My Fear, My Silence

Chapter Three: What is that?

We went to the creek and there were other girls there.

"Mason, that is my sister Andrea, That is Carol and that is Jacqui." Amy said. I waved to everyone and they waved to me with smiles. I sat next to Amy and the girls started talking.

"I'm beginning to question the division of labor here." Jacqui said looking over at Shane and the boy. They were playing in the water.

 "Can someone explain to me how the women wound up doing all the Hattie McDaniel work?" She said and Amy laughed.

"The world ended. Didn't you get the memo?" Amy said while sighing. Carol then looked at Ed and then back at her work. Ed was big and scary and smoked. I didn't care that he smoked but he kept staring at us.

"It's just the way it is." Carol said making them all sigh and continue the Laundry.  "I do miss my Maytag."

"I miss my Benz, my sat nav." Andrea said while scrubbing.

"I miss my coffeemaker with that dual-drip filter and built-in grinder, honey." Jacqui said while pulling clothes out of the water, Mama loved Coffee too.

"My computer... And texting." Amy said, as she pouted her bottum lip out. Andrea then sighed and threw her hands up a little.

"I miss my vibrator." She said making everyone laugh.

"Me too." Carol said, and everyone laughed again.

"What's a vibrator?" I asked and everyone lost it. I thought they would stop beathing.

"What so funny." Ed said in a deep voice, making me shrink behind Amy more.

"Just swapping war stories, Ed." Andrea said as she rolled her eyes, but Ed didn't notice. He just stood there staring at us. "Problem Ed?" 

"Nothin' that concerns you. And you ought to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club." He said as he took another drag of his cigerette. Andrea then stood up, she was irritated.

"Ed, tell you what... you don't like how your laundry is done, you are welcome to pitch in and do it yourself. Here." Andrea said and tossed a shirt at Ed, and he threw it right back at her.

"Ain't my job, missy."

"Andrea, Don't" Carol pleaded. She looked scared.

"What is your job, Ed? Sitting on your ass smoking cigarettes?" Andrea spat at him, making him angry.

"Well, it sure as hell ain't listening to some uppity smart-mouthed bitch. Tell you what... come on. Let's go." Ed signaled Carol to come with him. I grabbed her hand.

"I don't think she needs to go anywhere with you, Ed." Andrea said, blocking the path to Carol. I squeezed her hand tighter.

" And I say it's none of your business. Come on now. You heard me." Ed commanded.

"Carol."

"Andrea, please it doesn't matter." Carol said as she let go of my hand.

"Hey, don't think I won't knock you on your ass just 'cause you're some college-educated cooze, All right? Now you come on now or you gonna regret it later." Ed growled.

"So she can show up with fresh bruises later, Ed? Yeah, we've seen them." Jacqui said, with a tone. This made Ed really angry.

"Stay out of this. Now come on! You know what? This ain't none of y'all's business. You don't want to keep prodding the bull here, okay? Now I am done talking. Come on." He grabs Carol and we all pull her back. In all the commotion of trying to keep Carol away from him, he yells.

"You don't tell me what! I tell you what!" And he slaps Carol. She falls to the ground and everyone tries to push him away. Then Shane comes over and throws him to the ground, beating him again and again. Andrea yells at him to stop but he wouldn't Carol was crying saying she was sorry.

" You put your hands on your wife, your little girl or anybody else in this camp one more time, I will not stop next time. Do you hear me? Do you hear me?!" Shane yells at Ed while punching him. I then ran up to the camp as fast as possible. Shane scared me and the first person I see is Dale. I run over to him and he was walking up the forest.