Epic - A Black Saga
Chapter 9 - The Truth of It All
By Author, LaVar "Mookie" Lard
Grandma Patrick began to tell the children the entire truth about the Patrick’s past.
Listen Closely children! It was the Day after the incident with the ground’s keeper. Master Patrick sent him home packing, stating that he didn’t appreciate a disrespectful servant, whether he was nigger or white. Mrs. Patrick was happy to see him going, especially because he caused her to get laughed at. The entire plantation laughed at her story about the grounds keeper. The only person who didn’t find it amusing was Teeba.
Master Patrick assigned Teeba to the house after he sold off her parents. He knew she wouldn’t be of any use as a field hand. Teeba despised Mr. Patrick with all her might, but Mr. Patrick adored her because of her pretty face and petite figure. Teeba didn’t feel the same about Mr. Patrick, instead, when she turned fourteen she eloped with one of the field hands named Madai. For years she pledged her love to Madai, in exchange he gave her a child. This is when Joshua Patrick was born. He received the last name Patrick only because he was born as the property of Master Patrick.
Unlike the rest of the children, Master Patrick put Joshua in the fields as soon as he was strong enough. In exchange, Mater Patrick sold Madai to a neighboring plantation. Joshua wasn’t given the chance to play as a child or to know his father. This was Mater Patrick’s way of getting back at Teeba, although his attraction to her was forbidden. The things that Master Patrick had done to Teeba over the years began to take their toll on her. She became week and frail. Her beauty was still there, but her strength to deny Master Patrick’s advances withered with her memories of Madai.
Years later when Joshua was fifteen years old, he heard screams coming from the slave quarters. Teeba had been pregnant for her ninth month and was in labor for the past three hours. Joshua knew this, but he had no authority to leave the fields. He also knew who the father of the child was, but was too afraid to speak of word of it to anyone. There were many times that the Masta called his momma into the house and he known good and well that she was not house nigger. There were also times that he would catch Masta Patrick coming out of the slave quarters while all the slaves were out in the fields, except for Teeba who was always taken away from the fields just in time for the Masta to come and visit. Joshua and many of the other slaves began to think that this was driving Teeba crazy. She was seen, many times, talking to herself or gazing up into the sky conversing with no one. Joshua always thought it was her way of praying, especially when she was looking up into the sky. Once, Joshua asked her who she be speaking with and she would reply, "well baby, I'm speaking with everyone." And she left it like that.
Joshua was out int he field when he heard the sound of Teeba screaming in pain. Joshua stopped picking and looked over to the slave quarters, hoping that the screaming would come to a cease soon. Then it finally did. Joshua stared hyptnotically at the Shack where his mother was giving birth to her new child. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his back, which was soon followed by the crack of a whip. There was a slight pain on his back, but not enough to distract him from gazing at the door of the shack.
Get ya butte to work boy,” yelled the grounds keeper as he pulled back the whip once more to frighten Joshua into continuing his tiring labor.
Joshua turned and proceeded to work, but his attention was once agian taken by the shack. There was no sound coming from the wooden door that barely hung on the brass hinges. He glanced back every few seconds to hear if there was any new or any sound of the babie's faint cry.
Whenever a new baby is born, the medicine woman runs out and yells “it’s a boy” or “it’s a girl.” This time when Joshua glanced back to see the medicine woman running out of the slave quarters and into the Master’s mansion. Her and Master Patrick returned, running from the mansion to the slave quarters. Joshua knew what had happened. The baby must have been bright skinned. There was no crime worse than having a bright skinned child. Moments later Joshua turned when he heard a loud yelp come from the slave quarters.
Joshua stopped working and turned towards the slave quarters as Master Patrick walked out the slave quarters holding a pale white baby. The baby wasn’t yellow like Joshua expected, but whiter than usual. As soon as Master Patrick entered the mansion Joshua saw his mother running out of the slave quarters. She hobbled from the recent childbirth, with her dress torn in the front and her legs covered in blood.
“Give me my baby you bastard,” she growled as she hobbled across the landscape. Her eyes gleamed green, which grasped Joshua’s attention.
The ground’s keeper saw Joshua doing nothing and went over and hit him with the whip. Joshua didn’t react. He just stood staring at the entrance to the mansion. From the inside of the mansion Teeba yelled and cried. Then there was a bright light flash from within the house and afterwards the sound of a fired shotgun. Joshua ran towards the mansion. Right behind him was the ground’s keeper running with the whip in hand. Joshua ran to the doorway and cringed in terror. Teeba was lying on the ground bleeding from a wound in her chest. Joshua fell to the ground next to his mother, crying and hugging her. He held her limp body in arms and rocked her as she once did him.
A deep threatening voice echoed from the mansion, “Take care of him, he may be a problem.”
Joshua looked up and saw Master Patrick holding a shotgun in his hand. Next to his head was large burn mark on the wall. It looked as if someone had tried to burn the wall.
Master Patrick yelled, “do him now!” Then he turned and walked away. Joshua was angry, but at the same time scared. He kissed Teeba’s forehead and with his last good-bye, laid her back on the ground and whispered, “I love you mom.”
When the ground’s keeper approached Joshua, he pushed him to the ground and ran into the nearby woods.
Grandma Luda paused from telling the story and sobbed lightly, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Those men went after Joshua and they were going to kill him."
The hunt had been going on for fifteen minutes and Joshua had gained enough distance in front of them that if he continued to run, he could make it to freedom. Joshua ran in panic from the sounds of the hound dogs barking and shots being fired far in the distance. One shot ranged so loud that he swore it was right behind him. Joshua fell in fear, ripping his shirt off on a broken tree branch. He regained his balance and continued running, despite his blistered and callused feet. When he felt he couldn’t go on any further he began to pray.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
In the distance ahead, one of the slave hunters inconspicuously hid behind a tree awaiting Joshua’s approach. Joshua continued, “He may give me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”
The slave hunter cocked his gun and took a deep breath. Joshua uttered, “Yea, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Just as Joshua spoke these words, the Slave hunter revealed himself within Joshua’s sight, and aimed his gun.
Joshua stopped running and froze in fear. He kept praying, “I shall fear no evil.” His last prayer began to echo through his head as the slave hunter pulled the trigger. Joshua clutched his fists as he watched the bullet leave the barrel of the gun and draw near.
To the slave hunter not even a second had passed, but Joshua watched as the bullet crept towards him. In his mind he began to repeat. “I shall fear no evil. I shall fear no evil.”
The speeding bullet instantly ceased movement and hovered directly in front of Joshua’s brow. His look of worry turned into vicious smirk as he repeated out loud. “I shall fear no evil”.
The slave hunter looked in fear, then dropped his gun and ran away as fast as he could. Joshua gave the bullet one look and it immediately rotated towards the direction of the fleeing slave hunter. Joshua then threw his fists open and the bullet jetted off hitting a tree next to the retreating slave hunter. The slave hunter screamed in fear, throwing his hands up and running hysterically.
By Author, LaVar "Mookie" Lard
Grandma Patrick began to tell the children the entire truth about the Patrick’s past.
Listen Closely children! It was the Day after the incident with the ground’s keeper. Master Patrick sent him home packing, stating that he didn’t appreciate a disrespectful servant, whether he was nigger or white. Mrs. Patrick was happy to see him going, especially because he caused her to get laughed at. The entire plantation laughed at her story about the grounds keeper. The only person who didn’t find it amusing was Teeba.
Master Patrick assigned Teeba to the house after he sold off her parents. He knew she wouldn’t be of any use as a field hand. Teeba despised Mr. Patrick with all her might, but Mr. Patrick adored her because of her pretty face and petite figure. Teeba didn’t feel the same about Mr. Patrick, instead, when she turned fourteen she eloped with one of the field hands named Madai. For years she pledged her love to Madai, in exchange he gave her a child. This is when Joshua Patrick was born. He received the last name Patrick only because he was born as the property of Master Patrick.
Unlike the rest of the children, Master Patrick put Joshua in the fields as soon as he was strong enough. In exchange, Mater Patrick sold Madai to a neighboring plantation. Joshua wasn’t given the chance to play as a child or to know his father. This was Mater Patrick’s way of getting back at Teeba, although his attraction to her was forbidden. The things that Master Patrick had done to Teeba over the years began to take their toll on her. She became week and frail. Her beauty was still there, but her strength to deny Master Patrick’s advances withered with her memories of Madai.
Years later when Joshua was fifteen years old, he heard screams coming from the slave quarters. Teeba had been pregnant for her ninth month and was in labor for the past three hours. Joshua knew this, but he had no authority to leave the fields. He also knew who the father of the child was, but was too afraid to speak of word of it to anyone. There were many times that the Masta called his momma into the house and he known good and well that she was not house nigger. There were also times that he would catch Masta Patrick coming out of the slave quarters while all the slaves were out in the fields, except for Teeba who was always taken away from the fields just in time for the Masta to come and visit. Joshua and many of the other slaves began to think that this was driving Teeba crazy. She was seen, many times, talking to herself or gazing up into the sky conversing with no one. Joshua always thought it was her way of praying, especially when she was looking up into the sky. Once, Joshua asked her who she be speaking with and she would reply, "well baby, I'm speaking with everyone." And she left it like that.
Joshua was out int he field when he heard the sound of Teeba screaming in pain. Joshua stopped picking and looked over to the slave quarters, hoping that the screaming would come to a cease soon. Then it finally did. Joshua stared hyptnotically at the Shack where his mother was giving birth to her new child. Suddenly there was a sharp pain in his back, which was soon followed by the crack of a whip. There was a slight pain on his back, but not enough to distract him from gazing at the door of the shack.
Get ya butte to work boy,” yelled the grounds keeper as he pulled back the whip once more to frighten Joshua into continuing his tiring labor.
Joshua turned and proceeded to work, but his attention was once agian taken by the shack. There was no sound coming from the wooden door that barely hung on the brass hinges. He glanced back every few seconds to hear if there was any new or any sound of the babie's faint cry.
Whenever a new baby is born, the medicine woman runs out and yells “it’s a boy” or “it’s a girl.” This time when Joshua glanced back to see the medicine woman running out of the slave quarters and into the Master’s mansion. Her and Master Patrick returned, running from the mansion to the slave quarters. Joshua knew what had happened. The baby must have been bright skinned. There was no crime worse than having a bright skinned child. Moments later Joshua turned when he heard a loud yelp come from the slave quarters.
Joshua stopped working and turned towards the slave quarters as Master Patrick walked out the slave quarters holding a pale white baby. The baby wasn’t yellow like Joshua expected, but whiter than usual. As soon as Master Patrick entered the mansion Joshua saw his mother running out of the slave quarters. She hobbled from the recent childbirth, with her dress torn in the front and her legs covered in blood.
“Give me my baby you bastard,” she growled as she hobbled across the landscape. Her eyes gleamed green, which grasped Joshua’s attention.
The ground’s keeper saw Joshua doing nothing and went over and hit him with the whip. Joshua didn’t react. He just stood staring at the entrance to the mansion. From the inside of the mansion Teeba yelled and cried. Then there was a bright light flash from within the house and afterwards the sound of a fired shotgun. Joshua ran towards the mansion. Right behind him was the ground’s keeper running with the whip in hand. Joshua ran to the doorway and cringed in terror. Teeba was lying on the ground bleeding from a wound in her chest. Joshua fell to the ground next to his mother, crying and hugging her. He held her limp body in arms and rocked her as she once did him.
A deep threatening voice echoed from the mansion, “Take care of him, he may be a problem.”
Joshua looked up and saw Master Patrick holding a shotgun in his hand. Next to his head was large burn mark on the wall. It looked as if someone had tried to burn the wall.
Master Patrick yelled, “do him now!” Then he turned and walked away. Joshua was angry, but at the same time scared. He kissed Teeba’s forehead and with his last good-bye, laid her back on the ground and whispered, “I love you mom.”
When the ground’s keeper approached Joshua, he pushed him to the ground and ran into the nearby woods.
Grandma Luda paused from telling the story and sobbed lightly, wiping the tears from her eyes. “Those men went after Joshua and they were going to kill him."
The hunt had been going on for fifteen minutes and Joshua had gained enough distance in front of them that if he continued to run, he could make it to freedom. Joshua ran in panic from the sounds of the hound dogs barking and shots being fired far in the distance. One shot ranged so loud that he swore it was right behind him. Joshua fell in fear, ripping his shirt off on a broken tree branch. He regained his balance and continued running, despite his blistered and callused feet. When he felt he couldn’t go on any further he began to pray.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.”
In the distance ahead, one of the slave hunters inconspicuously hid behind a tree awaiting Joshua’s approach. Joshua continued, “He may give me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside still waters. He restores my soul.”
The slave hunter cocked his gun and took a deep breath. Joshua uttered, “Yea, Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Just as Joshua spoke these words, the Slave hunter revealed himself within Joshua’s sight, and aimed his gun.
Joshua stopped running and froze in fear. He kept praying, “I shall fear no evil.” His last prayer began to echo through his head as the slave hunter pulled the trigger. Joshua clutched his fists as he watched the bullet leave the barrel of the gun and draw near.
To the slave hunter not even a second had passed, but Joshua watched as the bullet crept towards him. In his mind he began to repeat. “I shall fear no evil. I shall fear no evil.”
The speeding bullet instantly ceased movement and hovered directly in front of Joshua’s brow. His look of worry turned into vicious smirk as he repeated out loud. “I shall fear no evil”.
The slave hunter looked in fear, then dropped his gun and ran away as fast as he could. Joshua gave the bullet one look and it immediately rotated towards the direction of the fleeing slave hunter. Joshua then threw his fists open and the bullet jetted off hitting a tree next to the retreating slave hunter. The slave hunter screamed in fear, throwing his hands up and running hysterically.
posted by Mookdaddy at 8:36 AM
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