A Farm Slave

One

The water ran over her warm body. Droplets of water were left on her tan skin in the wake of her cloth. The water was clear and from a spring; the cool of it soothing her flesh. It was barely morning but already it was 76 degrees. Her skin was covered in goosebumps as the water rolled down and the wind took its place. With her bit of lye soap and cloth, Charlotte made a lather of bubbles before slathering it over her belly. Such is the way a farm slave bathes. Together with twenty other girls and two males they gather in the creek, in the early hours, and wash yesterdays mud from their legs. Two overseers look on while the girls brush tangles from their wet hair. The whips at the overseers sides stood out as they cocked their hips in the slaves direction.

Slaves were not allowed to fornicate with a member of the opposite sex unless The Master or The Mistress desired it. Any slave caught touching one another in such a way would receive ten lashes from the whip and a night without blankets. This punishment was reserved for the summer, which it was. In the winter they would receive twenty lashes and cold food for the evening. The two exceptions were Najima and Quary, two female slaves who were allowed to marry the two male salves Andony and Marius. In the creek Marius washed mud from each other. They took careful consideration of Najimas growing belly for her womb was with child. Quary and Andony chose to bath separately, Quary with her group of friends and Andony alone, watching the girls and occasionally reaching down to touch himself. Masturbation was permitted as slaves are seen as animals and the only way for an animal to take out their frustration is by violence or sex. Violence was certainly not tolerated. If one slave was to use force against another then the target may in turn reciprocate with any instrument in their possession before dragging the offender to an overseer where the offender would be punished severely.

"Soap, give me soap!" A girl at Charlotte's side pressed.Charlotte was so named because of her petite form. She handed Nadiya, the girl at her side, her yellow bar of soap. Nadiya, one of the only other girls who spoke English took it and greedily made a lather on her own rag. The name Charlotte, while meaning petite, was in itself ironic because it came from the name Charles which is to mean 'free man' and Charlotte was anything but free. She was petite, as mentioned above, and even though she was favored among the farm she was still a slave. She was born into the world of slavery from her mother who was sold into slavery from the planet Earth. Now, here on the planet Xa, she was alone save her Nadiya and her father; an overseer named Drorn.

Nadiya had been a Russian beauty on the planet Earth before her parents sold her to cover their debts. It wasn't long before the Xanians collected her and took her to their home planet before she was sold to the Earth Farm. Just like Charlotte's mother, Nadiya was sold into the human trafficking trade on Earth. The Xanians have long prized Earth women for their hardiness and sometimes beauty. Earth women have smooth skin like the Venusians, and they are free of unsightly appendages like those from Neptune. The Xanians visit Earth every tewnty years or so and when they return they bring hundreds of slaves to be sold in the markets on Xa. Many slaves are sold to other planets, but Nadiya and Charlotte's mother were both kept on Xa because The Mistress of the farm had been from Earth and she longed for companionship.

The Earth Farm, so named because they grow things on Earth was possible because the planet Xa had a similar composition to the planet Earth. The seasons were harsher, however, hotter in the summer and colder in the winter. The farm kept horses and pigs, grew tomatoes and oranges as well as other fruits and vegetables. The rolling hills of the farm were irrgated in a special way as to grow rice and coffee. In the galaxy, outside of the Earth's Solar System, these items were considered a delicacy and very highly prized at the markets. This meant the farm was well off and it's slaves plenty.

Charlotte hummed to herself before washing Nadiya's back. Charlotte's mother had tried well to preserve her culture in her daughter. In fact, she preserved Earth culture in Charlotte so well that Charlotte often talked about Earth as if she had been their. She could sing songs and talk about pop culture; she could even dance a little. Nadiya's influence only made Charlotte more knowledgable and this came in handy when serving The Mistress her tea. They could talk about all things 1966 (the year Charlotte's mother was captured) and 1989 (the year Nadiya was captured). The cars, the singers, the clothes- Charlotte knew them well. At the present Charlotte hummed Lesley Gore to herself while Nadiya washed her back in turn. The harsh sound of an overseer's whistle sounded and both girls dipped under the water to get the soap off their bodies before they headed up the bank, out of the water.

Ava, the blonde overseer, was also from Earth and fond of the male slave Andony. She would often call on him to do hard or menial work. When he pleased her she would reward him by raking the nails of her left hand across his back; she would give in to his glutton for punishment. The nails would draw blood which she would then drink. Ava wore a curious device on her left hand. It covered most of her hand and wrist before extending over her fingers like a glove, except it ended in sharp claws crafted from the actual claws of a hawk. Razor sharp and thick her hand could tear through mounds of flesh. Many of the slaves attempted to stay on Ava's good side because of this. When Andony, or another slave failed to please her they were locked in a metal cage wherein the slave could not fully stand or sit. They knelt on the cold steel before being pissed on by anyone who had to relieve themselves. This could go on for days before the slave would be allowed to bathe. It was a harsh punishment, reserved for only the most serious of offenses, and Andony had only received it twice in the ten years he had worked this farm.

The slaves were led to the Orange grove like cattle. The two overseers were around them on horses and they lazily made their way across the fields. The herd moved slowly and quietly to the trees where they would pick the months fruit and load them into barrels. On the Xa equivalent of this coming Monday, Erowing, Najima and Quary would be trusted to take the Oranges to market where they would sell them for fifteen Xanges a piece. In Earth currency this was well over a hundred dollars per Orange. Normally, just Najima and Quary were trusted to go to market because a married slave would not run away and abandon her family only to be caught by bounty hunters and flogged all the way back to the farm where they would be put into boxes. This Monday, Erowing, was special because it was the Erowing following Herfol, the harvest festival. All the farm's inhabitants would dress in white and gold and caravan into market with all the things they had to sell. Clothing and fruit were traded as well as slaves and meat.

In the Orange grove, Charlotte climbed a ladder the way the sun climbs the sky; slowly. Lajima stood under her. She was the twim sister of Najima and both were from Xa and both were born into slaver similar to Charlotte. Both mothers gave birth in the swampy marshes of the farm. Lajima and Najima were quite older than Charlotte. In Earth years they were 38 and Charlotte was only 17.

"Qwima la orange." 'Hand the Orange to me.'

Lajima commanded Charlotte and Charlotte did as she was asked. The language of the slaves was mixed. Six different races existed on the farm and so six different languages and customs melded together to form a seventh language and culture. When a slave is captured they are not educated on the customs of where they are going; education is up to the future Master or Mistress. Many of the slaves on the Earth Farm were brought in blindly and had to feel their ay around the culture in place. In short they were immersed and in time they understood the words for 'work' 'eat' and 'no.' Together the slaves worshiped each others dieties and didn't look down on each other for having different beliefs. This wasn't always the case, but not following the law laid down by The Master meant punishment.

"Qwima qwima." 'Give me Give me.'

Together they worked the way for seven hours. The Orange grove had well over a hundred and fifty trees and in the time allotted they were able to clear them all. When the Pranges were new to the farm and the slaves numbered six, it took the herd all day to clear the grove. But there was other work to be done and the herd had learned to move quickly. Charlotte climbed off the ladder for the thirtieth time today and carried a basket with Lajima to the carts that formed a caravan; ready and waiting to go to market. She carried the basket on her head, the way her mother taught her how. Charlotte's mother, Laura, had read about Aborgiinal tribes in school before she was taken to Xa and had remembered that it was easier to carry on the head instead of in the arms.Charlotte climbed onto a cart and this time is was her turn to ask 'Qwima' as Lajima handed her baskets. Charlotte arranged them in neat rows. When they had filled the cart they took their lunch, six oranges a piece and sat down.

On the ground, in the shade of the cart, they talked in their mixed language while the overseers looked on. Ava's eyes were like a hawk, sharp and as always looking over the herd with the nature of a lioness observing her pride. Nadiya came over, slowly moving her hips and singing as she peeled her Orange. Her favorite band was Depeche Mode and when she had been captured by Xa's slave trade she had on her posession a Sony Walkman which contained Black Celebration. Once, when Nadiya had helped over fifty cows give live births The Mistress allowed her to request a gift from her home planet. It was decided that in turn for her excellent service she would receive Depeche Mode's latest album which turned out to be Violator. Charlotte and Nadiya had gotten in trouble more than once for staying up late listening to Personal Jesus. Charlotte had never received such an honor, a present from a planet far off, but if she did she knew what she would request; a cupcake...or at least the recipe for a cupcake. She would have asked for a cat, but when it was agreed the farm would tend to horses a barn was built and a pregnant barn cat was brought from Earth. Charlotte had been chosen to tend to them because most nights she and Nadiya slept in the stableman's quarters.

"What I would give for a husband." Nadiya said looking at Marius feeding Najima orange slices.

"Your kingdom for a husband- is The Master not enoguh for you?" Charlotte laughed.

"The Master does not always call!" Nadiya whined.

"He calls you twice a week unless you are bleeding."

" He does not call enough."

"It's better than not being called on," Charlotte mumbles. More than anything she wished to be called for sexual favors by The Master. The directive of a slave is to please and Charlotte was a virgin. Pure, as her mother used to say, referring to herself before the male overseer Drorn had impregnated her with Charlotte.

Drorn had taken to Charlotte the way any father would. When she same crying into this world he had gone to The Master's office, laid his whip down, and begged that his daughter should be favored. He held The Master's hands in his own and kissing The Master's fingers he confessed his deep love for Laura and wished that the fruit of their love should be given lighter tasks and lead an easier life than the other slaves. The Master, being generous and having brotherly affection for Drorn, promised never to whip Charlotte unless she had been very bad. He promised that she would be given lighter tasks. For example, while Charlotte's fellow slaves were tilling the soil, she would sit in the house spinning wool into string. In return for this Drorn swore his life and his blood for the farm. Their deal was sealed with the drinking of fluids; blood and fluid were combined in a chalice before being consummed along with wine and fruit from the farm. The children of slaves, as Charlotte was, were allowed to be children and play until they reached puberty. It was then, at her first blood, that she was given the week to rest before being put to work. The first year was easier, acclimating the slave to their new lifestyle of work, but Charlotte had grown to be one of the hardest workers on the farm with ease.

After finishing her fourth Orange, Charlotte stood and turned her sights to the barn. "I have to feed the pigs and cats." Without another word she began down the road that would take her to the barn, leaving Nadiya and Lajima to talk about tomorrow's festival Herfol. Ava and the rest of the herd watched as her form became smaller. As she walked, her feet kicked up rocks from the dirt path. Drorn, on his horse, caught up with her quickly and he asked why his daughter's shoulders were slumped so.

"The Master does not call on me the way he calls on the others." Charlotte said turning toward him.

"He values you more in other ways." Drorn said as he always did, when they had this talk.

"Isn't that the way a slave should be valued?" Charlotte said as she picked up her feet and began moving towards the barn. As she moved her feet, so did Drorn's horse.

"A slave has many talents. Your mother and I wanted more for you than to be a courtesan. It's why she educated you. Nadiya is only educated because she grew up on Earth. Lajima, Brash, 84-aa...they are not educated the way you are. The way The Mistress is." He said growing a little impatient with her; this talked had happened four times now. Charlotte said nothing for a long time before crossing her arms and muttering an offering of peace.

"Maybe you are right."

Drorn reached down and ran his fingers through her hair. Eight fingers on one hand. Such was his race.

"You are so much like your mother."

"I miss her."

"I know child....I do to." He straightened himself on his horse and watched Charlotte move. "Quar du you bebe!" 'Blessings to you, child.' He called before turning his horse around and riding up the road back to the grove where he and Ava would dismiss the slaves, allowing them to ring in Herfol with a celebration of wine and good food.

As Charlotte walked she looked up at the sky. Clouds were rolling in. It would rain tonight meaning she could not sleep outside and star at the stars. She fed the cats their fish and the pigs their slop. She had worked hard enough today to have herself a rest until tomorrow and so she crawled into bed for a nap. Slaves were allowed beds although most slept on the ground outside when the weather permitted. As the rain pittered and pattered on the barn roof Charlotte thought of how The Master would call Nadiya, as he did every Gwerfung. Every week, he called her on the same days, and Charlotte would be alone this evening thinking of the slaves partying the night before Herfol. Talbot, the tom cat, crawled into bed with her, and settled beside her face. He purred softly, lulling Charlotte into a meditative trance. As she fell asleep she began to dream. Her brain and stomach were hoping Nadiya would bring her some cheese and wine from the house when she returned to the barn.