"I don't want to," I sound calmer, "But sometimes you jus' have to." I walk away, too scared to stay and wait for his response.
I look 'round for Mary, but she ain't anywhere near. I feel like one weight was lifted from my shoulder. If she were spyin'... I don't even know what I'd do. She'd probably run and tell daddy all she heard and then some, tryin' to please 'em. And I'd be beat, and life would seem even dimmer.
I decide to spend the rest of the day hidin'. Miss. Lizabeth ain't too smart and with Mary, she'll never be able to find me. With all my thoughts, I ain't gonna be able to read, so really I'm doin' her a favor.
I choose one of the slave houses to hide, knowin' that even if they think I'm in here, they won't come. I count the minutes on my hand, reachin' all the way to 20, before I grow bored. There ain't nothin' fun to do 'round here.
To pass the time I think of many excuses to why I'm not doin' my chores and my school work. I was hit on the head, cleanin' Samuel's wounds and he dragged me into a slave house to die. Luckly I woke up and came back as quick as I could.
Or maybe Samuel told me he was gonna whip me up real good, like daddy had to him, so I had to run and hide. I was bein' brave comin' back into the house at all.
Or Samuel kidnapped me, sayin' that he'd give me up only if he were set free.
As much as those excuses brought a smile to my face, I decide against them. I don't want to get the new slave in any more trouble, it really wouldn't be fair. And I may be lots of things, but unfair ain't one of them.
It has to be past noon when I hear Miss. Lizabeth for the first time. She stands outside the slave house, callin' and callin' my name. She says rude things about me, not as loud, more to herself, and then continues callin'. I think she knows that there ain't no point, cause if I'm hidin' I'm not comin' out. And if somethin' real bad happened to me, it ain't gonna be that easy to find me.
"Corinne," she lowers her voice, "Corinne you one awful girl. You ain't never gonna find a husband, you more trouble than you're worth."
I know I ain't Miss. Lizabeth's favorite and I know she thinks I can't hear her, but her insults, one after another don't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I roll into a ball on the floor, tryin' not to think of all the dirt I'm sittin' on. It ain't that hard.
I do my best to keep the tears inside me, but I feel as if my life is crumblin' 'round me and I can't do nothin'. I'm a rag doll in my own life.
I look 'round for Mary, but she ain't anywhere near. I feel like one weight was lifted from my shoulder. If she were spyin'... I don't even know what I'd do. She'd probably run and tell daddy all she heard and then some, tryin' to please 'em. And I'd be beat, and life would seem even dimmer.
I decide to spend the rest of the day hidin'. Miss. Lizabeth ain't too smart and with Mary, she'll never be able to find me. With all my thoughts, I ain't gonna be able to read, so really I'm doin' her a favor.
I choose one of the slave houses to hide, knowin' that even if they think I'm in here, they won't come. I count the minutes on my hand, reachin' all the way to 20, before I grow bored. There ain't nothin' fun to do 'round here.
To pass the time I think of many excuses to why I'm not doin' my chores and my school work. I was hit on the head, cleanin' Samuel's wounds and he dragged me into a slave house to die. Luckly I woke up and came back as quick as I could.
Or maybe Samuel told me he was gonna whip me up real good, like daddy had to him, so I had to run and hide. I was bein' brave comin' back into the house at all.
Or Samuel kidnapped me, sayin' that he'd give me up only if he were set free.
As much as those excuses brought a smile to my face, I decide against them. I don't want to get the new slave in any more trouble, it really wouldn't be fair. And I may be lots of things, but unfair ain't one of them.
It has to be past noon when I hear Miss. Lizabeth for the first time. She stands outside the slave house, callin' and callin' my name. She says rude things about me, not as loud, more to herself, and then continues callin'. I think she knows that there ain't no point, cause if I'm hidin' I'm not comin' out. And if somethin' real bad happened to me, it ain't gonna be that easy to find me.
"Corinne," she lowers her voice, "Corinne you one awful girl. You ain't never gonna find a husband, you more trouble than you're worth."
I know I ain't Miss. Lizabeth's favorite and I know she thinks I can't hear her, but her insults, one after another don't make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I roll into a ball on the floor, tryin' not to think of all the dirt I'm sittin' on. It ain't that hard.
I do my best to keep the tears inside me, but I feel as if my life is crumblin' 'round me and I can't do nothin'. I'm a rag doll in my own life.
