It was too dark here; the trees are so thick and close
together, that no light could shine through to the undergrowth. There was no
grass, just dirt covered in thick vines from the plants that thrived in the darkness. He carried me through the underbrush, racking my arms and legs against
the branches of low line trees and huge shrubs, until I bleed. Yet, I continued
screaming and kicking for someone to help me, growing tired with every thrust
of my thin legs.
“She’s like a greased
piglet,” the man holding me said, while the others laughed. “Stop all that
moving around girl!” he complained.
But I didn’t stop; instead I tried to bite at the thick arms
that held me tight. He yanked one away, while tucking me under the other. “I
swear, if you don’t stop that girl,” he bellowed, after giving me a hard smack
across the head which caused me to see stars.
“Wally, don’t hurt that girl,” the toothless one said, not
to help me. “I don’t want her all bruised up before we have our fun.”
I stopped just long enough to allow the stars to move on,
before yelling and screaming again.
Moments later, they came to another clearing; this one was
much smaller. It looked as though someone had cut back the bush in order to
provide some room for the large potbelly stove that set over a huge open fire. Thick
rusted pipes extended from its core, like arms. One long arm dripped clear
liquid into a large bucket while another one spurted black smoke into the airs.
These men were dangerous and not only because they were moonshiners.
He threw me down on some bedding that lay not too far from
the still. Yet, it didn’t stop me from feeling the hard ground under my body. I hit my head of a rock which hurt like the
dickens, but I kept my eyes on the three men standing over me smiling. The big
guy said, “You’re a fidgety little thing girl.”
I moved back away from the men, but they quickly encircled
me to make sure I wouldn’t get away. The toothless man crouched down to look in
my face. “She’s a pretty little nigger girl.” He reached out a hand to touch my
face, but I pulled back from him. I didn’t what him to touch me; I didn’t want
any of them to touch me.
“Please Sir, please let me go,” I begged. “Please Sir,
please.”
Toothless smiled, “Girl, I can’t let you go. You’se our entertainment.” He stood to remove his
overalls. “Hold her down brothers. She
looks like she’s gon’ fight.”
Copyright © 2013 Glynis Rankin
