MaryAn and Will

Chapter one

The lashing of the whip was the only sound that could be heard. No screaming, not even a grunt. Mary Ans's uncle was tough like that. At least that's how it looked to the seven-year-old boy crouched in the pantry with his hands wrapped securely around Mary Ans lips. Despite how slippery her tears made his grip, he didn't loosen it. Not because he wanted to silence her, but because he didn't want her hurt, and in a way, him keeping her safe was hurting her, but that was a lesson he had yet to learn.

" I swear he doesn't need to hurt them like that, to this extent it's just inhuman " The low murmur coming from the boy's mother's crept under the crack of the pantry door.

" Lilly I swear one of these days they will string you up for sympathizing, you shouldn't say stuff like that, they are getting what they deserve for not doing their work properly" Susan replied fanning her hands in the air and closing the kitchen window, the sound of the whip growing distant.

" I know kindness exist inside of him though, when we were growing up we would play with them niggas. There was nothing different about them, they are just like us Su. I swear it." 

" Honestly if you think that your husband who provides everything for you and your son isn't kind then let me have him" Susan snickered and walked away but Will's mother stayed longer staring outside the window.

That's when Will decided that his mother was right. Just like the girl crying in his arms. They were the same. At least Mary An was like him.

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The twelve-year-old girl hauled over repeatedly puking till there was nothing left to throw up. How could they? Her last surviving blood family member was there hanging from a tree. He was only three years older than her, fifteen. You'd think she had a stomach for things like this by now but no matter how often it happened she refused to grow used to it. It wasn't the type of thing that anyone should ever have to grow used to.

Will stood behind her peeking over her shoulder ever so often and instantly regretting it. At this point, she was dry heaving but the little puddle of all of her food was disturbing.

" That's enough now Mary" he whispered into the cold empty night laying his hand on her back.

" It will never be enough Will,  and you'll never understand that." She snapped back shrugging him off.

"God damn it keep your voice down Mary An. "  He hissed in a frustrated sigh. She was right after all. Never did he go on a stroll at night and find a family member who died in a tree.

She'd snuck off of the plantation again like usual and found something she didn't want to see. The young black boy was hanging from the tree barely recognizable but Mary knew him right away. What was he to do? If she got caught here she could be in danger. There was only so much he could do to protect her. He'd decided that he would drag her back to the house if he had to but the weakness in her voice stopped him.

" His birthday was coming up, he said that he would be different and make it to sixteen without being sold like his older brother had been. But here he is, hanging from a tree, forever fifteen. " Her back was turned to him but he could hear the tears in her voice.

" I'm sorry" Will had apologized to Mary An more times than he could remember and he had every intention to keep doing so. If made her sad it made him sad. '

" Don't be sorry just don't be like them" She spat back bitterly. It was disgusting. She hated being mad at him but couldn't help but make him the face of her anger. After all, he looked like them, he had the same privilege as them, but she had to remind herself that he was not them. There were so many lessons to be learned at a young age. 

Will leaned over and placed his hand on her back rubbing softly, "Shh,"  he coaxed. 

" Why did he need to die? I told him it would get him killed but he did it anyway. Ate the damn food anyway. Imagine dying over some food. I suppose he didn't dare have any damn dreams than to eat a good plate of food. I guess in the end his dream came true even if he had to die for it. For a plate of damn food. But he never reached sixteen so I guess you win some and you don't right? That's life, isn't it? When you look like me" Her tone was strong and defiant but grew to a whisper the more she spoke. 

Taking a deep breath she pulled herself to stand on her feet and began walking back towards the plantation leaving Will behind her lingering before he followed in pursuit.

That's what life was like for them. A constant game of pull of war between the two. No one wanted to let the rope go but also couldn't bear to see the other hurt by winning.

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Hey, peeps I know I'm late on uploading but this definitely isn't going to be an easy read or a flowery love story. The next chapter will most likely be from Willam or Mary Ans's perspective. I would really enjoy it if you commented on this about grammar errors or spelling so that I can clean it up.