ησятнєяη вσυη∂ {~} closed thread

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

can someone take away the points for a misc thread please?~

matty only

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"But, sir, I don't understand," A young woman was being led out of a small business office, her heels clicking softly against the floor, "What have I done? I mean.."

"Annaliese, I know this seems so sudden, but we have had to make a few changes and we can't use you anymore," Her boss, a very stout man with a stern demeanor, hand one hand on her lower back, leading her toward the door, "I'm sure you will find employment somewhere else soon."

Annaliese's dark eyes were wide, "No, please, I need this job! I can't pay my rent without it!" She received little sympathy. That's how it went, even as women's rights loomed in the near future. The door was closed in her face and suddenly her future was not so sure. 

She clutched at her pale rose colored dress, gathering the material in her hands. What was she to do? It took her months to find this job- it would be near impossible for her to find a new job. She turned and trudged down the sidewalk, taking a few deep breaths to calm her beating heart. Her house was a little apartment, barely any furniture and only a handful of personal belongings. She wasn't a well off woman. She wasn't married and she wasn't from a well off family. Her parents were gone, passed away, and she was an only child. That job had meant everything to her. Now, with no job and no money, Annaliese had no choice but to relocate to somewhere with more opportunities. 

Annaliese was packed light, just a small satchel of belongings that she was able to carry on her back. Her scuffed up boots were dirt-covered, but they were thick enough to protect her feet during the journey. She kept to main roads at first, just to make sure she was around people so the danger was lessened, but pretty soon, Annaliese was traveling on small, back roads that were quiet. She was nervous, walking along the edge of the road.

[~echo~]

(I took them)

[mationix]

"Well now, what's a pretty white woman like yourself doin' around parts like this?" a smooth voice asked. The shadow of the building seemed to move a bit, as golden honey eyes followed her movement. A tall black man stepped out from the shadows, a long pole on his back and a piece of cloth tied to the end. He was a hobo.

The man was quite lanky for his age, hunched shoulders as if he was bearing the weight of the world, and long spidery arms dangling at his side. He wore a tattered and red plaid shirt and ripped and scuffed up khaki pants. Despite his easy smile, his eyes shifted everywhere, as if he was nervous about talking to a woman right now. "You should know it's not safe out here for a woman such as yourself," he continued, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

His eyes flickered to the satchel on her back and his eyes lit up with laughter. "Ah, runnin' away from home, I see." He chuckled, not taking her serious. "There's a bus up the block there, the way you're goin' is to the railroad tracks; I doubt you wanna go there," the hobo continued, pointing around the corner, as if she was a lost child.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese stepped back, her body tensing up as soon as he spoke. She swallowed against her dry throat, dark eyes flicking up to meet his gaze, "I-I know where the bus is."

[mationix]

His eyebrows scrunched together at her reaction, for a moment forgetting his place. Finally the gears in his mind made the connection and he quickly took a step back. "I mean no disrespect, ma'am. It's just that there are some of us, who are on the railroad tracks, who would do untoward things to a lady such as yourself. Me excluded, of course," he added hurriedly, licking his lips, as he glanced behind himself, as if afraid a white man might spring up from the ground and hurt him. "Please, I mean no harm , I jus'..." He trailed off, not knowing why he stopped to talk to a white woman.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese took a few moments to quietly study the man. She'd seen plenty of African Americans around the town, but never had she stopped to talk with any. It was part of the social norm to not associate with 'their kind'. Her parents had taught her that the whites talk to whites and the blacks to blacks. That was the way life was. If she was to ever run into a black man...well, Annaliese was supposed to find the nearest police officer.

"I don't have the money for the bus," Annaliese spoke cautiously, hoping to ward him off if he expected her to be carrying any cash.

[mationix]

He felt her eyes searching him and he stood a bit straighter, a habit he had tried to get out of -after all this time away from that accursed farm, he still stood a bit straighter when a white person would glance his way, to try and seem good enough to buy. If he didn't stand straighter...well, there would be a swift stinging sensation on his lower back as the seller would whip him. The hobo couldn't help but feel surprise flickering in his gut -weren't whites supposed to be rich enough to buy the world? That's what his momma always told him.

"I see. Looks like you're in quite a jam ma'am," he offered slowly, giving her a weak chuckle, "I'm afraid I can't give you any money, though I'm not sure you would even accept it if I did." He gave her a sad smile, almost apologetic for what he was. What was he doing? He shouldn't be talking to a white, especially not a white woman. There was sure to be consequences. The only problem was, when would that consequence rear its ugly head?

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

She brushed a stray hand of her chocolate colored hair back behind her ear, "I-I'll be fine going this way. You don't need to warn me of anything."

[mationix]

Well da**. Now what? "I see...I was headin' this way as well, when I saw you walkin' along the back roads," he said, shrugging his pole a little, his shoulder getting a bit sore. "That's why I was thinkin' you should go the other way, your kind don't like to see a white woman walk with someone like me, ma'am," he said, giving her a shy smile.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annalise shrugged cleared her throat, "We don't have to walk together. You can just...go ahead of me," she gestured.

[mationix]

He gave her a respectful nod. "Of course, ma'am," he said, looking a bit relieved. "I'm headin' towards the railroad tracks, to try and search for somewhere to rest. So I'll just be with you for a couple minutes," he said, glancing over his shoulder to glance at her, before he glanced back quickly.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese blushed and kept her dark gaze focused on the dirt road at her feet. She didn't have any immediate reason to be scared of him, since he seemed...a lot more civilized than her parents told her blacks were, "That's fine."

[mationix]

As they walked, he kept silent, not wanting to intrude in her inner thinking. Besides, if anyone happened to be walking around this back roads -the Lord only knew why- they would see a black man walking ahead of a white woman. Nobody would ever suspect they were walking "together", the woman was probably cutting across the busy roads by this back lane.

Finally, the back road curved left, the railroad tracks cutting across the land. "Here's where we part ma'am. I'm headed northward," he said, giving her another respectful nod. "I do hope you find whatever you're lookin' for." The hobo gave her a smile, which crinkled around his eyes. "The train's goin' to be here soon. You might want to go and hide ma'am, train conductors don't take kindly to people who are hoppin' on for a free ride."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese finally raised her eyes, "You're going north too?"

[mationix]

He blinked, tilting his head to the side, almost like a dog. "That is correct, ma'am. Though the way I'm headin' up north is not an option for a white woman like yourself, no offense, of course, ma'am." The hobo glanced up, at the sound of the approaching whistle of the train. "The way I'm doin' it, is by hitchin' a free ride. That's no way for a lady like yourself to go about gettin' to place to place."

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"I-I don't have any other way to get there," Annaliese said quickly, glancing away.

[mationix]

The train was slowly etching forward, as the hobo chewed on his lip. "Ma'am, I don't know what'll happen if we get caught. I'll surely go off to jail, perhaps even be executed for bringin' along a white woman such as yourself. If the conductor finds you, you might be thrown into jail as well." As he finished, he hurriedly added, "of course, you would get out sooner than I would, though I'm just warnin' you. Though, if you really have this as your only option, I can show you how it's done. On the train, I'll make sure no one bother's you."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

"Please," Annaliese nodded, nibbling softly on her bottom lip, "I don't know how else to get north. Walking would take too long.."

[mationix]

He nodded slowly. "Alright. Now I need you to turn and face that building, make it look like you're not plannin' on jumpin' onto the train. I'll be hiding in the shadows, next to you. When I say 'now', I need you to follow me and jump into the cart I jump into. I'll be sure to get in there first and I'll help you up. Alright with you, ma'am?"

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese nodded, turning the way he instructed her, "Yes, this is okay. Thank you for h-helping me."