"They ain't runnin' away." My voice is soft and quiet, my fingers diggin' into Lloyd's skin, beggin' him to stay. Tears prick in my eyes, threatenin' to spill over, though I ain't even sure why they there. Surely I don't care that much about two slaves. I look away, cause even in the dark, I fear anyone of 'em can see.
"What do you mean they ain't runnin' away?"
"I mean," I pause, I ain't really sure what I mean, "Well Cecile lost track of us and she was worried. So she got Samuel here an' they were searchin' fo' us when we ran into 'em. And here we are."
I stop, knownin' that Lloyd probably don't even believe me. I a real good liar, but I haven't practiced on a stranger in forever. I don't kno' how to lie to someone I don' kno'.
"How would you know that? Why they carryin' a bag?"
Oh, good questions. How would I know that? Why are they carryin' a bag- my bag? Oh God, I can be real stupid sometime. But it ain't like he would've believed Cecile or Samuel if they had told 'em that. Oh, dear Lord, I know you don't like no slaves, but they my friends. Or one of 'em is. Please help me, help 'em. I promise to be good and learn more of the Holy Book tomorrow. I'll even try and memorize some of it.
I take a deep breath, waitin' for inspiration to come to me. But it ain't happenin' and the longer I take to answer- the more it look like a lie. For that minute I'm also angry at Samuel and Cecile. Why they even runnin' away? I'm also angry at myself, I was willin' to help 'em once and then I said no more. But here I am.
"I-I know 'cause I saw her disappear, I jus' didn't wanna say nothin' cause I didn't wanna have to go back. I was havin' a real nice time talkin' to you. Beside, she did this once before. She real bad at bein' a chaperon, she always looses me or Mary."
Lloyd actually seems to believe me, cause he noddin' and starts to relax under my grip. That was easy at least- but why do they have a stinkin' bag? I ain't God, I can't protect them from everythin'.
"And, and they've got that bag 'cause, well... Last time this happened, I had slipped into some mud and needed to change clothes. They thought they'd bring an extra dress with 'em this time. I can be real clumsy."
I look at Cecile fo' the first time, an' she have tears runnin' down her face. I don't know why, 'cause I sure saved her. Samuel is jus' standin', still as a statue.
"What do you mean they ain't runnin' away?"
"I mean," I pause, I ain't really sure what I mean, "Well Cecile lost track of us and she was worried. So she got Samuel here an' they were searchin' fo' us when we ran into 'em. And here we are."
I stop, knownin' that Lloyd probably don't even believe me. I a real good liar, but I haven't practiced on a stranger in forever. I don't kno' how to lie to someone I don' kno'.
"How would you know that? Why they carryin' a bag?"
Oh, good questions. How would I know that? Why are they carryin' a bag- my bag? Oh God, I can be real stupid sometime. But it ain't like he would've believed Cecile or Samuel if they had told 'em that. Oh, dear Lord, I know you don't like no slaves, but they my friends. Or one of 'em is. Please help me, help 'em. I promise to be good and learn more of the Holy Book tomorrow. I'll even try and memorize some of it.
I take a deep breath, waitin' for inspiration to come to me. But it ain't happenin' and the longer I take to answer- the more it look like a lie. For that minute I'm also angry at Samuel and Cecile. Why they even runnin' away? I'm also angry at myself, I was willin' to help 'em once and then I said no more. But here I am.
"I-I know 'cause I saw her disappear, I jus' didn't wanna say nothin' cause I didn't wanna have to go back. I was havin' a real nice time talkin' to you. Beside, she did this once before. She real bad at bein' a chaperon, she always looses me or Mary."
Lloyd actually seems to believe me, cause he noddin' and starts to relax under my grip. That was easy at least- but why do they have a stinkin' bag? I ain't God, I can't protect them from everythin'.
"And, and they've got that bag 'cause, well... Last time this happened, I had slipped into some mud and needed to change clothes. They thought they'd bring an extra dress with 'em this time. I can be real clumsy."
I look at Cecile fo' the first time, an' she have tears runnin' down her face. I don't know why, 'cause I sure saved her. Samuel is jus' standin', still as a statue.
