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September 12th, 2004
My foot healed fairly soon, though it never really felt the same. I still walk with a limp to this day. Everything else seemed to go back to normal.
It always made me angry to see Angela working so hard, while the master’s daughter, Susan, relaxed in the shade. I never did like Susan. She was self absorbed and thought that she was the best at everything. Fredrick was like her in the sense that he thought he was the best, but he tended to care more about other people, not just himself. They both took after their parents, selfish and proud.
One morning, Tim and I were working around the back of the house. The two of us were digging at the time.
“Why do you suppose they’re makin’ us work ’round back?” Tim asked. “For the most part, we just tend to the fields.”
“I hear they gots more of us,” I answered. Tim shuddered.
I went back to digging, but Tim leaned on his shovel and looked out into space. He stayed like that for a while and then said, “Hey, George. Ain’t that Angela?”
I looked up. Sure enough Angela was there, up by the old shack at the back of the house. She wasn’t alone. Fredrick was with her.
Tim crouched low to the ground. “Get down.”
I lowered myself and asked, “What’re you doin’?”
“Shh.” He looked at the two with suspicion in his eyes. I looked, too. Fredrick pushed Angela into the shack. She cried aloud. Then, it hit me. I thought of my own poor mother.
Tim never wasted any time. I was slow when it came to action, but he jumped right in to in. He leapt up, shovel in hand. Before I could stop him, he was running across the field. I followed. When he got close to them he raised his shovel. “Tim!” I yelled. But it was too late. He had hit Fredrick right on the head. Fredrick fell to the ground. Angela was about to shriek, but Tim put his hand on her mouth.
I finally caught up to them. “Tim!”
“Shush, George.” My heart was pounding. Then I looked to the ground.
“Say, Tim. He ain’t… ain’t… dead. Is he?”
“I don’t know.” He released his hand from Angela’s mouth and bent down. Fear crept into his eyes. “I… I… I only meant to stop him. Not… not…” He stopped there. Angela leaned against the wall and put her head in her hands.
“Tim, is he?” Tim looked up with eyes of ice. He nodded.
My whole life flashed before my eyes. My head stated spinning. No. No. It couldn’t be. But deep down, I knew that it had happened. Finally, I spoke up, “Tim, you need to leave.”
His eyes turned to fire. “I’m not runnin’ away! I did it, and I’m going to take what ever punishment I deserve!” Angela let out a sob. We all knew what would happen to him if he stayed.
“Please, Tim.”
“No! I’m stayin’ put.”
Finally, Angela spoke up. “Tim, you need to go. Please. I couldn’t stand havin’ you killed when I knew it was my fault.”
“It ain’t your fault, Angela.,” Tim said. She looked up. Suddenly, something came over Tim. Maybe it was the look in Angela’s eyes, but I’m still not sure. A change went over him. His eyes weakened and showed signs of sorrow. “All right. I’ll go.”
None of us said anything else. Tim walked away. I didn’t watch him go. I couldn’t bare to see him running away.
Angela and I left to the front fields. We didn’t know what fate awaited us. If we would have known, I think we would have gone with Tim.
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