Horrible Harvest

We stared at one another for what seemed an eternity plus an hour or two. I only looked away when Charles yelled out, “You stuck, boy?” He was far enough away that it was hard to hear him, but he was also loud by nature, so he had good practice at overcoming such things as distance and the like.

Turning to him, I barked out a lie. “Snake. Letting it pass.”

“That’s a fine idea,” he said with a laugh before continuing with his broadcasting.

To the girl, I subtle-like raised my free hand and signaled for her to stay back. I then raised a finger to my lips, bringing the stench of shit right up under my nose, and give her the sign to stay hushed.

She looked back at me with eyes so riddled with fright it turnt the nerves in my stomach. I didn’t know what to do, so I just smiled, hoping it would bring her the tiniest of comforts. It didn’t. She was alone and ascared, and I was just another white. Pint-sized as I was, I still carried the color of cruelty that led to her to being alone and ascared.  

I turned to see if Charles, Daddy, or Douglas was watching. Satisfied I had a window of opportunity, I ducked down and hid myself amongst the fledgling rice plants and crawled in the sludge towards the girl. When I got close enough that she could hear me in a whisper, I said, “Stay hid. I ain’t gonna give you up. I swear. Just stay hid.”

“I’m hungry,” she said.

“I can’t do nothing about that, right at this time,” I said. “My Daddy is real particular about the work that’s to be done here this morning. When the broadcasting of this chicken litter is done, we’ll be called into breakfast. I’ll dodge out soon after with as much food as I can hide away and bring you some.”

Her eyes lifted at the corners just a hair. “Promise?”

“I promise, but you gotta stay hid. Move back into the woods and go to the river. The marsh will keep you hid from anyone traveling by water, and there’s a group of willows where you can find shade. Mind the gators. They’ll take time to bask on the banks as day breaks harder and hotter.”

“What’s a gator?” she asked.

“What’s a gator? Where you from, girl?”

She thought about my question and shrugged. “Master Drake’s.”

“Don’t know no Master Drake – ” I stopped when I heard Charles call out my name. I signaled to the girl to move back and then flattened my body entire into the murky water before standing with a start. “Fell!” I yelled back. My misfortune give Charles a good belly-laugh. I waived him off, play-acting like I was annoyed at him and then continued with my broadcasting, all the while stealing sideway glances at the tree line, trying to spot the girl. When I couldn’t get eyes on her, I felt a wake of relief hit my heart that she was, for the time being, safe from being fount out.