The Slave Master's Son

iv.

iv.

Adeola sat on her bed later that night, unable to fall asleep for the fifth night in a row.

Being in a new sleeping quarter didn't help the fact, either. This bed she sat in no longer scratched at her back, but instead it comforted her in ways she never imagined possible.

Sighing, she got up from the bed to use the outhouse. It was a bit further away from the back porch, so Adeola took her lantern along with her.

She tried not to disturb anyone in the house by tiptoeing her way out through the door.

With ease, Adeola got in and out of the latrine quickly and was just about to be home free until a loud growl was heard from the bushes.

Her head snapped towards the trees and she stared until she heard rustling again.

The lantern dropped from her hands and she slowly started backing up.

A wolf was slowly emerging from the shadows, tantalizing her with its slow movements of its paws.

This wolf was not the one she saw the previous night; no, this wolf has a savage, unkept look to it, as if it thought completely based on primal instinct.

Terror coursed through her veins, but she kept calm until the wolf growled once more. She screamed, not knowing what else to do.

The wolf bounded after as she ran into the fields, hoping she could lose it in the tall grasses, but she heard the heavy thumps of paws hitting the ground.

She was amazing how fast she could run, but it wasn't fast enough. She felt the wolf nip at the back of her heel, so she sped up even faster.

There was a wild flower field at the end, and Adeola couldn't run any longer, so she collapsed onto the short grasses and accepted her fate.

Only, when the wolf tried to attack her, he was flipped back.

It landed on its side, before getting up and tried again. It didn't work, and he flung backwards again.

Whimpering, the wolf bolted back into the forest, and beyond the tree line.

A shaking Adeola got up and wrapped her arms around herself, even though it wasn't cold. As she stood up, she noticed she was surrounded by a ring of small purple flowers.

She shook her observation out of her mind, and stood around to make sure the wolf was gone.

"Addison?" Her body jumped at the sudden sound. Turning her head, she saw it was Kristopher. "Are you alright?"

Her bottom lip was trembling, and Kris noticed the way she shook.

"Come on," he said, moving forward, but then abruptly stopping.

She stepped out from the circle of flowers before moving next to him without meeting his eyes.

He ushered her back to the house, which from Adeola saw was a half mile away. Did I really run that far?

She tried to avoid touching him, but every once in a while, their hands would brush, making her feel slightly more uncomfortable.

Once they got to main house, she noticed Master Lanters and Misses sitting on the back porch.

"Thank the heavens you two are alright!" Grace yelled out in relief.

"Mother, relax," Kristopher said, rolling his eyes.

"Now don't you go rolling your eyes at me, young man," his mother scolded.

"Now get on inside the two of you," his father said, poking Kris with the tip of his gun.