Theo blinked his eyes a few times, then focused on Lucius. “You sorry nig—”
Lucius grabbed him around the throat with his huge hands. Theo’s face grew red as blood.
“Don’t you ever call me ‘nigger’ again. Don’t call me ‘boy.’ You call me ‘Lucius.’ Does you understand me?” Theo tried to nod, so Lucius relaxed his grip.
Theo rubbed his throat. “What do you want with me?”
A smile bloomed on Lucius. “Why, Massuh Theo, I wants to do business with you.”
“What sort of business?”
“It seem like I needs a massuh where I is going to.”
“What you talking about, Lucius?” Theo sat up and rubbed his jaw where Lucius had hit him earlier.
“I’s going over to Mississippi, and I needs you to come along as my massuh.”
“Mississippi?” Theo stumbled to his feet. “I ain’t going, I’ll be bound. Ole Forrest will have me in his cavalry.”
“You is going, and you is going right off tonight.” Lucius pulled a bottle of laudanum from his bag. “I got a passel of this here, and you can have it. All you got to do is be my massuh til I find what I’s looking for.”
Theo reached for the bottle, but Lucius pulled it back. Lucius poured him a small shot in a cup. “I’s got plenty and I’s got opium, too.”
Theo gulped the liquid from the cup. “What are you after in Mississippi?” He handed the cup back to Lucius.
“I’s after the Taylor boy. I’s after the Taylor money, and I will split it with Massuh Theo.”
Theo grinned. That was exactly what Lucius believed he would do, the greedy ape.
Lucius pulled some clothes from a bag. “Put these here clothes on. You don’t looks like no massuh in them tore up rags.”
“Where did you get those?”
“One thing Massuh Theo gots to know—I is a sourceful nigger.”
***
The muddy river appeared lazy as Lucius moved away from the bank, and the torches at the wharf made soft reflections on the water.
The night was black as tar, and the stars looked so close Lucius might could pluck them like grapes if he had a mind to. However, at that minute he just wanted to get across the river before the two were discovered. He pulled at the oars hard, but the current showed him that though Old Man River may appear tame, it was always wild and strong. Theo was of no use; he lay in the boat drunk, or whatever the laudanum did to him. Lucius would give a smaller dose next time.
As Lucius fought with the churning current, he remembered how two years ago he had swum the river hanging onto a log, fighting for his life to get to Helena and freedom. Now here he was trying to get back across the Mississippi in a stolen skiff with a stupid, drunk white man. Was it worth it? Were the African birds worth all of this?
Was the story true about the African birds? It could have been a wild story his mammy had told for fun. That seemed more likely than not. No—it had to be true. There had to be more to life than just the freedom camp. Maybe there wasn’t magic in it, but still it belonged to his father. Or did it? He shook his head, reached into the cool water, and splashed some on his face. He would think no more of it. It was useless. The story had to be true. There had to be a reason to life. He had not escaped slavery just to wind up in a Yankee hellhole. There had to be something else. That something was his father’s charm—the key to Africa.
The Taylor boy would pay for taking it. Lucius could feel the boy’s scrawny little neck in his hands even now as he squeezed the oars. The boy didn’t know what he had. It meant nothing to him, just another piece of jewelry. White people had everything and the blacks had nothing, but that would change soon, and it would start changing when Lucius found that white-headed boy.
***
The little black boy paddled across the lake and loaded Lucius and Theo into the leaking boat. Lucius saw the bridge was gone. It was there when he came through two years ago, but many things can change in two years.
The boy stayed at the lake while the two men went on. Lucius figured out the boy was a lookout. It must have seemed to the boy these two posed no threat. That was good. Lucius had schooled Theo on what he wanted him to do and say, and Lucius was surprised at how well Theo played the part. Maybe this plan would work after all. It had to—it was the only plan Lucius had.
The Negroes in the fields chopping cotton looked up briefly, but went back to work. Lucius assumed that one Negro and a white man was nothing to be worried about.
When they arrived at the big house, there was a pretty white woman standing on the porch. On the steps below her was a gray-headed Negro. Lucius could see right off by the arrogant look he was boss nigger.
As they approached the gate, Theo played his part, swept his cap off and bowed. “Good morning, my dear lady.”
The woman bowed her head slightly.
“Ma’am, could we bother you for a drink from your well?” Theo asked.
“Cluck, show this gentleman and his servant to the well.”
Niggers will answer to anything, Lucius thought. He’d be damned if he would answer to such a ridiculous name.
“Right this here way, Marster,” Cluck said.
A little black boy was drawing the water when they went to the well.
“Efficient lot of darkies, I tell you,” Theo said to Lucius. “You take notice, Lucius, and you will do well.”
Lucius bowed. “Yessuh, Massuh. I’s do good like these here niggers does.”
“If Marster don’t mind me asking, why is y’all coming from Helena way?” Cluck asked.
“Not at all—not at all, my good boy. I’ve just been to Helena to fetch my boy, Lucius, back. He reckoned he wanted his freedom, but now he realizes that he belongs back home on the place. Ain’t that right Lucius?”
Lucius nodded his head vigorously. “Oh, yessuh, Massuh, yessuh, I’s so glad to be headed back to home. I sho is.”
“If the marster don’t mind, we didn’t see you come this here way a-going to Helena,” Cluck said.
“You sure didn’t—you sure didn’t—that’s a fact. I came Memphis way.”
A little Negro girl ran from the front of the house. “Marster, Missus would like to see you on the veranda.”
This would be the test, Lucius thought. If Theo didn’t give up the goods now, they might just make the plan work.
When Theo went to the house, Cluck stared at Lucius for a long time without saying anything. Lucius was beginning to think something was going wrong until Cluck finally spoke.
“What it like at Helena? What so bad there that you give up your freedom to come back to Mississippi?”
Now it was time for Lucius to play his part. “Freedom? Niggers is dying over there in Helena. Them Yankees is worser than any massuh. They make you work just the same, but they don’t take care of you like most massuhs does.”
Cluck drank a dipper of water, then handed it to Lucius.
“We don’t get many a-coming and a-going from Helena. I spec most of them niggers in Helena is from Arkansas,” Cluck said.
“Most is, but not all.”
“We had a white boy and a nigger come from that way last year,” Cluck said, taking the dipper from Lucius.
Lucius’s heart leaped.
“They said what you said ‘bout that camp at Helena. I sho wouldn’t want to be there.”
“Where was that white boy and nigger headed to?”
Cluck eyed Lucius. “Why does you want to know?”
“I just making talk—that all.”
Cluck studied on it for a spell, then said, “They’s headed toward New Albany I believes they say.”
“I reckon I never heard of this place called New Albany. Must be a far piece.”
“I specs it bees far enough, if you have to walk it. I’s never been there, but I knows about it.”
“I reckon you knows a lot. You’s the head man on the place, ain’t you?” Lucius showed a toothy grin.
“I is that. We ain’t got no need for no overseer with
me on the place. The Missus got total trust in old Cluck, and I aim to do right by her, too.” Cluck clucked his tongue.
“You look after this whole plantation?” Lucius asked.
“In fact I do.”
Lucius looked all around and made sure the wonder showed on his face. “Massuh would never trust a nigger like me to a small job, let alone nothing like this here,” Lucius said.
“Well, I specs not.” Cluck clucked his tongue, again. “You’s done gone and runned off to Helena, and he had to fetch you back.” Cluck narrowed his eyes. “Now that I thinks on it, how come he knowed you was in Helena and was wanting to come back home?”
Damn, Lucius thought. This was a smart nigger here. Now he’s got to go and ask these wise-ass questions. “Well, you see now. It like this here. There was this preacher man that come to the camp, and this preacher man, well, he was from the parts that I runned off from. I knowed him right off, and he knowed me, so I asked him if he would ask my massuh to come fetch me, cause I was ready to come home. Then one day I look up and there my massuh; he done come to fetch me juss like I ask.”
Cluck frowned and was starting to say something when a shot rang out from the front of the house. Cluck and Lucius raced toward the front.
This couldn’t be good in any way, Lucius thought. What the hell could Theo be up to?
“You,” Mrs. Donner said to Lucius when he rounded the house. “I have a mind to shoot your master. You are welcome to stay on with us if I do.”
What the hell happened? Lucius couldn’t believe his eyes. The woman had a big revolver leveled at Theo’s head. She didn’t look bashful about using it, either. He had to think fast.
“Oh, please don’t shoot Massuh. He got a family back home.”
She took aim at Theo.
Theo squeezed his eyes shut.
“Does your master have a wife back home?” she asked.
“Yessum, and some chilluns, too.”
“Then you best get him off my veranda and my property, or they will be widow and orphans.”
Lucius ran up the porch and seized Theo by the arm. “Come on, Massuh. We best being going on down the road.”
Theo said nothing. No one else said anything. Everyone just stared as the two went through the white gate. After they had gone down the road a piece, Lucius looked back and they were still staring. Strange place.
***
Just after dark they passed though some small town, didn’t bother to find out the name. Lucius figured the farther they were from people the better. He was still steamed at Theo. The man was as ignorant as a cow. He had grabbed the woman after she invited him in for coffee. What a fool. She had stuck the gun in Theo’s lard belly before he had a clue. He could have ruined everything if she had pulled the trigger then. Instead, she waited until she marched him outside, and then she shot between his legs.
They set up camp close to a stream. The frogs sang their strange songs and night birds whistled in the woods. It felt good to be there. It felt free compared to Helena.
Lucius placed a few more sticks on the fire. Theo lay beside it with his fat head propped on his hand.
“That was a fine woman, I tell you,” Theo said. “What I could do if only I had just a little time.”
“Shut up, you fool. You almost ruined my plan.”
“That ain’t no way to be a talking to your master.”
Quick as a rattler, Lucius kicked Theo’s arm from under his head and his face crashed to the dirt.
“What the hell did you do that for?” Theo sat up and brushed dirt from his face.
Lucius quickly wrapped his big arm around Theo’s head and clamped down. Theo grabbed at his arm, but could not budge it.
“What the hell are you doing?”
“The next time you pulls a foolish shine like that, I’ll squash your head like a punkin. Does you understand me, white man?”
Theo said nothing.
Lucius clamped down harder. “Does you?”
Theo shrieked, “I do—I do!”
Lucius moved to the opposite side of the fire, sat, and smiled at Theo. Theo rubbed his big head.
Lucius pulled a piece of bread from his bag, pulled a chunk off for himself and handed the rest to Theo. Lucius took a big bite. With a mouth full he said, “We can have all the Taylor money, but you got to does like I say.”
Theo said nothing, just nibbled at the bread. He was puffed up like a toad-frog.
Lucius laughed aloud. He stopped when he heard a horse coming down the road. He started to put out the fire, but thought it best to look normal.
“All right, Theo, you bees a good massuh. Remember, we could have the Taylor money.”
“Yo at the fire,” called the rider.
Theo looked angrily at Lucius, then smiled and called back. “Approach the camp, and welcome.”
It was a young Rebel lieutenant. He looked barely twenty. His clothes were ragged and dirty. He tied his horse to a sapling.
“Sit down by the fire here, soldier,” Theo said.
“Yessum, Massuh, sit by the fire and let it chase them skeeters away,” Lucius said.
The young soldier sat by Lucius. “Thank y’all kindly. It would do me some good to be off of that beast for a spell.”
“Wish we could offer you some coffee, but times is hard and appears we are fresh out,” Theo said.
“Indeed, times are hard all over,” the soldier said. He reached across Lucius and offered his hand to Theo. “I’m Ralph Reed.”
Theo shook his hand. “Well, I’m pleased to meet you, Lieutenant Reed.” Theo pointed to Lucius. “This here is my nigger, Lucius.”
Reed nodded at Lucius. It was a friendly enough nod.
“Where you bound, Lieutenant?” Theo asked.
“To tell you the truth, I’m lost. I took a wrong road some place. I’m not from around here, but I’m supposed to meet my wife and little girl in a town call Sardis. Have you heard of it?”
“I have, I have,” Theo said.
“Capital,” Reed said. “I haven’t seen my wife in two years. And my little girl was newborn when I left for the army. Look here.” He reached in his inside pocket and pulled out a little doll. “I bought this thing about five months ago when I was at Atlanta. I’ve been carrying it ever since. I can’t wait to give it to Ann. That’s my little girl’s name, Ann.” He stuck it back into his pocket.
“That is fine,” Theo said, “Mighty fine, ain’t it, Lucius?”
“Sho is Massuh, real fine.”
Theo threw a bottle at Lucius. “Go down there to the creek and find a clear spot and bring me and the lieutenant some clean water.”
“Yessuh, Massuh,” Lucius grabbed the bottle and scrambled to the creek. Lucius knew they had done well. The soldier was fooled real good. It was a shame how things were going to turn out.
It was good and dark now, and the white men couldn’t see Lucius at the creek. Lucius left the bottle at the water and crept in a circle around the fire. It was just as he suspected. The soldier had his revolver drawn and was waiting. The two white men were still looking toward the creek. That worthless Theo had betrayed him. Lucius came up behind the soldier and jerked the gun from his hand. He grabbed the soldier’s neck before the man had time to react. He slowly tightened his hold like a chicken snake on a rat. The soldier clawed at the air. Lucius stared into Theo’s eyes. They were wide in horror. Lucius slowly—very slowly—tightened his grip. Reed’s eyes rolled back in his head. Theo’s lips began to tremble, but he said nothing—he did nothing. Reed’s face was purple, and he slowly went limp. Lucius relaxed his grip and smiled. Reed gulped a coughing breath.
“Thank God,” Theo said. “There weren’t no need in you killing that boy.”
Lucius jerked his arm up with a quick snatch. Reed’s neck made a loud pop and lay over on his shoulder. Only skin was holding it from falling off. Lucius flung the body over the fire, and it landed across Theo’s legs. The doll popped out and landed by the fire.
T
heo crawfished from the body. His eyes were big as balls.
“Next time you go against me, I’ll pull your big ass head plumb off, juss like this po boy here. Does you understand me?”
Theo said nothing, but Lucius could see in his eyes that he understood perfectly. The wet spot growing between Theo’s legs was a good enough answer.
Lucius kicked the soldier’s body. “I reckon his sweet family won’t be a-meeting him after all.” He reached down and picked up the doll, looked at it for a long minute, then tossed it into the fire.
Chapter 1 7
General Forrest had been right about the pass; one look and the Confederates let the boys through. The Yankees laughed at the swayback mule. Peter realized they must look a sight with the pathetic-looking animal. The Yankee’s were probably glad to be shed of it. It had been days since the boys had left Mississippi. Peter had lost count. He just wanted the ordeal to be over.
The farms were beginning to look alike. One Yankee was as blue as the next. One Confederate as ragged as the others. The citizens suffering the insufferable, but yet, not turning the two wayfarers away.
As they headed north, Peter found the eastern part of Tennessee to be a beautiful country, plenty of trees, hills, and valleys. Of course, Joe said it was lacking compared to Virginia.
As Peter led the mule, Joe lay on the animal facing the blue sky whistling Shenandoah. Peter was waiting for him to fall off so he could laugh.
Peter stopped, thought he heard something. Joe continued his whistling, lost somewhere daydreaming.
“Joe, hush a minute.”
Joe continued.
Peter slapped him on the shoulder.
Joe rose up on the mule. “Why did you go and do that for?”
“Listen.”
There was a moaning coming from the woods on the right of the road.
“Do you hear it?” Peter asked.
Joe nodded.
“You stay put and I’ll go see what it is,” Peter said.
Joe ignored him and leaped from the mule. “Sounds like a person.” He ran to the sound.
“Joe wait!” Why even bother? He was uncontrollable, just as well talked to the mule.
Joe disappeared into the woods before Peter could follow, yelled, “It’s a man.”
Chase The Wild Pigeons Page 26