Chapter 33: Chapter 33

Chapter 31: Austin.

"You're a despicable human being!" Thomas spat in Austin's face. With his hands tied behind his back, Austin could have easily taken advantage of the situation but he wouldn't stoop that low. Austin was well aware that they were already buttered up as it is. He had came to inspect at the local police station if they really deserved to be set free or not. James was a good person no matter what! Austin liked him, regardless of the little damage he had done to Austin's face. As for Thomas, Austin loathed him. He hated him so much for having what he could never have... Merrigold's heart, Merrigold's purity, Merrigold's trust. Thomas has it all. Austin wished he could leave Thomas and allow them to set James free. Austin wished Thomas death as he took his handkerchief to wipe Thomas disgusting saliva. Austin wished Thomas death, he was so overprotective of Merrigold, he did not want her with any other man. He knew it would never be him. Merrigold would never want him, not after the damage he had done. For many reasons, he did not regret it. He was a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. This was not even about racism and slavery. To Austin it was a matter of a horrible love triangle. He would never admit to loving her but she made him feel odd in a good way. She made him feel all that he thought he was immune to. Austin knew Merrigold would never love him, not after all that he had done. Worse if he killed Thomas. Why did he yearn for her love so much..? He just needed for her to be alright. Austin refused to believe that in the moments that they shared, Merrigold had not felt even a tiny ounce of adoration and love for him. Even if he did, he knew that ended that night when he let his emotions get the best of him.

"I had no idea you had it in you..." Austin replied casually looking around the dingy cell and the rotten copper bars between them. Thomas stares him dead in the eye, his anger spoke volumes even with no words said.

"What has she ever done to you? WHAT HAVE WE EVER DONE TO YOU?"

"Do not dare raise your obnoxious voice at me little boy!" Austin threatened. He found being eight years older than Merrigold to be cute. He found being seven years older than Thomas as an advantage, to belittle him regardless of anything great he does.

"YOU'RE A DISGUSTING HUMAN BEING AND GOD IS WATCHING. You will pay for all the pain your have caused..."

"If I am to pay for the pain, it's only right that your God pays me just as much for the pleasure I caused..."

"What pleasure? Are you delusional from the day you arrived all you have done is cause Merrigold grief and sorrow. Where is your conscience?"

"I suppose she did not tell you of our sweet moments together..."

"Excuse me?!" Thomas laughed. "How dare you come here and tell lies? You're truly a disgusting pig. If for a second you think the loss of our child will ruin what Merrigold and I have then you're greatly mistaken."

Austin seemingly enjoying this he played alone. He decided he would hurt Thomas internally, not physically. That would certainly be the best revenge for his now overgrown confidence.

"...I especially love that small light circular birthmark in between her thighs on the right side of her thigh..."

Thomas heart dropped but he refused to believe it. "Of course you would know all that you're a rapist!"

"...you know how she giggles when she is nervous. How she giggles much more when I put it in because she is trying to cover up the somewhat discomfort that she enjoys."

Thomas could only think... he is right. Merri does that. How would he know that? Regardless he refused to break as much as his heart was pummeling at the thought of them together.

"Any woman probably does that..." Thomas replied.

"Oh I've been with many women and Merrigold is definitely cut from a different cloth. Even her small moans and how she has to cover her lips with the palm of her hand to avoid making any sound.. I suppose you'd be aware if you knew how to pleasure her. She probably lays still and bored when she is with you?"

"..."

"...I love when she doesn't want to let me go and she wraps her legs around my waist that way I don't pull out. She never wants me to pull out..." Austin chuckled.

"..."

Silently, a tear dropped from Thomas eye. As much as he tried to defend her, everything he was saying made so much sense and it hurt so much. She did what she did with him and Austin... involuntarily her mannerisms during sex had outed her. Sliding down the wall in his cell, Thomas hugged his knees. Unable to fathom any of it.

"You might have taken her virginity but she'd rather have me in between the sheets than a man who can not use his sword." Austin chuckled. "The two minutes of cumshots you gave her weren't good enough considering she had to come to me every night. Lastly this is between Merrigold and I so I'd like to ask that you stay out of it. Good day then."

—

"Grover!!" Austin called from his study. After having a long thoughtful conversation, he decided it was only right. Merrigold had not showed up for two weeks now. With many requests for her to get back to work, she had not done so.

"Yes sir?" the old man, removed his straw hat as he was in Austin's presence.

"Please go help Merrigold move back into the house!"

"Here?!" Grover asked, mortified for Merrigold. "...with you..." Grover had always treated Merrigold with ignorance but he had known her for such a long time. It hurt to see her the way she was the last time he saw her. He had always been rude to her then she'd simply smile and take the banter. It was the way their relationship was and it worked that way. She'd ask about his wife and kids and he'd rudely reply but the day she failed to ask him, he would worry with concern and know almost immediately that something was wrong. Grover thought of his four daughters, the pain he felt thinking about if it were them in this situation. Having been the one who had to clean up the blood in the stable, his conscience would not allow him to maneuver without guilt.

"Where else?" Austin rudely replied, his study as of recent realer of cigarettes than usual.

"I reckon she is fine where she is with her loved one's."

"Oh... you assumed I had asked for your invalid opinion... how brave Grover!"

"She is such a sweet girl and..."

"For goodness sake, stop being so sappy. What has gotten into you?"

Grover has no idea, it surprised him that he cared this much about Merrigold. Suppose it was all hidden under his laissez-faire attitude. The do nothing policy. The as long as I'm not affected it is not my problem. The individualism. On his way to inform Merrigold that she needed to move back. He found her near the a secluded lake. Hardly being able to recognize her. She looked so lost and disoriented. If anything Grover had to admit that Merrigold was simply a stunning girl. With or without hair she still looked remarkably beautiful. He would never tell her that though, his job was to make fun of her.... that's how their relationship had always been. As he got closer he got a glimpse of a razor, her blood stained dress. As his footsteps made crunching sounds on the leafs she panicked and quickly hid it.

"Grover..." She tried to smile innocently as if she had not been up to anything. Her smile did not reach her eyes.

"What is it you're doing with that razor?"

"...just finishing up the patches on my head..." she told him quickly.

"Merrigold..." Grover said a little emotional.

"Yes?" She replied trying to make it seem as if everything was okay.

"I'm sorry..."

"..."

For a moment they both remained quiet. Merrigold realizing that Grover knew what she was doing. She looked down unable to face him.

"Please do not inform my brother.." with a sigh. "Or anyone... I was not quite thinking..."

It was in this moment that Grover noticed the rope that Merrigold was sitting on. She had been trying to hide it for a while. He was so focused on the razor and blood that he did not see the knot she had been trying to tie. The blue rope caught his eye, it was the same rope used for the borehole at the commune, strong enough to take a life when hung over a tree. He did not have the heart to tell her that she had to move back and relive more horror. He had no heart to tell her that she had to return to her worst nightmare so he sat with her. Little words were exchanged as they looked at the streaming lake and the quietness. He had no idea, one could drop so much weight in the course of a two weeks. Her dress hung over one shoulder. She wore a big woolen jersey even though it was hot as could be.

"How are the wife and kids?" Merrigold asked out of the blue. It was in that moment, Grover realized she meant more to him more than he'd ever admit. He watched her grow, he taught her all that he knew about supervising the plantation. The thought of her trying to take her own life, left him distraught.

For the first time, he asked. "How are you Merri?"

After so many years of refusing to acknowledge her presence and pretending negroes did not exist. He finally acknowledged her. For as long as Merrigold could remember she always tried to get Grover's attention even as a child despite her sweetness he always seemed annoyed. He had never cared for anything she had to say or tell him. She'd tell him stories for hours and hours and he'd simply yell 'Piss off you nigger child.' Him simply asking how she was for the first time meant more than anyone will ever know.