Arthur

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1 |  Black

[ ARTHUR ]

Even being an only child of my parents Charlotte and Mathew Gran, poverty is like a sister and neighbor to me. As a seven year old child, we all have that dream to be able to eat at least three times a day. But in my case, it's totally different. Eating meat three times is like a Christmas present to me already. Being introduced to poverty in an early age makes me want to be wealthy.

A sharp pain sprang from the back of my head jolting me out of my thoughts.

I turned around glaring at the person behind that dared hit me in my head.

The boy laughed. It was the rich man's 7 year old son.

"Is poor Arthur tired? O! What a shame!" Connor in pouts in fake sympathy.

I scoffed and started waking away so that I couldn't see his face. I choose to to not listen to him blabbering nonsense.

"black people are really ugly, just look at–"

I didn't get the chance to finish his sentence before I threw a punch at him. The only thing coursing through my veins right now was pure rage. It was like my heart was being squeezed and twisted. I kept throwing punches his direction despite the audience that I'm starting to attract.

I don't care even if he calls me ugly, poor, smelly and all the other names under the sun because I know that it was true. I knew that I was poor because I usually hear that being mentioned in the arguments my parent's have everyday.

I know that I smelled bad because of the sweat I produce from working everyday.

I didn't care about it as long as we were able to earn money and save it. Even if they say I'm ugly, I know it's not true because people have different perspective of beauty.

He is white and I am black. He is rich and I am poor. I don't care if he puts me down as long as he doesn't include other black people.

Punch. Punch. Punch. I gave my last beating to now blue violet boy. I can now see many people starting to flock. I narrowed my eyes at him and turned exiting my way.

People made a lane for me to pass in the plantation. But before I could totally go in another part of the plantation, I decided to give the rich man's son a little word of wisdom.

I turned my way and shouted in a loud voice in order for everyone to hear. "If you are never in the street, you can never now the life. If you are never a black person, you can never know the struggle. Just wait and watch and someday I'll be greater than you and you will come begging at my feet to work."

I made my at the other side of the plantation. I can still hear people snickering and saying, "this boy will surely get in trouble with the boss," or from other blacks, "this boy nah, I hope he'll achieve it, he has a kind heart eh."  More comments were bombarded about what I did a while ago. While passing I received glances of disgust from people.

When I reached the place where my mom was assigned her expression was pure fear and sadness. I couldn't understand why she is sad when I only did the right thing. "Nne," I began but she didn't respond. I went near her and tried to hug her but she just shoved me away a bit harshly and I stumbled.

Regret flashed quickly in her eyes and she went near to help me get up. I didn't accept her help but instead ran away crying. I couldn't understand why no one understood me. It's always like that whenever I stood up for the black people. I cried and cried and cried. I cried for the blacks. I cried because of the continuous discrimination of the whites towards the blacks.

Time flew so fast that it was already evening. My stomach rumbled since I didn't eat anything for lunch. "Arthur," screamed a familiar voice from a far distance. I turned around and saw tears streaming down from her face. She ran so fast as if her life depended on it. "O, Arthur," she said as she engulfed me in a hug while crying. We stayed in the hug for about 5 minutes.

"You have been here all along? Do you know that I almost had a heart attack thinking of the possibilities that Mr. Carlo Rossi can do to you? Do you know what you have done to Connor?" Mom blabbered continuously about what I did to Connor.

"What did you do to Mr. Rossi's child," came a loud voice that caused us to jump. We whipped our head to the side and saw the face of my dad. We didn't notice that we already reached our house. Mom stepped in front of me and tried to explain the situation. My eyes widen the moment I saw my dad biting his index finger.

"Be ready."  Only two spoken words from my dad but I absolutely now the meaning. I went ahead to our so called house. It only has a small place consist with a kitchen, a small living room and two rooms. "This boy nah, won't learn. Won't learn! How many times do I need to remind him,"  we're the exact words of my father that made me frown.

Seconds and minutes passed. Their argument was not yet done. I felt sleepy so I decided to take a nap. My eyelids just shut close when I saw my dad entering in pure rage. He banged the door loudly and strode towards me.

"The day I call you more than twice next time will be the day I chop off your ears," he said pinching my ear causing me to wince. "Understand?!" he asked and I nodded. "Use your words. You're not born mute." "Yes papa,"  I answered.

We went out and sat in the dining room. "Arthur lead the prayer," commanded my dad. I prayed and we started to share our little meal. I did the washing of the dishes and later on retire to my bed.

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