Kindred by Butler Octavia E

Author:Butler, Octavia E. [Butler, Octavia E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Fiction, Horror, Novel, Sci-Fi
Publisher: Random House
Published: 1979-01-01T02:00:00+00:00

8

I did my best for Alice, hurt her as little as possible, got her clean and bandaged the worst of her injuries—the dog bites.

“Looks like they just let the dogs chew on her,” said Rufus angrily. He had to hold her for me while I cleaned the bites, gave them special attention. She struggled and wept and called for Isaac, until I was almost sick at having to cause her more pain. I swallowed and clenched my teeth against threatening nausea. When I spoke to Rufus, it was more to calm myself than to get information.

“What did they do with Isaac, Rufe? Give him back to the judge?”

“Sold him to a trader—fellow taking slaves overland to Mississippi.”

“Oh God.”

“He’d be dead if I’d spoken up.”

I shook my head, located another bite. I wanted Kevin. I wanted desperately to go home and be out of this. “Did you mail my letter, Rufe?”

“Yeah.”

Good. Now if only Kevin would come quickly.

I finished with Alice and gave her, not aspirins, but sleeping pills. She needed rest after days of running, after the dogs and the whipping. After Isaac.

Rufus left her in his bed. He simply climbed in beside her.

“Rufe, for Godsake!”

He looked at me, then at her. “Don’t talk foolishness. I’m not going to put her on the floor.”

“But …”

“And I’m sure not going to bother her while she’s hurt like this.”

“Good,” I said relieved, believing him. “Don’t even touch her if you can help it.”

“All right.”

I cleaned up the mess I had made and left them. Finally, I made my way to my pallet in the attic, and lay down wearily.

But tired as I was, I couldn’t sleep. I thought of Alice, and then of Rufus, and I realized that Rufus had done exactly what I had said he would do: Gotten possession of the woman without having to bother with her husband. Now, somehow, Alice would have to accept not only the loss of her husband, but her own enslavement. Rufus had caused her trouble, and now he had been rewarded for it. It made no sense. No matter how kindly he treated her now that he had destroyed her, it made no sense.

I lay turning, twisting, holding my eyes closed and trying first to think, then not to think. I was tempted to squander two more of my sleeping pills to buy myself relief.

Then Sarah came in. I could see her vaguely outlined in the moonlight that came through the window. I whispered her name, trying not to awaken anyone.

She stepped over the two children who slept nearest to me and made her way over to my corner. “How’s Alice?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know. She’ll probably be all right. Her body will anyway.”

Sarah sat down on the end of my pallet. “I’d have come in to see her,” she said, “but then I’d have to see Marse Rufe too. Don’t want to see him for a while.”

“Yeah.”

“They cut off the boy’s ears.”

I jumped. “Isaac?”

“Yeah. Cut them both off. He fought. Strong boy, even if he didn’t show much sense.

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