Sisters

•Chapter 27•

It's been a month since I found the letter and I still can't stop thinking about it. I've read it a hundred times probably but my mind refuses to believe what I read is real.

Pulling it back out I take a deep breath and read it again.

My, Dearest Maureen,

Forgive me for not writing to you sooner. I received your previous letters and I'm beyond joyous to hear the baby is healthy-although I did hope for a boy. But their is another thing I must tell you and I hope you will read this with an open heart. I am bringing home a baby, a girl like our Daphne. Her Mother, the Princess of Gola has passed away at childbirth. Maureen the gal was merely fourteen summers, just a child being given to the Chief General as a gift. Their was another girl pregnant on the ship as well. Joe believes the baby died but I saved the Princess's baby and threw the other baby out to the sea. Lord forgive me, but it was either that or I hand a precious baby to cannibalist. Maureen I will arrive in a few days, keep this letter a secret. No one should ever know or hell fire will be thrown on our house.

Your dearest,
Phillip

I shove the letter in my undergarment drawer and look outside to see Johnny hauling a cage of chicks to the chiken coop.

If their is one person dumb enough to give me answers, it's Johnny. Jumping up, I take off running outside the house to where he is putting the chicks inside the coop.

He gives me an annoyed look, "fuck off nigger I ain't in the mood".

I bite my tongue to keep the insults from spilling out, "I only got one question then I'll leave. Promise!"

He doesn't reply so I go on ahead and ask him, "say, who was our Chief General in 1799?"

He looks at me like I'm dumb, "John Sullivan, I'm practically named after that hero. You niggers know shit huh-"

"Your named after a cannibalist!?" I fake a gasp.

He shrugs, "he only ate niggers and niggers ain't people so I ain't care".

"Damn right they ain't", a deep voice exclaims.

I turn around to see a man around Johnny's age walking towards us. I hadn't realized Johnny had came with a friend. I wouldn't have approached him if I knew. His friends are always vulgar and abusive, to put it straight, they frighten me.

"We'll I'll be, I finally get to lay my eyes on Jones favorite nigger", he grins with menace.

His hair was dirty blond and his brown eyes held an emptiness that made me shiver. He stood inches taller than me at my five foot four height and his body was lean but muscular.

I need to leave.

We were near the house but not in close sight of it so no one could see what was happening considering the coop was in front of us, blocking us from view.

I swallow and look at Johnny, "I better go back inside, I got chores to finish-"

The man grabs me from behind and wraps his hand around my throat, "not so soon suga, I ain't get to taste ya. I gotta see what Jones sees in ya-".

"Let her go Nate", Johnny warns him.

"Oh come on Johnny, you ain't never wanted to try nigger before?" His hands grab my breast and I scream in fright.

"Johnny hold her down for me".

Johnny gives him a bewildered look, "and get murdered by my uncle? Your crazy. No git off her, ya scared her enough".

I scream louder as his hands slip inside the top of my dress and grip my breast in a harsh squeeze.

"Johnny help me! Ple-"