A Game of Colours

Chapter 20: Fight or Flight?

"Who are you?" I ask frantically, "what are you doing?"

One of the men comes closer, and pulls down the bandana concealing his face.

"Rescuing you, of course" winks Jarrah.

***

THIS CHAPTER IS FROM JARRAH'S POV. JUST TO AVOID CONFUSION, REMEMBER THAT :)

"By attacking my driver? What's the point? How are we gonna get out of the plantation anyway? There's guards at the main gate" says Alice frantically.

"Permit papers, of course" I respond obviously. I mean, she's cute and all but she can be kind of thick sometimes.

I pull out the slip my dad wrote and read it to her.

I, John Whitley, hereby begrudgingly give permission for this young Negro woman to exit the estate upon court orders from Arthur Jackson's bastard of an attorney. 

Alice quirks an eyebrow at me.

"Well, it says most of that," I laugh.

"Alright, Isaac. Toss me the key from the driver's belt," I say, and he does so.

I unlock the crate she's in, and Alice is about to get out when I hold her back.

"Stay inside," I say.

"What are you doing?" she hisses.

"Saving your ass. Isaac, get in the cage."

"What? I'm not getting in that jail cell," he spits, "who do you think you are, your father? Alice, get out. He's just--"

"I am nothing like my father," I interrupt angrily.

Right?

"Listen, we have to get past the main gate. And we can't do that unless I dress up like the driver, and you two are the slaves I'm 'taking' to Mississippi alright? So get in."

"The court order calls for a young Negro woman," Isaac points out.

I look Isaac up and down. "I don't see the problem" I say cheekily. Alice stifles a laugh, and a sense of pride rushes through my body at amusing her. It always does.

Isaac glares at me, and my smile immediately falls.

"Jarrah, we have two minutes before someone passes by and sees the cart's stopped. You and me both know I can't get in that cage."

I ruffle my hair nervously, finally acknowledging his point.

"Go without me" Isaac says, "I'll hold off anyone who comes this way."

"No" I protest instantly, "shut up with that kind of talk. I promised to get you both out and I am, alright? Now. Isaac. It's about a minute's drive to the main gate. Can you hang on at the bottom of the cart that long? They shouldn't see you like that."

There's a flaw in that plan, and we all know it. The guards check under the carts for security measures. There's a reason my dad's plantation has an impeccable reputation. No one escapes without outside help. I'm just hoping Isaac'll take the risk.

He looks at Alice for confirmation before crawling under the cart, and she nods with a comforting smile.

There it was--that look in her eye. It's different, how she feels about him. I know it. Sometimes, I wonder if she'll ever--

I shake my head to clear my thoughts and focus on getting her out safely.

We're from two different worlds. Even if I escape with her, how am I supposed to tell her that I'll never be allowed back home? That I'll never see anyone from my family again, because I'll be a wanted criminal?