‹ Prequel: Going Bush
Going Bush 2: Suburbia
75
“They knew who I was,” Taylor said openly with recent realisation.
“I had a chance to get out, and I didn’t take it.”
He was sitting with Ibby, Siemme and Lukka in their usual viewing spot, the other three men watching him with casual concern. They had no idea what he was saying – and Taylor knew this – but they could at the very least understand his tone. So even if they didn’t know what was being said, they could appreciate that he needed to say it.
“They could have been willing to take me home for all I knew,” Taylor’s eyebrows rose as he hugged his knees, “and I just watched them die.”
He gave Siemme a grateful glance as the boy gave his shoulder a supportive pat.
“Of course they could have just wanted to use me as one of those political hostages or something, but I guess I’ll never really know,” he went on.
He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes.
“I’m so confused,” he whispered, “I can’t believe I let that happen.”
He took a moment to pull himself together, and when he looked up it was just in time to see Carlos and Juan dragging another unsuspecting victim into the stable yard.
“They’re doing it again,” he said softly, drawing his comrades’ attention to what he was seeing.
Lukka cursed under his breath, and Taylor mused that he at least knew what that had meant.
They watched as the slave was chained to the pole and again whipped. This time Taylor didn’t even flinch. He noticed idly how much he’d come to tolerate over the past couple of months, but wouldn’t let himself dwell on it.
When it was over he made his way down with the others for the first time. Up close, the wounds were worse than he could have imagined. He was sure he saw bone. He waited as the boys managed to unhook the chains holding the man up, then helped Ibby as he caught him and helped him to his knees. The man was barely even conscious, and he could tell that he was unaware of even being helped.
They carried him off to the side of one of the main sheds – somewhere Taylor hadn’t been before. When he got there he soon realised why they brought the injured there. It wasn’t much, but they’d seemed to accumulate what little medical supplies that they could and this was where they were stored.
They set the man down on his stomach and the boys tended to his wounds with some kind of ointment before attempting to bandage his back with some scraps of cloth that used to be old shirts. They were unable to completely remove the chains from his wrists but Ibby had checked just to make sure there was no possible way.
After making sure they’d done all they could, Ibby put a hand on Taylor’s shoulder to indicate that it was time to go. They left Lukka with the man while he, Ibby and Siemme headed back to the stables for the night.
Taylor watched for the first time where they split up, realising that Siemme was also housed in a similar stall. He had a small lantern inside his, and a ragged pillow he used to sleep with. Ibby walked with him to his own stall so he didn’t see where he went afterward. Once the chain was once again attached to the wall, they gave each other the ‘goodnight’ sign before parting ways.
Taylor settled down against the side wall as usual, wishing he was back in the piano room. The floor wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as the hay, but it had been refreshing to be free of the chain for at least a couple of nights.
“I had a chance to get out, and I didn’t take it.”
He was sitting with Ibby, Siemme and Lukka in their usual viewing spot, the other three men watching him with casual concern. They had no idea what he was saying – and Taylor knew this – but they could at the very least understand his tone. So even if they didn’t know what was being said, they could appreciate that he needed to say it.
“They could have been willing to take me home for all I knew,” Taylor’s eyebrows rose as he hugged his knees, “and I just watched them die.”
He gave Siemme a grateful glance as the boy gave his shoulder a supportive pat.
“Of course they could have just wanted to use me as one of those political hostages or something, but I guess I’ll never really know,” he went on.
He put his head in his hands and closed his eyes.
“I’m so confused,” he whispered, “I can’t believe I let that happen.”
He took a moment to pull himself together, and when he looked up it was just in time to see Carlos and Juan dragging another unsuspecting victim into the stable yard.
“They’re doing it again,” he said softly, drawing his comrades’ attention to what he was seeing.
Lukka cursed under his breath, and Taylor mused that he at least knew what that had meant.
They watched as the slave was chained to the pole and again whipped. This time Taylor didn’t even flinch. He noticed idly how much he’d come to tolerate over the past couple of months, but wouldn’t let himself dwell on it.
When it was over he made his way down with the others for the first time. Up close, the wounds were worse than he could have imagined. He was sure he saw bone. He waited as the boys managed to unhook the chains holding the man up, then helped Ibby as he caught him and helped him to his knees. The man was barely even conscious, and he could tell that he was unaware of even being helped.
They carried him off to the side of one of the main sheds – somewhere Taylor hadn’t been before. When he got there he soon realised why they brought the injured there. It wasn’t much, but they’d seemed to accumulate what little medical supplies that they could and this was where they were stored.
They set the man down on his stomach and the boys tended to his wounds with some kind of ointment before attempting to bandage his back with some scraps of cloth that used to be old shirts. They were unable to completely remove the chains from his wrists but Ibby had checked just to make sure there was no possible way.
After making sure they’d done all they could, Ibby put a hand on Taylor’s shoulder to indicate that it was time to go. They left Lukka with the man while he, Ibby and Siemme headed back to the stables for the night.
Taylor watched for the first time where they split up, realising that Siemme was also housed in a similar stall. He had a small lantern inside his, and a ragged pillow he used to sleep with. Ibby walked with him to his own stall so he didn’t see where he went afterward. Once the chain was once again attached to the wall, they gave each other the ‘goodnight’ sign before parting ways.
Taylor settled down against the side wall as usual, wishing he was back in the piano room. The floor wasn’t anywhere near as comfortable as the hay, but it had been refreshing to be free of the chain for at least a couple of nights.