Dark Moon

The girl lay spread-eagled beneath the twinkling starts and the thin sliver of moon that shone in the blackness. Her frock was torn, her feet bare and dirty. She paid no heed to the cold the air that bit into her bare arms and shins.

The dark figure that advanced was silent, soundless feet leaving no marks on the dew-covered blades below. It slipped through the darkness then dropped in a single fluid motion to her side.

"Happy new year."

"New year again, is it?"

The figure followed the girl's gaze to the swirling canopy. "Moon's almost gone, Abby."

"Even less than last night, Tamy." Abby pushed herself up on a scrawny elbow. "Ain't nothing quite like the sky, is there? The nights we stayed out here, just watching, I could almost forget about Sir and the cleaning and the cotton. Best 'o my life."

Tamy's face was drawn, worn over the years that her companion hadn't been touched by. "Best 'o mine, too, Abby. Just the two of us. Came out here a few when Sir had you locked in, but it ain't ever the same. Always told you to stay outta trouble, but you never quite could, could you?" Her lips twisted in a sad sort of smile.

Abby didn't return it. "It's been five years," she said softly.

"Abb..."

"You're late." Her words grew sharp. "You lied, Tamy. You broke your promise!"

"I'm sorry."

"You said we'd run when the moon was gone, when the night was black. Find a place where they won't prod us just 'cause we're darkies," Abby continued, voice beginning to tremble, sobs clouding her words. "You're late."

Tamy moved toward her, but the girl jerked away. "I'm sorry," she said again, then softer, "but there was no place. Not then."

"You promised..." The girl cut off in a choke, ducking her head. She didn't resist when the other woman pulled her close again.

"But there's time now, you know," Tamy said quietly. "Things have changed. There's war goin' on. Couple o' years afta' you left."

"A war?" Abby looked up. "With who?"

"With ourselves. See, there's one side like Sir, then there's the other, who think there shouldn't be no people like Sir anymore."

"You mean, no more planters?"

"No more owners." Tamy leaned in and pressed a kiss against the girl's forehead. "They're fighting for us. So we ain't gotta work for nuttin' anymore. So we ain't gotta get owned by the white folk anymore."

Abby was shaking now, and Tamy could feel it through their thin shirts. "Y-you think they're gonna win?"

"I think so, Abb. I hope so." She leaned her cheek on the warm shoulder before her. "Before, they was nowhere for us to fit, but now they've made one. Even if it's in the wrong time, there's a place for everyone in the end."

"You mean, things are gonna be good for us now?"

Tamy sighed, then shook her head sadly. "No. Not for a while, I think. But they will be. It doesn't come quick, but it's a start, a new time from now on, even if everyone ain't realising it right away." She tightened her embrace, as if trying to shield the younger woman from the bleakness of the world. "And I'll keep my promise, Abb, I will. We can leave now. Moon's goin' quick, we can leave tommora' night."

"No." Abby shook her head, word catching in her throat. "It ain't goin' quick. It ain't moved in five years."

"Ain't moved?" Tamy pulled back. "Whaddya mean?"

"Every night's the same," Abby said, voice wavering. "The stars, the moon. Nothin' ever changes, not here. It'll never go."

"But you said it's less than last night?"

She gave a single small nod. "Tonight was the first time it changed. First time anything changed." She wiped her eyes with a shaking hand, taking a few deep breaths. "It was you, wasn't it?" she whispered after a pause. "You came to me. You made it move. But it took you five years to get here, and it's gonna be five years more before the moon goes again."

"Me?" A strange look passed over Tamy's face, and then a small smile. "Oh, I ain't sure about that. It ain't me who changed things tonight, and I'm telling you it'll keep moving from now on."

"But how? Why?"

"Just trust me, Abb. Happy new year."

Abby settled back, frowning, then falling into silence. "Happy new year."

They stayed under the still sky, not speaking, just sitting together, as the hours ticked by and a warm glow began to grow in the east. They watched as the sun ascended, as the stars faded away, before finally letting themselves lie back to the pull of sleep.

It was just before their eyes drifted shut that Abby asked, "Where is this, Tamy? Where are we?"

"You've been here longer, Abb, don't you know?" Tamy replied. "We're at the end. We're safe. They can't hurt us no more. It's over."

When they opened their eyes once more, it was to the inky black of a moonless night.

Early edition headline--January 1, 1858: FIRE ON THE CHARLESTON PLANTATION

New year celebrations were cut short last night when fire broke out in the far fields of the Charleston Plantation, sparked from a dropped pipe. Fortunately, the authorities were notified and the blaze was put out with minimal damage to the cotton fields. The only casualty was a young female slave who had been locked in the outhouse for the night as punishment.

Late edition headline--January 1, 1863: LYNCH ATTACK

Only hours after the emancipation proclamation was issued, a black woman was brutally beaten and murdered by her former owners on the field behind their plantation. Some took it as a hard blow, but others as a sign to keep fighting. Because change never comes easy, if we all try we can make a start.

Fight for a new time.

Author's Note

This was written in preparation for an English exam with the theme of "Belonging," which explains the ridiculous amount of dialogue about fitting in and all that and the rushes word limit. Didn't end up using this one but I liked the idea, anyway.

January 1, 1863, like it says, was the day that President Lincoln passed the Emancipation Proclamation that ruled the freedom of all slaves.

Feedback is always cool :-)

Reviews

[Jasmine]

Beautifully written. It left me speeachless.

[Kagami2110]

This is a story to be remembered. After those last lines my mind just went blank. It was like a snap blackness. Speechless to be exact.

[Larry Dyson]

You do know how to write about the feelings and emotions of your characters and the subject can always be written about...but not always written well....you wrote a very heart warming story about Hope and that made it worthy of the prize you re=ceived..good write ..Laury

[Angel]

Lest we forget what cruel beasts we humans can be...
Powerful write, Hun. I'm saddened...but yet I have hope for the future.