Once upon a deception

INTRO

I remember...

Mother bent down to see if I was awake. It was a dark and cold night but she had insisted I stay awake and even went as far as to deprive me of the warmth of a cover cloth which the masters had earlier shared among us.

"Clarisse," I heard her whisper. "Are you awake?"

"Yes." I nodded, cold to touch and panic-stricken for I knew what mother attempted to do. I had eavesdropped on her conversation with the fellow women earlier. I knew the deadly cost that would be upon the head of a running slave irrespective of age and I feared for my life. I recalled her saying something about freedom fighters. An opportunity for us to be freeborn again but, at what cost?

She looked over the room where we indentured were herded like sheep for the night before looking down again. I wasn't sure I wanted to do this but my mother's wish was law. I could not defy her. Her arms, strong from weeding flung me off the hay I was rested in and she immediately fled for the door. I could hear murmuring from all corners. Some praising my mother for her courage while some wished they had her will and others begging her to reconsider the danger she was putting me in. I followed her lead. My legs buckled from all the corn I had to carry throughout the day. The master's motto was just because a slave was young didn't mean she couldn't work and if I dared refuse, It would cost me food and shelter. Two necessities I needed more than ever.

The doors to the shed creaked open as mother searched for a green light for her to abscond. An opportunity came and mother turned back to strengthen my sickly resolve.

"We will run now Clarisse. We run and never look back."

I gave her a weak smile and waited for her go ahead. A small group of masters headed for the fields. A colony of high grass that completely blocked the illumination of their torches. When the masters chattering vanished, We ran. I felt blades of grass sting and tear me as we kicked through dust barefooted. My wobbly legs knew better than to lose their non-existent strength. We got closer to a crooked path that led to a stream. Many knew it as a way out of the bóndage we were in but considering we were always followed by the masters each time we went over to fetch a drink for the horses in the stables. No one dared make a move. We raced down the sloppy path and I could already hear the sound of gushing water. It gave me hope. Maybe this was an opportunity, freedom. I spoke too soon.

"Fugitives!" Someone screamed from behind us and the still night sky reverberated with the deadly sounds of bullets that sent dust scattering around us. Mother told me not to look back but in fear, I did and I lived to regret it. I saw bloodthirsty hounds hot on our trail and even the masters who were still far behind did not relent in making us sport.

"Mother, We are going to die." I shivered.

"You won't." She assured but that confident look plastered to her face was gone. I could see pain. Real human pain. It didn't take me long to discover she was limping. My eyes scrutinized her. I saw blood draining over her brown rags.

"You are bleeding..." I stammered.

In the space of the little time had, She bent down once more and looked into my eyes.

"I will only slow you down, Clarisse. You have to do this alone. Remember no matter what happens, Do not let them see you." She managed to brief just as the dogs closed in. There was no time for me to speak and before I could protest. She flung me into the river. The water was shallow. Shallow enough for a tiny being like me to hide in. As my eyes adjusted the darkness, an orange hue of light cascaded over the water. I held my breath. The masters were here. They had caught her. I could hear distorted talking. I tried my best to stay hidden as the orange hue brushed over the surface of the water. Even when my lungs were killing me, I was forced to hold my breath. I made her a promise, I had to keep it. Just when life started to slip away from me, I saw a trickle of crimson float right in front of me.