A Lad's Trouser's

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   I walked to the ships, which loomed ominous and mysterious before me. Now, if I could only find a way to board without drawing attention to myself. When I got closer to the ship, I saw it was nearly deserted.

There was no one about, which was strange to me.
      As I stood looking about, it suddenly brought to mind the stories the old slaves use to tell me of my ancestors. The death and sickness gave me pause.
Did I really want to board a death contraption?
I shook myself mentally frowning.
I had no other choice.
           “Lord, please help me do this,” I whispered, eyes tightly shut.
I kept reciting that one prayer.

          “You there!” I nearly jumped from my skin at the sound of the booming voice. “What are you doing?” he called, and I tilted my head back to look up at him as he walked down the gangplank.
Terror gripped me, I turned to flee, but something snagged the back of my coattails.
          “I said, what are ye doing, boy?” I looked up from under the brim of my cap then.

This man was a giant, but he wasn’t wearing a uniform. I breathed a silent sigh, but when he spoke, the fear returned.
           “Speak up, boy. I asked what ye were doing hanging about my ship?”
I swallow the lump in my throat.
            “I’s… I’s…I’s,” was all I managed to squeak out.
            “Ye what, boy?”
             “I’s looking fo work, suh.” I replied, because I knew this was the language they expected from coloreds.
             “What do ye mean, looking for work? Where are yer owners?” he asked looking down on me.
   I noticed the soft accent, and knew he wasn’t from Virginia. Most of the people around here spoke with a slight slur. I put my head down and feigned shyness.
            “Suh, my mammy and pappy be dead, and the union soldiers raided my Massa’s plantation, so’s we alls jus run.”
            “Are ye a slave, boy?” Wooldridge asked frowning.
   He knew last month, Lincoln had addressed the nation on the abolishment of slavery, but nothing was permanent yet. Despite its expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways.

        It applied only to states, which had seceded from the Union, leaving slavery untouched in the loyal Border States. It also expressly exempted parts of the Confederacy, which had already come under Northern control. Most important, the freedom it promised depended upon Union military victory.
Wooldridge sighed.

     That was sort of the reason they were there. Even though he and Stone had done their duty, they still supplied armory for the union soldiers. Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery in the nation, it captured the hearts and imagination of millions of Americans, and fundamentally transformed the character of the war.

     Nevertheless, even with this proclamation, the slaves in this region were still slaves. A runaway slave was to be returned as lost property, or stolen property. Yet he didn't understand this concept. However, he would have to do it regardless.
Moreover, who steals themselves?
         “I spose I wuz suh, but now I aien’t got nobody round to be a slave ta. So meybe I aien’t no mo. Ma Massa and his Missus, and the chilren too, run off and left ebery thin. Eben the slaves, so’s we all jus left too. Wudn’t nobody round, no way.”

          “But why are ye here, boy?”
           “I wuz lookin fo sumptin to eat, suh.” The man just stared at me.
I bent my head even lower. I could already feel my chin touching my chest, as l felt his stare on my bent head. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spoke.
           “I’ll tell ye what boy; I need a cabin boy on that big ship over there. Ye think ye could handle the job? Think ye’d be interested?” I looked at the huge ship, then back at the man.
            “Oh yah, suh, I wud be mighty proud to work on yo ship.”
             “Alright then, we’ll have to clean ye up a bit, but ye should do just fine.”
Wooldridge looked the boy up and down with a frown.
The boy was a mess, he thought.
    His shirt looked like a dress, the trousers and coat was too big, and the stench of him was god-awful; he smelled like a still. Not to mention, the blasted cap concealed any view of his face, which may have given Wooldridge some insight as to what this boy was about.
Wooldridge sighed to himself.
          “May hap we can even find ye some clothing more suited to yerself. Well then, come along boy,” he said as he motioned me to follow him. “We set sail within the hour.”
          “Thank you, Lord.” I whispered.
           “How’s that, boy?” the man asked as he turned to look at me.
            “Oooh, I’s jus speakin ta God suh.”
Wooldridge smiled, then frowned as he peered down on the boy a bit longer. He was finally able to catch a glimpse of his face in the light.
             “Ye know boy, yer almost a dam site too pretty to be a boy.”
I held my breath as he continued to look at me, praying he couldn’t see my face well in the dark.
               “Ye’d better watch yerself on board ship boy; these men rarely get to see a woman.” This stopped me dead in my tracks.
I looked up at the tall stranger in fear.
Wooldridge gave him another reassuring smile.
                 “Sorry boy, but its part of ship life. Some of them believe a pretty boy is just as good as a woman. Colored or not.” The look on my face must have spoken volumes, because the man amended his words.
                  “Don’t worry much though, boy. I’m sure Stone won’t let them touch ye around him. It’s when yer not around him ye’ll have to worry about. I would suggest ye find yerself a nice sharp weapon, and learn to use it.”
We walked the few yards to the ship in silence.
When we reached it, I paused.

      It looked even more ominous than it did before. I stumbled, then nearly fell off the walkway. The man caught me by the arm before I fell.
             “When was the last time ye ate, boy?” He asked frowning as he continued to hold onto my arm.
              “Two day ago, suh,” I lied.
As Wooldridge looked down at the boy the expression on the boy’s face was comical, so he chuckled.
We boarded the ship, then headed down a small corridor. After passing several doors, the man paused, looking at me.
              “This is the Captain’s cabin and ye’ll sleep here. A few things to know boy, the Captain’s word is law on this ship. Ye must do everything he tells ye to do no matter what it is. It’s sort of like the Massa’s word. Ye can sleep like that tonight, and I’ll try to find ye some clean clothes after day break.” The man reached out to open the door, but my words stopped him.
             “You mean you aien’t da boss man?” I whispered.
At my words, the man chuckled.
             “No, I aien’t da boss man,” he said as he opened the door. The figure lying in the huge bed shot up as if he’d been struck by lightning. I took a step back. The man squeezed my shoulders and gave me a little nudge forward.
              “It’s just me, Stone. I brought ye a new cabin boy.” The man in the bed looked from the man to me, then back at the man.
               “By the way boy, what’s yer name?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but found no words there.
My brain screamed for me to answer him, but it was as if my vocal cords had ceased to function.
I looked up suddenly and blurted out;
               “Zachariah!”
               “Boy, that’s a mouthful for someone as wee as yerself.”
                “Well Stone, this is yer new cabin boy, Zachariah.”
Stone looked at the boy again, not that he could see much of him because of the oversize trousers and cap he wore.
                “This is where ye’ll sleep,” the man said as he brushed aside a curtain to reveal a small cot. I immediately thought of the Missus’ daughter, Amanda. That wouldn't even be enough wardrobe space, let alone her bed.
The man in the bed finally spoke, and startled me.
It was a deep baritone voice, which seemed to rumble its way up from the pit of his stomach.
                “If yer done with the cabin boy lesson, send the boy to bed Wooldridge, so I can get some sleep,” he snapped, then threw himself back onto the bed.
The man I now knew as Wooldridge steered me towards the cot once more, then turned to go.

                “Night Stone, see ye at first light,” he threw over his shoulder as he left.
                 “Mmmm,” was all the man said.
  I sat on the small cot wondering what kind of pickle I’d gotten myself into. I put my head in my hands and tried my best not to cry.
Suddenly the man in the bed threw back the blankets, then rose from the bed. My breath caught.
He was naked!
I immediately shut my eyes.
I’d seen plenty of naked men, hell fire, I’d had to bathe a few. However, it still didn't make me used to the naked flesh of a man.
              “Here,” he said, and the voice sounded so close to me now.
It sounded as if he was standing right in front of me.
               “Here,” he said again, and I pretended not to hear him. “Ye might need these.” He extended the blankets.
I opened one eye at the sound of his voice and stifled a gasp.
He was… naked!
I kept my eyes focused on the bottom portion of his legs.
I didn't dare look up. I was a good girl.
At this angle, I would've gotten more of a sight than I’d bargained for.
              “Thank you, suh,” I whispered barely audible and quickly shut my eyes again.
I kept them shut until I heard the squeak of the bed from his weight. I continued to sit there holding the blankets, when he spoke.
              “Well don’t just sit there, boy. We’ve an early start tomorrow, we set sail.”
I wrapped myself in the blanket, then nestled down into the bed.
I was just glad I could rest safe for a while.
However, was I truly safe?
Had I sincerely succeeded?
I hadn't realized how exhausted I honestly was. I could feel my lip and eye beginning to swell. I knew it would scream ugly in the morning.
These were my last thoughts before sleep claimed me.

                                                                     ***