Why I Ran

Chapter 4:

Day 14:
(South Carolina)

Master Greene has fallen ill again. Mr. Frinde makes every excuse to whip us. I got ten lashings just for taking a small break to admire a butterfly. I see Sara less and less. The one time that I did see her she said that Greene had coughed up blood.

Frinde beat Joseph into unconsciousness, blaming him for Greene's poor health. Joseph had to lay in bed for a full day.

Diana got bit by a spider yesterday. Her arm has a swollen part on it, where the spider had bit her. Frinde gave her five lashes, because she was crying instead of working. He was going to give her ten but I stepped in between them. I took the last five lashes, and ten more of my own. After the beating I had looked at my hands.

"Weak." I whispered to myself.

If you run your hand down my back, you can feel the scars lining up and down my back. The man, Hurnt, is still here. He claims that he still needs more time to study the cotton. I think he might just be losing it.

"Do you know my friend, Gabby?" He had asked me one day. I had frowned and scoffed,

"Of course not."

He had the look of disappointment plastered to his face. I might ask Sara about it tomorrow, if she has time.

My back aches and my tongue is dry. Frinde didn't give us any water today. I almost passed out, but that would have earned me to another whipping.

-Edith

Day 16:
(South Carolina)

Greene is going to die. we slaves are either going to be kept, and abused, or sold for money. I'm not sure which one is worse.

I told Sara about what Hurnt had said about his friend Gabby. Sara's eyes had grown to the size of her fists.

"He said that?" She had hissed.

"What does it mean?"

She had ignored me, (which I am still mad about) and ran off, mumbling as she went.

So now, I sit here in my uncomfortable bed, still thoroughly confused. I peek around the corner to find Sara jabbering in her sleep. I need to end for tonight. Frinde is getting suspicious of all the used candles that I had replaced. Good-bye, for now.

-Edith