As Plain As Black And White

Welcome

"You spilled it on my fucking shoes." I got my handkerchief to wipe the wine off of his shoe but when I went down, he kneed me in my nose and walked away. I felt my nose begin to bleed so I held my nose and went in to our bathroom and proceeded to clean myself as best as I could, alone.

The door opened and in came Camille.
"Oh no. What happened?"

"It's nothing. I just need help." I sat down on the crate that was used for the unspeakable.. as she finished cleaning my face.

"Oh you poor thing."I wince as she presses her hand against my nose. "You can't go back out there like this."

"Now we both know Master Thomas don't care." I can feel the a bump around my nose.

"Yeah. I hate when he throws these damn Dinner par-"

"Hey were running short let's go!" We quickly gather our selves and head out. I finished serving the guests. Some guests laughed at my nose. Some looked guilty but sooner turned into laughter when they look amongst their fellow peers.

"Nasir." My master came up to me.

"Yes Mr. Thomas." He put his hand on the back of my neck as a friendly gesture. Kind of like if someone put their hands around another guys shoulders.

"What happened to your nose boy?"

"It was nothing sir." I start to feel his nails digging into my flesh. I began to wince in silence.

"Don't lie to me."

"W-Well Someone bumped into me and I- I accidentally spilled wine on a guests shoe." He finger nails continue to dig in the back of my neck. Tears threatened to spill as I cry I'm pain.

"I got something for you boy.. lying to me like that." He finally got his finger nails off of my neck and walked off. I was left with mixed emotions. Glad to not have felt that pain and more. Worried because I know I'm gonna be punished. Mad because it wasn't my fault.

The end of the dinner came and all the guest left and the rest of us we left with the cleaning of the house. Anything to not meet with Master.

"Camille, imma get licks."

"Why?" She gasped.

"Remember I said it was nothing earlier... about the nose bleed?" She nods and I explain the whole story to her. "..but it ain't even my fault."

"Now we both know that's not right. But Just remember what I told you. Embrace the pain Baby. Embrace it." I nod and resumed scrubbing the dishes.

It was 3:00 in the morning and the house was finally cleaning.
"I want every Slave to come in the Living area now!" We heard Masters son yell into the kitchen. We left the room as fast as we could into the living area.

"Alright now. Tonight went great. No thanks to you." He spoke to all of us. Ungrateful. "Nasir step forward." All the slaves gasp but not loud but just enough for me to hear. His son, Sir James hands him the crate. Remember the crate I told you about... yeah that crate. "Lay across."

I wanted to ask why but There was no use to so I did as I was told and I heard the 'SWOOSH' from the belt upon my back. I bit my lip. 10 more times, each time I bit down harder. I was finally let up after the master's youngest child began to scream "STOP!" I stood up and followed the rest of the slaves out, making sure not to show Master I wasn't in any pain.

I walked all the way down to my bunk that my family stayed and I cried.

"Baby what's wrong?"

"It's jus- why does it have to be us? What did we do momma?"

"Were stronger than he is. That's why he wants to make us weak. But we ain't weak."

"I know. But how come if we're so strong, we can't stop them?" I asked, receiving silence. I just fell asleep to the sound of my mother's heart beat.

Welcome to the life of Nasir.