katherine held her breath expecting a strip of pain to overcome her.
"What in gods name are you doing!"
"I was just…."
"Just about to beat the new girl?"
"Well…"
"Don't we let new comers off with a warning?" Katherine knew it was a women's voice, heavy with a southern drawl.
"Besides…if I were her…. I'd fight too."
She felt a soft hand untie her and help her to her feet.
"Come along."
She led Katherine to a big blue and white house, extravagant with detail and beauty. If Katherine thought the outside was breath taking the inside was immaculate. It was everything a person could want, perfectly furnished in every way. Katherine wanted to shoot herself fro falling into the nostalgia of it all but it truly was breathtaking. Katherine was led up the polished stairs to a big room decked with a canopy bed and trinkets that a young lady should have. They sat on the bed and Katherine looked at her savior for the first time. She was a young lady, dressed in a southern fashion and had blonde flowing hair that fell about her head like a halo. Her eye's were emerald green but soft and playful not abrasive and rude like most whites.
"Since the slaves don't know much about what happens around here…I'll just fill you in."
She took a breath and began.
"Two slave peddlers came around telling us they had a half white nigga who was found near death in the uncharted land. They were on there way back from Corsa, which is where most the damn thieves stay, they sold you to us and no you're here on Aldine Plantation."
"Wait….Aldine is far away from Corsa….I'm guessing."
"Yes it is."
"Damn…now I have to travel all that way again."
Katherine shook her head and her thought process was broken by the southern tongue of her companion.
"My name's Abigail."
"My name's Katherine."
"Now I know who you are…you're famous you know."
"Yeah…then why am I here?"
"Well, when this plantation gets dull I like to hear what happens else where. I just collect clippings and read is all….I heard about you stopping the gangs by making them kill each other it was….amazing."
She looked up at Katherine with pure admiration in her eyes.
"Well thank you…. tell me Abigail...how can I get off this plantation."
"Why?"
"Are you serious?"
"Free food…free room, all the others are happy."
"Happy…. they're happy because they've never had freedom…this…this is prison…and I have committed no crimes…so I am free."
"I didn't mean to…"
"I know…but I have to leave…I have to get out of here."
Katherine grasped Abigail's hand and looked her in the eyes.
"I have to go Abigail…I wasn't built for a cage."
Abigail's green eye's stared back at her and she was speechless.
The angry white man that tried to whip Katherine walked in and pushed Katherine away from Abigail.
"Was she hurting you?"
"Does it look like it?"
"Come on girl, you best leave Abigail alone.'
"She did nothing Henry just…"
Henry wrenched Katherine from the ground and nudged her towards the door.
"Scoot!"
Katherine looked back at Katherine with one more pleading glance and exited the room.
Abigail was torn by the look. It was the look of a bear with its leg caught in a trap, the look of a man being sent to prison or about to be killed. The look Katherine gave her broke her heart in two.
"Henry it's not suitable for you to be in a ladies room now go."
"But.."
"Go!"
Henry tipped his hat and stalked out of the room. Henry always made Abigail uncomfortable; he looked at her funny like he wanted to devour her. Well he'd have to take a number because the slobbering men crawling from all regions were trying to marry her. Her dad only had one in mind, and she despised him so much. She couldn't marry Kevin he was short, balding and had bad breath….no matter what time of day. She looked in her mirror and adjusted her hair then walked back outside.
"There's my Abigail!"
She turned to see her father and Kevin striding towards her.
"Why Kevin I was just thinking of you."
"Well sweetheart he was just talking about you….he's offering ya marriage."
Abigail clutched her chest and cleared her throat.
"Well…I'm speechless daddy…may I have some time to think."
"Take as much as you like my dear, but I assure you, I am the best candidate." Kevin said taking off his hat and wiping sweat from his balding head.
"Well Abigail we are off to talk business in the parlor….do try to stay out of the sun, you nearly collapsed last time."
"Yes father."
Kevin and her father walked away and her stomach lurched. She had to get out of here and fast.
Katherine dumped vegetables into a steaming pot of water. She was tired, she had cooked cleaned and basically served a white man all day and she felt like all hope was gone. She had tried to escape earlier but was thwarted and gave some lame excuse to escape the whip. The vegetable started to bubble and boil and Katherine spit in the water.
"Hope they like spit in there…."
"I hope you weren't planning on serving those?"
Katherine looked over and saw Abigail standing with a smirk on her face with arms folded.
"Yeah…I was."
Abigail began to laugh and walked over to Katherine.
"Good thing I don't eat green beans."
"I'll throw them out…"
"No, maybe spit will teach my father not to give me away like some sla…"
Abigail cleared her throat and looked uncomfortably away from Katherine.
"Like some slave?"
"Yes...exactly."
"Well can't help ya there."
"Yes you can."
"How?"
"Well, I can get you free….the only thing is you have to take me with you."
Katherine doubled over with laughter and wiped tears from her eyes.
"Your serious?"
"Quite."
Katherine leaned against a counter top and smirked.
"If you let me free and I decide to let you come along….do you have any idea what it's like to live like I do?"
"Yes, you fight for the weak and give to the poor….you stay unclean for day's and you sleep under the stars."
Katherine shook her head.
"True, only when you fight for the weak, sometime you have to kill….sometimes they get killed….you get hunted, shot at beat down and you can never get a good night sleep because an enemy could take your life with one squeeze of the trigger. That's how its like to live like I do…you ready to give all this up for a life that could lead to your early demise."
"With all to respect Mrs. Katherine, a night with Kevin is like dieing."
"Who is Kevin?"
"A man I have to marry."
"Oh, he's ya master?"
Abigail laughed. "Not anymore….partner."
Abigail outstretched her hand and Katherine shook it.
"Okay….now how are we gonna' get out of here."
"My father is going to make a delivery into town….we always take a slave….this time it will be you…I'll say I'm going shopping we disappear…the end."
"Deal…are you sure about this."
"Positively…and crusty Kevin can say goodbye."
Katherine went back to her cooking and Abigail wondered off while Kevin clutched his heart around the corner. A tear slid down his face and he broke his cane in two over his knee.
"Crusty Kevin am I…"
Kevin glared at the slave from around the corner and walked off.
"Everything looks wonderful…Abby say grace."
They all bowed and Abigail said prayers then dishes were passed between her, her father and Kevin.
"So have you made you decision Abby?"
Abigail's father said smiling at Kevin.
"Oh I think she has.."
Abigail shot a frightened glance at Kevin and he threw his napkin into his plate.
"I bet you didn't know you daughter was gonna' free a slave…..not only that run off with her…to roam the countryside?"
Abigail's father chuckled.
"You're losing it Kevin, that isn't possible."
Abigail's father looked at her.
"Tell me this isn't true Abby?"
Abigail's father shook his head and yelled for a slave to bring him a drink. Katherine brought it out on a tray and tried to exit but Kevin recognized her.
"It was her the two were conspiring to shake you off in town and run off."
"Abby is this true?"
"I..I.."
"Go to your room, you'll be married to Kevin tomorrow."
"I will not!"
"You can and you will!"
Abigail stormed from the room and his piercing glance switched to Katherine.
"As for you, you will be whipped accordingly tomorrow as an example to all the slaves what you gain for being insubordinate!"
Abigail's father rose and pointed towards the door.
"Now go to you housing and stay until we come and get you!"
Katherine left the house and ran back to the hut of her own. She shrank into a corner crying, that was her only chance….now somebody had to die.
Abigail brushed tears from her face as she sat looking out the window at the starless night. Kevin came into her room and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"I know you didn't think you could escape me that easily did you?"
He laughed and shook his head.
"I own you now…tomorrow….you will be my bride."
Kevin kissed her cheek and she stood frozen still staring into the night. Kevin exited the room and when he left she wipe a single tear from her cheek.
"Like hell."
Katherine looked outside to see Henry whipping at the air with a whip as two other men tied ropes to a post.
"Oh, they make it look so welcoming."
She shrugged and sharpened a kitchen knife against a stone.
"I should have done this a long time ago."
She tucked it away and Henry came to the tent they stored her in for that night.
"Come on girl…"
"Think this through now….do you really want to carry this out?"
"Girl you are truly crazy…get ya' ass up and out!"
"Okay…but remember..."
She got up and walked past him but paused. "I warned you." She continued to walk as all the slaves parted like a sea. She reached the post and they tied her. Henry paced looking from face to face in the crowd.
"This is what happens when you decide to be disobedient!"
Katherine shook her head and slide the knife using her wrist up her arms.
"Amen!" Katherine screamed as she quickly slashed the leather that bound her.
"Get that nigga!!"
Katherine flung the knife and it stuck right into Henry's chest. He fell backwards with his tongue hanging out his mouth.
Gunshots rang out and Katherine ran with sharp pains from her healing calf wound slowing her a bit.
"Okay…I need to think."
Then the gunshots stopped and Katherine looked up to see Abigail holding two men at gun point.
Katherine quickly found some material to tie the men with and she turned to the crowd that formed around them.
"You're free!"
She smiled and yelled.
"You're free!!"
A women stepped forward and shook her head.
"Free to do what?"
"To leave here."
"And go where…this is where some of us grew up….this here a good place."
"Your…..your not serious are you?
"I think I can speak for all of us when I say you can take your holier than thou act and shove it up ya ass."
"Maybe you don't realize what your saying?"
"I think I do…people always comin round' here talking about saving us…what you saving us from, food, shelter….to make us free to die in gutters poor and hungry?"
Katherine swallowed hard and shook her head.
"Fine stay here…I'm not going to be a white man's slave….never!"
Katherine looked at Abigail still frowning.
"You ready?"
"Yes, if we hurry my father won't even know about it…..but he will come after us you know."
"But he won't find us….cuz' he ain't fast enough to catch me."
"I have rations and two horses in the stables….follow me."
Abigail and Katherine race off towards the stables and Abigail hands Katherine a bundle of clothing.
"This is what they found you in…I mended it for you."
"Thank you."
Katherine ripped off the tattered clothing she wore and changed as Abigail turned blushing. Katherine smoothed out her clothing and admired the mending that Abigail did.
"Good job."
Katherine eyed Abigail's wardrobe. "You gonna' ride in that?"
"Nope."
Abigail lifted off her heavy dress to reveal some brown leather pants and a jacket to match. She had a pistol and pistol holder on her side and she pulled out a black hat.
"You like it…I picked it up in town…everyone was looking at me like I was crazy….it's a costume….you know for parties."
"Right…let's go."
Katherine looked at the horse in front of her and saw that it was Archer. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. Then she turned back towards Abigail.
"Abby….you sure you're ready for this?"
Abigail looked around and sighed. "I'm sure."
Katherine led her horse out of the stable and Abigail followed with hers.
"Well, I left daddy a note he should be here any moment."
"Maybe you should tell him to his face?"
"No, he'd stop me…its better this way."
"Alright."
Katherine mounted her horse and Abigail did as well. Katherine spurred Archer and her and Abigail flew through the plantation and out into the town. They rode through town and out pasts city limits then into the never ending desert.
"Abby?"
Abigail's father walked up the stairs and knocked on her door. Kevin appeared behind him.
"Something for Abby?"
"Yes, I feel so badly about hurting her little friend."
One of the men who got tied ran in out of breath.
"Sir, Abby and that girl have escaped they held us at gunpoint and left the plantation!"
"What?"
Abigail's father pushed her door open and looked around, Abby was gone and all that remained was a letter laid across the bed. He picked it up and began to read it.
Father,
I would never leave you with out giving you an explanation and it is simply this. I want to see the world daddy, I want to know what it's like without you. I want to live. Don't blame. Katherine, she was going to leave anyway I am just tagging along. Daddy you know me, did you expect me to marry Kevin…I can not marry some one I do not love. Me and Kevin could never be. Daddy I will come back to you but I need time to grow with out you around and in my life. Good bye daddy….but no forever.
Abigail
He father crumpled the note and sat on the bed shocked. Kevin placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'll find her…I promise you."
Kevin left the room and Abby's father stood and walked towards the window and looked up at the moon.
Abby looked at the moon and smiled. This was her first time away from home in her whole life. She studied Katherine as she set up her blanket..
"It's a great night."
"Right now, but it's going to get really cold."
"In the desert?"
"You got it."
"Why?"
"Well I don't know but it really does….besides we ain't here for the night, just for a spell….we rest then ride…were way to close…they are gonna' come looking."
"Yeah."
Abigail laid her blanket beside Katherine and they both laid down.
"So where to now?"
"Don't worry bout' it now…you need ya rest."
Abigail turned over and sat up on her elbows and looked at Katherine.
"Thank you…"
"No…don't I've pulled you into a bad spot and…"
"Thank you."
Abigail turned over and tried to sleep.
Katherine sighed and turned away from Abby. She knew what was next, she'd continue to hunt him. The man who killed her father and then murder him, but this time she wouldn't slip up. He's a hard man to track but she'd find him. As for Abby she'd ditch her in the next town, she needed her to get off the plantation but the girl had to go back. She had enough white men trying to kill, a wealthy one whose saddened over his daughter wouldn't help. All her leads trying to find him had been blown, so they'd ride til' they get to a new town, but for the first time Katherine didn't know what to do next.
To be continued….
Chapter 5: Her decision