A Slave for You

Chapter 6

For Pictureonmawall

Scott wasn't there when I woke up in the morning. I think it made him uncomfortable when I was frightened by the storm last night. I slipped out of the bed and looked out the window. The puddles on the ground were rippling every time someone stepped by them. I noticed a girl, not much older than twelve, trip over a root of an old oak tree by the house. I saw the two overseers grab her by the arms and led her over to a post. They began tying her so her back was exposed.

"No." I ran down the stairs past Kevin, Kirstie, and a guy I never met.

"Mitch, no!" I heard Kirstie yell after me as I rushed through the front door. I stopped the whip with my arm before it could hit the little girl's back. The leather had wrapped around my arm, forming a deep gash. The overseer yanked the whip back which cause me to fall on the mud.

"How dare you?!" The other overseer held my arms down. He cracked the whip threatening on the ground next to me. I squeezed my eyes shut as I cringed. The whip cracked again but this time it met skin. I screamed out quietly at the pain. I felt fire on my back. Why does it hurt so much? The whip went down on my skin once again. The tears blurred my vision. I could see one tear resting on the tip of my nose, teasing with the idea of dropping in the slick mud. The whip met skin but this time it wasn't mine.

"What the hell are you doing?" Scott's voice rang in my ears.

"He tried to protect the girl." The overseer tried to explain. I glanced up at Scott from my position on the ground. The rocks underneath the soaking dirt were digging into my elbows. Scott looked so pissed off. The whip was clenched and wrapped around in his bleeding hands. He had caught the whip before it hit me again.

"I don't give a fuck what he tried to do! You don't touch him." He growled the last sentence. He leaned down to gently help me to my feet. His whole attitude changed as he held my hands. "Are you okay Mitch?" He wiped his thumb across my cheek, catching a tear in the process.

"Yes." I glanced where the young girl was tied on the post. He followed my gaze.

"Release the girl."

"But-" Scott grabbed the overseer's shirt in his fist.

"I said release her." They untied the little girl and she ran over to give me a hug. I heard her mutter a quick thank you before disappearing into one of the worker houses. I gasped in pain when Scott scooped me into his arms. "Sorry Mitch." I hid my face in his neck as he carried me up the stairs to his room.

"It hasn't hurt like this in a long time." My voice was pathetic with the sound of the crying mixing. He shivered as my lips moved against his skin as I spoke.

"Why did you do that Mitch? You could have got seriously hurt." He set me down on the towel stand in the bathroom.

"I didn't want her getting hurt." He pushed my muddy hair out of the way of my face. He pulled my shirt over my head. It was completely ruined. The whip had broke my skin as well as my shirt. Scott looked at the broken cloth before throwing it on the ground with distaste. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your shirt."

"It's fine."

"But-" His finger was placed against my lips.

"Shh. You're fine. I can't believe they did that to you." He went over to the shower to turn on the water. He motioned for me to come over. "Let's get you washed off." I backed away in embarrassment. I didn't want to be naked in front of him.

"No Scott." He rolled his eyes.

"Just take off your pants but keep your underwear on." I didn't want to push my luck anymore than I have. I let my pants fall and stepped under the stream of water. He turned me so my back was hitting the water. I yelped, trying to jump away. He held me in place by standing under the water next to me. I was wiggling, trying to move away from him and the stinging pain that the water was afflicting to my back.

"Please, it hurts!"

"Get the pain out of your mind." He held me tighter. "We have to get the dirt out. We don't want infection."

"Stop!" I shoved him away. I hugged myself close, backing against the cool shower wall. The water was falling in front of my face but not touching.

"Mi-"

"I don't care if it gets infected! I don't want it to hurt!" He closed the distance between us and the water was cascading around his body. His clothes were completely soaked.

"Your story doesn't end here." My eyebrows were drawn together. I didn't want this pain. This only happened the first few times. Why was this happening right now? "Can you sing me a song?" He was slowly bringing me under the water again. I had a sharp intake of breath as my nails dug into his arms.

"I can't re-"

"Tell me one your dad use to sing." He ran a soft cloth over the cuts on my back. I was held against his chest, resting my head against his shoulders as my hands were gripping his biceps.

"Michael, haul the boat ashore,

Then you 'll hear the horn they blow,

Then you 'll hear the trumpet sound,

Trumpet sound the world around,

Trumpet sound for rich and poor,

Trumpet sound the Jubilee,

Trumpet sound for you and me." My voice was stronger at the end because the pain had finally eased out of my body.

"I like that one."

"My dad use to sing me it every night before I fell asleep. He always wanted to live to see the days of equality between everyone." He washed the blood from my elbows as well.

"He must be an amazing man." I sighed sadly.

"Yeah. He was." I looked down at Scott moving the cloth against my skin. "I wish we could have bought the cure."

"If I had known you then Mitch, I would have helped you. I'm going to do that now." He helped me out of the shower, handing me a towel. He sat me down in the seat. He opened up the medicine cabinet and took some alcohol. He took a cloth to dab the medicine on my back.

"Ow." I whined quietly. He knelt in front of me.

"Am I hurting you?" He began disinfecting the cuts on my elbows.

"No." He moved a little closer. If he looked up, our lips would meet. And that's just what happened. The kiss was slow and perfect. I wrapped my arms around his neck to pull him towards me to make the kiss deeper. He pushed me back.

"Wait. I can't-" He glanced down at my lips. His breath was hot against my skin. He groaned in frustration. "I can't Mitch. It's not right. I can't be kissing you as we share a room. Even worse, a bed. It's not right." He repeated that it wasn't right twice. He stood up from where he was kneeling.

"Scott-"

"So, listen. Rest. Stay in the room." He brushed his fingers against my cheek. "I don't want you getting hurt." He walked out of the room. I looked down at my rough hands. Who could possibly love a slave for who they are? For some reason, that what Scott was sending out to me.