The Journey

Chapter 8: Promise

August's POV....
Two weeks later....

I stood on the po'ch watchin the water trickle down Dianna's chin, while she drank from her glass. June stood close by her fannin her with a woven mat. She sat her glass down and Ruby poured her another.

"August's play me a song. Sitting on this porch watching these ugly creatures pick cotton is quite a bore". She had cotton seed planted. There was never any, only the cotton that made our clothin. There was food to crop, not for selling, but for eatin. She took over and changed everythin.

"Yes ma'am". I remembered this song this young white man taught me at a hotel I slept in one night.

I began playing slowly thinking of anything but where I am. Julie is gone and there's not to much I can do. I tried sneakin out last night but Dianna got a got damn dog. Bit me right in the ass. She also got a bunch of other things. She got an overseer. He's taller than I and could probably pull the sun down from the sky. Whipped Michael the other day for

She got this new "policy" as she call it. We not allowed to use the wash closet inside the house anymore. We use this wooden one that's far across the farm- no excuse me, plantation.

Bout pissed myself a couple nights ago. Had to run my scrawny ass in the cold of the night. Took my ass bout 20 minutes to get there.

"August that's enough". She waved her hands in my direction, I stopped and looked at her.

"I want you to play a song with Gabriel, my dear friend who plays the piano; at this gathering my good friend Amelia Williams is throwing me tonight". I nodded my head.

"Yes ma'am". I continued to stand  there staring off in the distance. I have no other purpose but to stems here and play songs when she requests one.

When Danbury was here, I would help around with other things, till I was needed. But now I stand here waiting for Dianna to ask me to do something.

I wiped my forehead as sweat began to form. It was hot as the devil's knees out here.

"Did I say move August?" She fine make me punch her simple ass to death, one day.

"No ma'am". I closed my eyes as the lord blessed me with a long gust of wind.

I was enjoying it till I began hearing those loud cries.

"Juliieeee". Jackson came outside crying with tears rushing down his face. He looked up at me with mournful eyes as he always did.

"August get rid of him!" She growled at me.

And she calls us animals?

I picked him up and carried him inside all the way up to our bedroom with my violin and boe in the other.

Yes. Our room.

Dianna had made all of us clean out his room to make a giant closet.

I laid him on her bed and sat on mine.

"You miss Julie huh Sonny?" He nodded and I wiped his wet face.

"I miss her too".

Julie's POV...

"Chin! Up!" I held my head perfectly in the right place, looking at the back of another girl's head in front of me.

"Now show me how you serve the guests!" I limped behind her and stood behind a dinner chair.

"Number 12 what did I tell you about all that limping". She took her measuring stick and popped me in the back with it.

I pursed my lips together, trying to keep my cries to myself. I could feel something slowly rush down my back.