A Slave's Freedom

The cold, harsh weather welcomes the farm as we, its owner's slaves, gather around the only remaining outdoor fire pit. The small, oval-shaped pit sits in the center of the grass behind the house with its glorious, yet average-sized flames. Many, quiet low chatters emit in the large oval surrounding it. I am sitting close to the fire, huddled with other unknown and known faces.

"Did ya know we be stuck out 'ere while Masta sleeps all comfy inside?" Leo asks, drawing my attention to him.

I nod. "We been through worse."

Leo nods as he huddles closer to the fire. "We colored folk always come out alive."

"Of course," I reply while looping my arm around his neck. I pull him close and look at the night sky. "It mighty fine out tonight."

A light, yet chilling breeze rushes by, intensifying the shivering of my friends and I. "Me thinkin' ya jinx'd it," Leo murmurs.

"Yeah!" a younger, sweeter voice joins in. "Big brother... j-j-jinxes it!" I feel pressure underneath my other arm and turn towards it. I see her.

"Where's Momma and Papa?" I ask my little sister who is now lying snug beside me.

She squeaks as I pull her close. "Momma and Papa be over by Auntie May!" She flashes a smile at me. "Big brother?"

"Hmm?"

"Why have ya been sad?" she asks, a slight frown forming on her little face.

I sigh. "Leo, mind if I talk with my little sis' here?"

Leo sighs too and nods. "Me be sittin' over by Chase if ya need me."

With that, he walks over to the other side of the fire, huddling next to Chase, who is another friend of ours.

I turn my gaze to my little sister, Sophie, her little blue irises glistening in the night light. "Sophie?"

She smiles rather cutely at me. "Yeah?" she says as she twirls her black, curly hair.

"Do ya really want ta know?" I say as I pick her up.

She squeals and nods rapidly. "Story time!"

I chuckle heartily. "Yes, story time." I sit her on my lap and hold her close. "Alright, so ya remember a few days ago when I was sendin' a letter to one of the Master's friends?"

"Yeah!" she excitedly exclaims. "Ya said you met 'em!"

I force a smile. "Yes... Well, I did not tell ya about what fully happened there."

She gasps. "Big brother! Why did ya not tell me?"

"I don't know if you can handle it jus' yet," I reply with a slight frown. "It's... *gruesome*."

"G-gruesome?"

I grab her little cheek and pull it. "It's somethin' bad."

"Brother!" she yips as she tries to swat my arm. "Stop pullin' my cheek, ya goin' break it!"

I let go of her cheek. "Your cheek ain't goin' break," I say with a smile.

My sister crosses her arms and lets out a long huff. "Humph!" Projecting her lips and frowning, my little sister begins to stand up. "I'm goin' t—"

I grab her around her chest and hug her tight. "Sorry sis," I apologize. "Come on, let's get into the story tellin' now."

She smiles and hops on my lap. "Okay!"

The sudden weight on my legs sends pain through my entire body. I grunt. "Ya be gettin' bigger," I say with a smile. "Next year, ya might be bigger than me!"

She leans into my chest. "I don't wanna..."

"Why's that?" I ask with a raised eyebrow.

She sighs. "I always wanna be like this."

Holding her tight, I give her a smile. "Glad ya think so." I begin to pet her hair. "So, that story, huh?"

She nods. "What happened there, big brother?"

I shudder as a faint breeze gently grazes my back. "I went into the friend's house."

The little sister on my chest gasps loudly. "They never let us in!"

"Yeah," I say. "I needed to do this though, they were goin' be doin' somethin' bad to us if I didn't."

"Gruesome?" she asks with her eyes wide.

I smile. "Yeah, gruesome." I look over to Leo, who is still next to Chase. The two men stand near, huddling together with their arms wrapped behind each other's backs. Leo is tall, his eyes are blue, his mouth is large, but his lips are the opposite; petite, but chapped, his hair is short, black, and faded, and his arms and legs are long, but not as long as I. Chase, on the other hand, is his own man. He appears to be older: his wrinkles on his face, his long thick scar under his right eye, his light gray hair (before it was true black), his eyes shone the same, and his mouth and lips are more petite than Leo's and mine. His features make him no less than a boy, but more of a man than he should.

I feel a tugging on my arm. "Big brother!"

I look down at my sister, her black hair still curly as can be. "Yes?"

The bright smile still lightens her face. "What happened?"

The feeling of elation in my heart and soul crashes at that field. I bring her close. "He used him on a slave."

"Him?"

I nod. "Him was white man's whip. He..." A tear leaves me. "Used it on 'er."

The child in my arms squirms. "S-she?"

I nod again while I begin to sob. "It was... *gruesome*."

There is nothing more to be said as the light crackles and popping of the fire pit tells my sister the rest of the tale.

The sounds of water splashing near echoes in my ear.

Dyson...

She seems loud, not too proud.

Dyson.

She sat still, crying as another hit her weak, frail body.

Dyson!

"Dyson!" her sweet voice calls to me.

I open my eyes and see her, crying. Another tear drop hits my ear, splashing loudly in my ears. I wince and sputter a cough.

"Dyson!" she says in pure elated happiness, her pitch high. "You're alive!" She wraps her forelegs around me.

I try to speak, but the sounds of my dying throat are all to be heard.

She pats me on my back. "You're alive," she breathes. "You're alive..."

I look around while I hug her close. The place we're in is pitch black, but underneath us is a torch, its flames rumbling like a fire. Its light crackles are to be heard while we sit underneath it, wet as can be. What happened; why is she muttering that phrase?

She pulls away and stares into my eyes. "Dyson, say something!"

I open my mouth and sigh in relief. I stopped coughing. Definitely a thing to be thankful for. "Yes," I say weakly. "I'm okay."

She gasps. "What happened to your voice?"

"Dry," I reply and point to the reservoir beside us. "Water..."

She nods and moves me over to the edge. "Can you bend?"

I attempt to bend over, but the rib aches in pain, sending jolt after jolt of pain throughout my body. I shake my head. "Not at all."

She frowns and cups her forehooves together. She dips them in the water and holds them to my mouth. "Drink," she commands.

I slurp on the water, a bit of dirt mixing in. I swallow and sputter some more, knowing that my stomach hated the dirt that she wore. "Thanks, Rainbow Dash."

She pats me on my head. "No problem, that's what friends are for, right?"

"Friends?" I ask with my mouth agape.

She frowns. "Well, we know each other really well and I... think you're awesome."

"Awesome? What is that?" I ask, scratching my head.

She gasps. "It's the coolest word ever! How could you not know it?"

I shrug. "We slaves never knew of it."

Rainbow Dash stands up and hobbles over to the torch, grimacing all the while.  "Let's get going then!" She grabs the torch with her maw and looks back at me. "We'lsh getsh Twilight ta teash you!"

I stand up and walk towards her with a heavy heart. I force a smile at her and nod. "Can't wait."

She flashes a grin and turns her attention towards the darkness, where we will descend down its steps towards the unknown.