The year is 1809, on a plantation in southern Mississippi is where the tale of Sty and Polly takes place. He's a house slave and the illegitimate child of a plantation owner. She's a field slave brought in by shackles and wishful thinking. Together...
Even the folks driving the buggy joined us in song. We finally got to get a glimpse of the buildings the enslaved boys were working on too when we rode through town.
It looked better than I'd hope.
Frowns and other looks of disgust took over the faces of bystanders who filled the streets and stood outside of the stores when they spotted us.
All praises came to a halt once we got to the gated area.
Our dreams of a valley of paradise had proven to be nothing short of another nightmare.
I held onto Mike's hand as we stepped out.
He let go.
We didn't have to strip this time instead we were checked thoroughly by overseers for any weapons. They found nothing, so we were led to the slave quarters in the backyard which were wider than the ones back at Massa Larry's plantation.
Beds lined the walls along with some chairs and a wardrobe.
"Y'all get served dinner in a few." The new overseer announced.
"We getting served... food?" One of the slaves who traveled along with us questioned which made some of them laugh.
"Yes, we feed the help here." The overseer made clear.
I went picking out a bed that surprisingly had a duvet along with a pillow, unlike the ones where we came from.
"Mike, look at this!" I plopped down on the mattress. "Mike..."
He told me later that night that it wasn't okay for us to be all friendly like that around everybody because people might up and assume we're together which they could then use to harm the other if one of us were ever in trouble.
At first, that bothered me to know I wouldn't have anyone to talk with. But I remembered what I had promised Sty so when I got the time I wrote—sometimes about nothing and other times to him.
And in the meantime between time I tried to get acquainted with the slaves here.
The food they served us was scraps or leftovers of whatever they'd eat. Miracles were made by the enslaved women who always created a satisfying meal out of what little we all were giving.
Somehow the meals stretched to feed just enough of us.
I wish I could say that things got better, but I'd be lying. Unlike with Larry who showed extreme favoritism amongst his children he had with slaves—Jane's daddy, Paul showed none at all. He put all his children he had with slaves which were quite a few over us folks with 2 parents that were enslaved.
They were all treacherous. Worst than any White person around here.
I slurped the soup from a dish as Mike came out of nowhere. He sat beside me with a specially made plate of delicious smelling food that looked like it belonged on Massa's table and not in the hands of a slave boy.
"I'll share with you." He said before I could say anything.
"What is it?"
"I's don't know, but it sure tastes amazing!"
He was more than right that meat there was so mouthwatering and tender on my tongue.
I closed my eyes in sheer delight while I chewed away.
"So sweet of you to share your meal with me," I told him afterward as he stood with the empty plate.
"I's couldn't think of anyone better to share with."
Each day the guys would be sent out in town to build while the rest of us did either field or housework.
Once I finished, I slipped away to bath in a nearby river. When I resurfaced from the water, there waiting was Jack Creer.
I wanted to sink back down until he disappeared.
"I thought I was the only one who came out here." He spoke.
Forcing the dry lump down in my throat "me too!" Before grabbing my clothes from the raggedy gate.
I tried running off, but he stopped me "I'm not going to hurt you. You could've stayed on in there."
"No, I's gotta get to work or else—" tears started to fall as I begin explaining.
"I'm sure they won't notice you missing for a few minutes."
"P-please no!"
"Jack, where are you, sweetie?" Mary and her swollen belly stepped from behind the trees. Her eyes lingered on me.
"I was just seeing this slave girl back to the house in case she tried escaping." He lied smoothly.
"Is that so?" her eyes returned to me.
"Yes." I nodded not wanting to cause any trouble or end up like Sty and Lulu's mother.
"Run along now." He smacked my thigh.
I rushed away and didn't stop until I bumped against someone and fell over.
"This isn't how I's expected my first time with a woman going, but I's guess." The voice under me mumbled.
I rolled to the other side and quickly put on my clothes before realizing what I was just called—a woman.
"I'm Teeny!" The strange boy held out his hand.
All I could do was stare at his dirty nails "why you ain't in town with everybody else? And what you doing talking to me. Ain't you one of Paul's slave ch—"
"No, Paul isn't my father." Teeny defended "and they don't let me go to town."
"Why not?"
"They think I's younger than I's truly am, but I's ain't no kid cuz I's small," Teeny replied.
"Well, you look it."
He giggled then continued following me. Sharing his entire life story along the way. Unbeknownst to myself, I had made more than an acquaintance with this Teeny guy.
So far I knew Teeny had a brother, Ben. They were sold away from their huge family to the Creer plantation as children. Teeny had a disorder that caused him to be thin and short. He insisted his parents were both enslaved and that they weren't slave owners or a white overseer.
Engrossing myself in work, I decided to feed the animals in the stable and behind the fences in the yard.
Teeny did his signature giggle as the sheep ate from his hand. "Y'know one time I's got so hungry I's tried this myself." He revealed, referring to the animal food in his hand.
"Explains why you so small like that then." I teased him. He tossed what he had at me as I leaped up and threw some of the sheep's food his way then ran off as he chased me.
Causing quite the scene.
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