Spirit Ran Free
Chapter Three / Page Six

Marcellus nodded at ol' Jake as he dipped the bucket into the big vat. "So how many people have you killed, Mr. Jacob?"

"Ain't killed nobody. People don't mess with me, boy."

"Well, I have respect for a man who can survive slavery and never have to kill anybody. I'll need me a good friend like you."

"What? What you mean by that good friend stuff? I ain't said I's nobody's good friend and nothing else. This here's a slave penitentiary, young boy. And I done been locked up here for life. I ain't no fool that take some friend that easy. But then, you ain't no fool neither. Now ain't that so?"

"Sir, it's not very intelligent to be a fool when they already think you're a slave. But I don't know nothing. I'm about being free. My life is all about my Colored people."

Ol' Jake squinted. "Sho' be talking this mess like you god. Then, young boy, maybe you ain't no god. But us Negro folks here sho' need us a living god that can talk to us some. So now then, I'm gonna scrub your back real good, and you listen to this here ol' Jake real close, young god."

And while ol' Jake was scrubbing Marcellus' back he talked to him in soft quiet whispers. "That Phillip, now he be 'bout two years younger than Michael, who 'bout thirty years old and got that college education. Ain't done nothing bad to us Colored folks. Fact is, he real decent 'bout us. Funny man, that Michael."

"Uh-huh," Marcellus nodded calmly.

"Now you listen to this real careful, boy. Michael's brother, that Phillip, that there devil man be mad 'bout a lot of things. Hate his daddy, want to kill his brother, hate everything. But he ain't hating nothing like he hate us Colored folks. Master George don't know how bad his son be. But that Phillip done hung three slaves that I know of. That man, he shot my cousin Moses Jones dead, right out yonder in that cotton field. 'Cause Moses said he was real sick and he can't pick no more that day."

Marcellus gave ol' Jake a hard look but didn't say a word.

Cont. / Page 7

the author


Forest Hairston