The Dawn of Freedom Chp. 9

Hi everyone! Today I decided to post two chapters instead of one, simply because....I felt like it...I don't know. 

you don't have to read it all, but if you do, feel free to drop a comment and share your thoughts!

 1762

M A Y 

C H  A  P  T  E  R   Nine—

Temperance was led to a stable. That was to be her sleeping place. It looked comfortable now, but in winter Temperance knew it would be very cold. 

“What happens if I were to become sick sleeping with the animals?” She boldly asked. 

Mrs. Capsicum spoke harshly. “Anything’s good enough for a slave.”

This infuriated Temperance. “I am not your slave!” She exclaimed angrily. “I am a person.” She finished.

The lady stepped forward, grabbed the girl’s jaw, and with the other hand, slapped her across the face. She then whispered in Temperance’s ears, “If you do that again, it’ll be the horse whip for you.” She smiled smugly and stalked away.

After that, Temperance spoke no more to any of the household. Without even washing her bloody face, eyes, and nose, she snuggled up in a horse pen underneath the warm hay, and went to sleep dreaming of Mother.

Temperance woke up.

“Hey, you’re awake!”

“What?” She rubbed her eyes and looked at the figure before her. “Gideon?”

“That’s me!” Gideon was filling up a bucket of water from the horse trough. He gently dipped a rag in the water and wiped Temperance’s eyes, causing her to flinch because it burned. 

“You’ve got an awful cut there, lass. Guess you can’t keep yourself out of trouble, can you?” He chuckled. 

Temperance slightly touched her eye. It burned from the many times it was slapped. “It hurts,” She managed to say. Suddenly, she remembered something. “Gideon, what happened to the baby?” Her face grew worried.

“It’s alright. She went to a safe home. The preacher and his wife said they wanted a baby girl, so…so they adopted her.” He looked sad.

Temperance was too. “Well, at least some of us will grow up happy.” Temperance looked out the door and sighed. “And free,” She added quietly.

Gideon sat down next to her, for he had been kneeling while he dealt with her eye. “You know, growing up, I always wanted to be a…” He felt embarrassed.

“Gideon,” Temperance began. “It’s okay.” 

Gideon nodded and went on. “I always wanted to be a musketeer, or a fighter, or anything like that!. We have fighting blood in our veins, Temperance. I just know it! My uncle’s a fighter, but Father—he always told me, ‘A boy of fourteen should be learning a trade, not a silly job like becoming a musketeer’.” He sighed. “I never did earn Father’s pride.”

“I didn’t know you were so young. I thought you had to be at least sixteen or—” Temperance bit her tongue.

Gideon stared at her in confusion.

Temperance’s face turned red. She looked down. “Never mind.” She said.

Gideon chuckled. “You nearly slept the day away. But there’s always a chance Madam will need us. When you hear someone ring the bell, that is when a slave is needed.” Gideon sighed. “That’s when we’ll be needed. Cheer up though. Mayhap we’ll escape and run far away from here. That is, if we find James.” 

The thought almost made her cry. 

“James could be anywhere. He could be right across town, or perhaps a hundred miles away. I do hope whoever buys him is not cruel. I hope they treat him well.” With that thought in mind, she straightened up. “I won’t act lesser than I am, simply because I am treated like a dog. I shall be civilized and—and perhaps when I escape, I’ll even become a grand lady. But I shall never become a lady like Mrs. Capsicum. Her very name disturbs me.”

“Even if you hate it, Tem, you must call her Madam. If you even say her name, you might get punished severely.” He leaned closer and whispered, “I heard a slave call her Mrs. Capsicum and she called her husband to ‘beat the tar out of this filthy slave’. She says she will not allow such a creature to say her glorious name.” He almost laughed. 

Temperance noticed how he called her ‘Tem.’ Father used to call her that when he wasn’t drunk. But he was always very harsh and cruel now.

“I’m glad you’re here, Gideon. I was afraid I’d be trapped here alone. But it’s nice to have a friend. An ally.”

Gideon agreed. “We have to protect each other, and stand up for each other. Don’t worry. This won’t last forever I tell you.” He stood up. “We shall see the dawn of freedom.”

 1763

J U N E 

C H  A  P  T  E  R   Ten—

The days carried on slowly. Temperance tried to mind her manners and remain silent, but inside she was screaming. She was letting all her thoughts explode. It was a very difficult task not to let them all out, but luckily, Temperance succeeded. Gideon helped, of course. He talked to her and encouraged her through tough times. As the weeks went by, they began to become very close friends. 

The days grew hotter and most nights, Madam was out partying or in court trying to convince the police that she did in fact pay her monthly bills.

The rare times that Temperance and Gideon weren’t needed, they snuck off to town to look for James and enjoy the fresh air.

Temperance put down a book she was admiring and gazed across the busy street to a girl that looked to be about her age, only this girl was plumper and healthier. Temperance felt a slight ounce of jealousy rise up within her. 

“She gets to be free and wears a fancy, silk gown with a parasol, while I have to be a slave and do nothing but work and serve.” There was much hatred in her voice.

“Temperance please, not again. Just look away.” Gideon took her by the arm and led her to a little shop called Nick Knacks and Little Things.

“Why did you bring me here?”Temperance demanded.

“Well, I had to get you away from that girl! You looked like you were gonna punch her or somethin’!”

Temperance turned away angrily. “I may be in bondage, but I am not an animal! I am still a civilized being!” She stomped her foot. “I would never, ever, ever punch a human person in the face.” She caught her breath. “Except maybe you, of course.” With that, she stomped away. Gideon went after her.

“Hey Tem, wait up! Temperance! Temperance Constance!” 

Temperance stopped in her tracks. “How do you know my middle name?” She stepped forward. “I demand to know!” She shouted. 

“Okay, okay, okay. I only asked James. But don’t you think—” He inhaled a deep breath, knowing he was probably about to get slapped. “Don’t you think you should give up fighting? At least until we escape?” He backed away a few steps, but Temperance followed.

“You want to…Give up?” Instead of slapping him, she said quietly, almost in a whisper, “My middle name is Constance, is it not?” With that, she walked away. 

When they arrived home, Gideon once again tried to calm her. “If you just pretend to like it here, they’ll never guess that we’re planning to run away. They might even trust us enough to let us into town. But if you keep on acting the way you, we’ll never get out of here.”

Temperance sat on a bale of hay, her arms crossed. “I just want my brother.”