The Book of Night Women

29

ROBERT QUINN JUMP FIRST. HIM RISE FAST AND STARTLE Lilith. As soon as she hear footsteps in the kitchen, Quinn already grab the musket. The footsteps march to the bedroom door and not trying to be quiet.

— Robert.

— Shhh, luv, he say.

The footsteps sound like heavy boots. — Quinn, the man say.

— Quinn.

The man push the door open as Quinn cock him musket and aim.

— Good heavens, man, I could have killed ye! Quinn say. Massa Humphrey in breeches and boots but still wearing him nightshirt, which tuck in halfway.

— Quinn, come with me. Now, he say.

— Well, I can hardly come naked, can I? Quinn smile but Massa Humphrey dead serious.

— Join us outside. We have no time to lose, Quinn, Massa Humphrey say, but he look at Lilith. Lilith jump out of the bed and fetch him new breeches and a white blouson. Quinn boots was in the kitchen. He pull them on and go outside. Massa Humphrey didn’t wait. As soon as he see Quinn he ride off, followed by a slave-driver. They leave a horse for Quinn. Lilith watch him mount the horse and ride off, shouting to Massa Humphrey, Have some patience, will ye. Lilith run to the great house.

Homer at the kitchen window watching the sun rise over the Blue Mountain. She alone. Lilith out of breath and think her loud panting would draw Homer attention but Homer still at the window and the kitchen quiet.

— Mass — Massa Humphrey. He just come for Robert, he just knock down the door and come for him and they ride off.

— Don’t call any white man by they Christian name round me, Homer say.

— Where they ride off to?

— God he knows.

— Something happen for sure. Massa Humphrey did serious, serious, serious.

— You know, white man God is stupid thing, but he have—

— Homer, you listening to what me say?

— But he have one thing that me like. One thing. You know what that be?

— How me to know that?

Homer touch the window, moving closer like she see something that Lilith don’t.

— The one thing me love ’bout white man God is that with him, things that happen, thing that goin’ on now and things that don’t yet come to pass be one and the same thing. He no got no yesterday or no tomorrow. Everything is now. Me don’t expect ordinary nigger to understand—

— Me understand plenty, Homer.

— Me was just thinking that if me could ever be like God, then past and present and what to come don’t mean nothing. That even though me pickneys dead, me still holding him and holding she and me still watching they grow. Me can touch they chest and feel it rise and f—

Homer step away from the window and wipe her eyes.

— What a terrible thing ’pon this world the white man must be. What a wicked, terrible, brutal creature, nothing no wicked like he so. That is the only thing they can teach we. Watch today when they see how much we learn.

— But they ride out for some reason, Homer. I don’t like it.

— You don’t care for nothing that have to do with you own people free.

— You don’t care neither. Me know what moving you and you not out to build nothing.

— They kill the motherness out of me.

— They kill more than that.

— Me ever tell you ’bout you mother?

— No, no, no, no. Don’t bother try me this morning, woman. Nothing you can—

— Thirteen year old when Massa Jack fuck her out o’ spite, sake of her brother Bacchus. Rape her, really. Pretty girl, that one. Pretty, pretty girl. You know what she name?

— Me goin’ back to me kitchen.

— Demeter. Demeter she name. Most beautifullest thing ever live on this estate, backra or nigger.

— Me know what you trying to do, you bitch. Me know what you trying to do.

— After Jack Wilkins kill Bacchus, the first thing he do is make sure Demeter pretty face no pretty no more. That was a spirited chile, spirited, spirited. Just like you, but not even she deserve that. You know how bad Jack Wilkins do her? So bad that even he feel pity afterwards.

— Stop it, Homer.

— You don’t want to know ’bout you mother?

— Me no got no mother.

Homer quiet. She go back to the window again. — And me ain’t got no pickney. When we nigger goin’ get something, eh?

Lilith think to leave but then Pallas run inside. — They have gun today! They all have gun, the slave-drivers, she say.

— What?

— You hear me, Homer. They have gun. Somebody must did tell them something. Somebody do something. Me no know. The massa upstairs?

— No. A driver wake him up and he and Robert Quinn ride out from early morning.

— Goddamn. Goddamn, Homer. What they up to?

— Me look like Humphrey Wilson keeper? How me to know?

— But. .

Pallas make the sentence die. She look at Lilith, but no answer come from Lilith either.

— They coming, Homer say.

The three men galloping hard. The driver first, then Massa Humphrey, then Robert Quinn. When they reach the great house Massa Humphrey tell the two groundsmens to tie off the horses to a tree and don’t take them back to the stable. Lilith can’t read nothing on nobody face. Lilith, Homer and Pallas go outside as if they get summon, running down to the last step. Lilith cover her eyes from the sun as the mens come towards them. Robert Quinn not looking at her. Massa Humphrey step past them, him nightshirt still hanging out of him breeches.

— Have that girl fix us some tea, Homer, considering these days Lilith’s tea-making skills are reserved for Mr. Quinn only. The slave Miss Isobel is particularly fond of. Athena? Atalanta, Minerva, whatever Jack Wilkins named the wench.

— Athena? Athena sickly, sir, with the flux.

— Good lord, the flux? The flux, did you say?

— Yes, massa, me don’t know what them nasty girls doing so. Me have her lock ’way in the quarters, sir. She not no use to nobody the way she smelling.

Massa Humphrey nod.

— The flux, you say?

— Yes, massa.

— Has anybody else come down with this malady?

— Not yet, sah.

— Nevertheless, I’ll have her moved today.

— Massa?

— Today, Homer. I will not have her infect another soul on this estate.

— She not goin’ infect nobody, sir, me check on her already and she keeping to her own.

— Really? Homer, you really are a remarkable creature, aren’t you? Truly remarkable. But tell me, how could you have managed to look in on the girl — just now, I take it — when she lies dead at the foot of a cliff not too far from where we stand?

Homer step back and gasp. Pallas step away from her. Lilith can’t move. All of a sudden, Massa Humphrey pounce ’pon Homer and Robert Quinn not stopping him.

— A murderess in our midst, is it? A murderess? Massa Humphrey say and push her. Homer yelp. She raise her hand to protect her face but too late and Massa Humphrey punch her straight on the nose. Homer stagger back but Massa Humphrey grab her dress by the bosom and slap her across her left check, then her right, then her left again. Pallas jerk toward her, but both Quinn and the driver raise their rifle. Massa Humphrey grab Homer by the throat. Her eye open wide and blood running from the corner of her lip.

— I would never have thought this of you, Homer. Never in an age or more. Would you mind terribly telling me what a slave of mine is doing dead and broken at the foot of a cliff? And why would you be here lying about it? A girl that Richardson said was Athena. And I thought to myself, that’s the girl that Homer said had the flux. The very same. Only four days ago you told Miss Isobel that she was very ill, do you deny it?

Homer don’t say nothing.

— Do you deny it?

— Mass. . Mass. .

— Oh, get her out of my sight! Massa Humphrey say and push her to the ground. Massa Humphrey walk to the doorway, then stop.

— Richardson, I will have an answer from her. Today. Do whatever it takes. And Richardson, find whose name matches the number on that shirt and hang him.

Richardson is a big man. So big, is a wonder that even a horse can support him. With him bulky leg and large swell calf, broad shoulder and thick neck and bald head and red eye and missing teeth, he be perhaps the only white man that scare nigger on appearance alone. He scratch the three-day growth ’pon him face and smile. Word was that whenever a slave gal try to fight him off, he would grab her neck and let her know that he got no problem with fucking a dead nigger. Richardson step over to Homer, grab him rifle and butt her in the face. Homer out. Richardson grab her left foot and drag her down the steps. Pallas and Lilith watch as Homer head bang one, two, three, four down the steps, her left ankle in him hand, and her dress lifting up and exposing her. Quinn grab Lilith by the hand and drag her away. Pallas crying.

The cliff was actually a bend in the road that take one to Kingston. A small trail wrap round a hill with nothing below but rock and sea. Somebody must did try to kill Athena at night. She fight him back and grab and tear off him shirt. A bloody rock at the side of the road speak to what kill her. She dead before he throw her over, for there was a trail of her blood from the middle of the road straight to the cliff and the print of a big man foot stepping back into the same blood as he run away.

All this Robert Quinn say to Lilith back in him quarters but he don’t look at her.

— Me can’t believe it to be true, massa.

— Nor I. Certainly not Homer, but who can ye trust these days. Who can ye. .

— Massa. .

Lilith feel the silence on her back. Before she even turn, Robert Quinn grab her arm and twist it behind her back. Lilith bawl.

— Yer in her company all the time! All the time! Are ye in league with her? Are you in league with her, damn you?

— No, massa! Me not in league with nobody. Me. .

Lilith bawling as he twist her hand harder. She buckle and fall hard on her knee.

— I don’t think I believe ye. You two were especially close. Are ye planning something, the two of ye? So help me, I’ll break this hand off!

— Lawd God, Massa Robert! Lawd! Lilith bawling getting louder. — Me don’t know — Me don’t know nothing ’bout Homer, swear to God-Jesus!

— Me memory’s not as bad as ye wish it, Lilith. I recall several times you going to meet the woman. At night too. Late night. I swear, you niggers are planning something, after all the kindness I’ve shown you.

He twist harder. Lilith bawling loud now.

— Nobody not close to me, sah!

— Ye expect me to believe that these niggers and ye don’t have each in the other’s confidence? Ye expect me to believe that Homer and at least one more is involved in a murder plot, and ye have no knowledge of it? None at all?

— Me never know, sah! Oh, lawd!

— How could you not know?

— Nobody talk to me, sah! Nobody talk to me!

— Since when! Since fecking when? Don’t make me any more cross with ye, Lilith. Don’t fecki—

— Since me start share bed with white man, massa! Since me sleeping with you.

He stop and let go of her. He pace for a while, then stop and look at her.

— What am I, a fecking plague? Am I some sort of leper? he say, but Lilith don’t answer. She clutch her hand, still crying.

— Nobody have nothing to do with me. Not since me come back from Coulibre, not since me living here with you, she say.

Quinn go over to the table and sit down in a chair. He sigh loud and scratch him head.

— Goddamn. Were ye lying I’d feel bad, but yer probably telling the truth and that makes me feel a lot, lot worse.

Hundred sixty-four was the number on the shirt. The piece of shirt that Athena tear off when she was fighting the murdering nigger for her life. Who know where her spirit be now, but she do one last thing to make sure her death get avenge. Hundred sixty-four. Robert Quinn bring numbers to the estate to make things simpler. So number hundred sixty-four slave have number hundred sixty-four shirt and number hundred sixty-four pantaloons. Hundred sixty-four mark when he get feed two times a day, hundred sixty-four mark when he spend the allotted hours in the field working. Hundred sixty-four belong to Atlas.

Richardson go in the field after Atlas. Atlas see him and McClusky coming and run. Atlas run clear down a trail in the cane piece when another driver chase him down on horseback and strike him with a club. Richardson ask who him in league with and why he kill Athena. Or if he tickled pink by killing young women. Atlas say he no know what dem a-talk ’bout and Richardson shoot off two of him left toe. Atlas scream clear across the field. Every driver lift up the rifle and aim, shouting to the slaves to go back to work, and the Johnny-jumpers strike who they please. Atlas bawl again that he no know and he didn’t have nothing to do with no poor murdered girl and he love all girl and would never kill such a pretty girl like Athena, who never would hurt even flea. Richardson have two driver hold him down. He step on Atlas wrist with him boot and shoot off a thumb. Atlas scream and holler and bawl and yell and whimper. He still saying that he no know nothing ’bout no young girl. Richardson say he was the one who find the body himself coming back from Red Horse Tavern in Kingston. Blood smear the road leading straight over the cliff. He climb all the way down himself and find Athena stinking up the rocks, half her body almost gone in the sea. Athena still have most of him shirt in her hand. Richardson ask Atlas what anybody could have over him that he gone lose a thumb and two toe already. Atlas bawling. Richardson tell the drivers to turn him over. A driver further off fire in the air and say, Git back to work, the lot o’ ye! And the niggers watching go back to work. Atlas still screaming and bawling when Richardson rip down him pantaloons and shove the rifle hard and rough until it gone full up Atlas arse. — I’ll send your shit all the way up to yer eyeballs, Atlas, so help me God I will, he say and Atlas finally scream out, She does bewitch me! She does work Obeah on me! She Obeah me, lord massa! She make me do it!

— Who? Richardson say.

— Homer. Homer! Atlas say.

Callisto tell all this to Pallas. By the noon hour, everybody ordered to the cotton tree. Lilith remember that tree well. She walk three pace behind Robert Quinn and they don’t say nothing from the morning. Noon gone white. Most of the niggers assemble round the tree with the slave-drivers at the back, all with rifle cock and loaded and extra musket on they shoulder. Massa Humphrey watching from the terrace. Lilith look around and see Callisto in front but across from her, and Hippolyta in the back, tiptoeing to get a better look. She don’t see Gorgon.

They string up Atlas first. Him screaming into a gag. They put the nigger to stand on a small barrel with him hand tie behind him back. The noose already round him neck. A driver shouting to the niggers ’bout the perverted Atlas and Homer who killing little girls for their amusement. Atlas murder the girl and Homer hide the dastard deed. — May God have mercy on you and let you out of hell one day, the driver say and kick away the barrel. The noose grip round the nigger neck. He swing and kick and spin but that only make the noose squeeze tighter. Is years since anybody get hang at Montpelier. The body jerk and sway and piss burst from him cocky and wet the dirt.

Then they bring out Homer. Richardson push her and she stumble. Homer naked, with her skin stretch over bone and her hips sticking out and her ribs poking through her side. Few on the estate would know what Homer body look like, so plenty gasp and few look away when they see how she look like animal. Her back, arse and thigh cover in scar big like animal stripe, her titties chop up and scar up so that is only nipple left to tell you that she born to suckle. But all over her from arm to leg to foot tight with muscle. Homer try to walk straight but Richardson butt her with the rifle for showing uppityness. They tie her wrists and pull her up till she on level with dead Atlas. Homer gasp and wince but say nothing. Her head drop down like she falling asleep. Homer pussy hair white like her head. The driver talking ’bout how she of all people, the one nigger who was expected to be an example for all other nigger to follow, turn out to be such a decadent pervert and murderess. How a slave under her supervision came to such an untimely death and neither she nor Atlas will tell why. How there is no way to comprehend such evil, one can only drive it out with the smart of a good, severe whipping. Homer head nodding and rolling up and down like she agree.

Richardson dealing with this one himself. Homer spinning a little so the whip land anywhere it choose. The first lash strike her back and Homer grunt. The second lash hit her back and coil round her belly. Homer start to jerk like she having fit. She not screaming, only grunting. Homer body tough from much scar and her skin strong and not even a welt mark on her yet. Richardson notice and the fourth and fifth lash come harder. Homer spinning worse and the fifth lash strike her breasts. Homer scream. The whip cut through her black skin leaving a white gash that turn red with blood, then pink when the blood start to flow down her skin. Her wet body change the way the whip sound on her skin and every lash sound like a burst of flame. Robert Quinn turn away and leave. Lilith wipe her eyes and see Callisto. Callisto look at her and nod. Lilith, who can’t wipe away tears faster than they fall, shake her head no. Callisto nod again, closing her eye and pressing her lip together like that be the final word. Yes, she nod.

Lilith go back to Quinn quarters to see him go to the bedroom. Lilith pull down some banana and cut a large sweet potato in half.

— Oh, I’m not in any sort of mood for lunch today, Lilith. I’ll have tea, please, thank you, he say.

Outside, Homer still getting whip. Lilith wonder what break her first, the nakedness in front of everybody who hate her or the whipping. Outside sounding like Richardson take a break, for Homer no longer screaming. Lilith listen hard and finally hear the crack of the whip cutting through the quiet again.

— Is it ready, Lilith?

— Yes’m. . yes, she say. — I put little molasses in it.

— Then I best be about drinking it, then. Goddamn, luv, this is feckin’ bitter.

— Everything that good for you bitter, Lilith say.

— Is that so? Quinn say. — Well, thank goodness fer all that’s sweet in the world.

He go over to the dining table and sit down.

— Awful business with Homer. Truly awful business, he say and get up and go to him room. He don’t come back for a while and when he do he yawning and stretching.

— Bejesus me, I’m tired. Have you seen my hat, Lilith, the brown leather one? Haven’t been able to. .

— I know where it is, Lilith say and go into the room. In the closet behind old breeches him navy coat buttons shine back at her.

— Found it, luv? Quinn say.

— Yes, massa, Lilith say.

— So we’re back at massa, eh? Well, bring it here then. Bring it—

Lilith hear a crash. She run out but stop at the entry to the kitchen. Quinn look down at the cup that just slip from him hand. He bend over to pick up the pieces and nearly collapse. He grab on to the kitchen counter and him knees buckle. Quinn try to walk to the table and almost fall. He grab a chair back in time and balance himself. Quinn try to pull himself up. Lilith look at him eye and see him frighten, not just frighten, but frighten like nigger fear. He look at the shattered teacup and the tea steaming on the stove. — Ohh my G. . Oh my Go. . he say. He pull himself up, but slip and grab the tablecloth and pull everything off on the floor. The plate shatter and the pot of beef turn over and throw the beef out. The beef slide all the way up to Lilith foot. She follow it back to him on the floor. Quinn gasping, he eyes red. He look at Lilith, red with fury, then white with sadness. He trying to catch breath as he pull himself up again. Ye, ye, Lilith?. . Ye. . yhh. ., he say. Quinn pulling himself over to Lilith. Lilith wipe away the first tear but let the rest run down her face. Quinn eye red like he crying too. He stagger over to where Lilith be and leap at her like a wild boar that get shot. He grab her by the neck. Him weight slam her against the wall and Lilith shriek. Robert Quinn breathing heavy. L. . L. . Lilith? he say. He squeeze her neck harder and Lilith start to gag. He slam her head against the wall until him hand slip. Quinn knees buckle again and he falling. He grab on to her bosom and rip the dress and he fall on the floor. Lilith wail out loud. She look at Robert Quinn lying on the floor and wail again, then she compose herself and grab him by the boots and drag him into the bedroom. She sweep the broke cup into a sack and hope he did drink enough.

Homer gone fifty-six lash and she still screaming. Most nigger would pretend to be out by now, just so the whipper would have pity and stop. Richardson look like he just starting. Blood dripping on the ground. Massa Humphrey watching from the terrace with no feeling on him face. Miss Isobel come out for a little but go back inside. Then a huge flock of noisy bird fly frantic over the great house, making a ruckus and Massa Humphrey look up.

— Richardson. Richardson, quit! Stop, will ya? A slave-driver say.

— Fookin’ hell, I’m just getting into the thick of it, Richardson say.

— Master Wilson’s calling you.

The drivers disperse the niggers back to the field, leaving Homer swinging. Richardson run up to the terrace but Massa Humphrey running down the step. Massa Humphrey run to him horse and Richardson look up in the sky and gasp until Massa Humphrey shout to get his arse on a horse. Richardson look up in the sky again. High up and flying over was black smoke, thick like a cloud. Black smoke coming from the east. From Worthy Park plantation.

Lilith watching Robert Quinn in the bed. Usually when he sleeping he breathe heavy but now he peaceful. Lilith know that he not going call her lovey again. She not goin’ see him again unless is in front of a gun barrel. Lilith think ’bout what she not to think. About a different Montpelier where Robert Quinn live with her and she wear white to a wedding and they have three pickney all different colour. Or a different one where she is just the woman of the cottage and she accept that life even though she be him wife in every way but name. Dreaming is for fool nigger, she say to herself. This time next year he would be hunting new pussy in Spanish Town and forget all about the green-eye niggerwoman who betray him. Lilith tell that to herself so that she can hate him a little. It don’t work, so she tell herself more.

Homer close her eyes.

Two o’clock.

From six estate, house negro women find a secret place that open to the sky, reach for the abeng and blow. They blow a sound long and strong. White mens and black mens hear it but the womens in the field act first. As soon as the abeng blow, they stand still to they side with the cutlass, hoe and rake. The mens confuse at first and keep on reaping.

— What sort of lark is this? say one of the white driver.

— Git back to work before I flogs the days work of ye! Go on now, git goin’.

The womens stand still. The mens watching. They look at the womens as they shake they heads. One woman, then two, then five, then ten. And still more. The mens nod and understand. One by one, each man rest him hand with the cutlass to him side. Three white mens up but one was still sleeping.

— Git yer arse up, McClusky! We’ve got trouble, ye bastard! say one as he kick McClusky in the foot.

— Fuckin’ hell! McClusky say and rub his eye. He sit up from under the tree he was sleeping. — Wot’s it now, Jerry, wanna go over for a hit again, d’you?

— Look, ye son of a bitch.

— Wot the devil? McClusky jump up and uncoil him whip. — All right, all right, everybody’s had their spot o’ fun, now git back to work, the lot of you! Come on.

The womens and the mens still.

— Oh? Is that wot it’s gonna be like, yeah? You think you can do as you well please, is that it? We’ll see about that, yes we will.

McClusky swing and lash a woman clear ’cross her belly. She scream but don’t move. He lash her again.

— Git back to work, says I! he say. The other drivers looking around at the niggermens and womens all standing still and staring. McClusky getting redder.

— I’ll lash the fuckin’ soul out o’ you niggers when I’m done, goddamn black bitch. McClusky swing the whip again, but a man jump in the way.

— Oh, so you want some of my discipline as well, Poseidon? Well, come and git it, you half-plucked blunderbuss.

McClusky pulling away the whip, but Poseidon grab it. McClusky try to pull, but Poseidon hold on. Poseidon yank the whip and nearly pull McClusky to the ground. McClusky gulp. He look left, then right, then left, and only see blackness.

— I says, I. . git, git back to work, the lot o’ you! Right now says I, I say right now! Poseidon yank the whip out of McClusky hand and wrap it round he own arm. The mens and womens turn to McClusky and the three white mens behind him.

— McClusky, one of them whisper.

— Shut up, Charters! There shall be no uppity niggers on my watch, not as long as I have this to say about it. McClusky grab he musket and aim. The other two men aim they rifle too. The mens and womens still.

— Not so uppity now, eh? Git back to work, you black bastards! McClusky say. But then a voice raise up from round the back.

— You all have only one shot each, so take you four, Callisto say.

— Why, you! McClusky say and fire after Callisto. He miss and the mens and womens scatter. Charters fire him rifle and one of the womens yelp and fall. The third driver fire and hit a man in the head, who spin and shower the ground with blood. The fourth driver fire but him rifle jam. McClusky turn to run but Callisto too close. She jump at him and swing the cutlass. It slice into him neck and blood burst forth. McClusky eyes nearly pop out of him face. He clutch him neck and blood pour through him finger. Callisto and two womens chop and chop and chop until all three womens cover in blood. The three drivers try to run. They shout for the Johnny-jumpers but them niggers was running already. The negroes in that section circle the mens like a flood and swallow them up. They stop screaming. The negroes still stomping and chopping.

Pallas enter the library. She go behind Massa Humphrey desk and pull out the bottom drawer. She move her foot just in time before the drawer smash her toe. Pallas push her hand deep into the space and cuss. She pull her hand back and push again. Nine other womens come in, including Gorgon. Pallas cuss again. She push her hand in the space again and smile this time. She pull out a key and run over to the big wooden cabinet that have two angel carve on each door. The women line up and she give each two rifle and a box of bullet. Pallas pull one and show them how to load bullet.

— Once you get to the river head east, she say. — And watch for them Maroon niggers, they still get one pound for a dead nigger. Kill anybody you see.

— What if the massa come back? a woman say.

— They goin’ to come back, Pallas say. By then it goin’ be too late. Some of you stay here until me give you the signal. The rest of you run to the field to give the mens the gun. You need to take some fire to the field too. Remember, any nigger that start to fuss, shoot them.

A man take a shovel and jam McClusky neck to shuck the head off. They kick the bodies and pull off they clothes. The mens take the clothes for themself even though they too cut up and bloody to wear. Then they hear a cart coming. They ’bout to rush it and see that is Gorgon.

— House nigger! They worse than whitey! one of them say.

— Worse, eh? If me so bad, how come me bring you dis? she say and throw a shotgun to Poseidon.

— Twenty more in the cart. House nigger worse? See de real Judas nigger dere, catch him! Two new Johnny-jumper name Nestor and Pollux try to disappear in the bush. The field go after them. Seven man grab Nestor and chop off every limb.

— Me is nigger just like you! Pollux say.

— They force me just like you! Pollux say.

— They never beat me belly with riding whip! Only you, a woman shout back. The flood of nigger consume him. He scream four time, then no more. When they pull back, in the dirt be a chop-up nigger with him cocky stuff in the mouth.

Hippolyta run to the cart and take a pail from Gorgon. She dip dry cane leaf in the coal until fire catch. The other womens and mens follow suit. They throw the flame at the foot of the cane stalks. Fire rise and roar and sweep the field section like a great plague in the Bible. The smell of sugar cane burnin’ bitter and sweet. The slave have to run fast to not get burn. Two womens run too slow and the fire close them in. They scream but nobody going back to save nobody.

Callisto leave Gorgon in the field and run to the cotton tree. She push the barrel under Homer and climb. Callisto saw and saw with a knife until the rope pop and Homer drop into her arms. They both nearly fall off the barrel. Callisto put her arm round Homer waist and help her back to the great house.

— Me can walk, goddamn! Me can walk, Homer say. But she make three step and nearly fall. Callisto catch her and help her back to the great house. All around they hear the sound of crackling and burnin’ and the sky start to rain with cane ash. Callisto leave Homer in the kitchen and go fetch her a dress. Callisto have to put the dress on and as soon as the dress cover Homer, blood seep through the cloth and the whole dress look it make with a pattern of red stripe goin’ all the way down.

Only one slave-driver on horseback and he get away. In another section they kill the Johnny-jumpers first, chop off they head and stick it on a cane stalk. Then they run through the cane piece rooting out more turncoat nigger. A niggerman who didn’t like a niggerwoman ’cause she wouldn’t fuck him and call him stink, shout out say she is turncoat nigger and they jump her and stomp her and beat her to death before she could scream out that he not telling true. They sweep in the field for driver and Johnny-jumper and leave the field burnin’.

Plenty mens, when they see woman giving command, don’t like that at all. They do as they please and break into the stable and try to grab horse. But niggerman can’t ride. Plenty horse get ’way. One horse near kick a nigger head clean off. He still upright with him head swinging down like loose branch. Outside, other man push the womens away and try to get the negroes to go where they say. Some heading for the hills already while some setting more fire to the ratoon field, the produce field, the coconut field and the pasture, which cause the cows and goats to run. Soon black smoke rising from Montpelier like a tower, just like the smoke that rise from Worthy Park in the east and Ascot Pen in the south. Soon the sky so black with smoke that afternoon look like night.

Callisto getting word that the negroes, the mens in particular, out of control. She cuss loud. She still in the kitchen with a rifle in her lap with Homer.

— Nigger setting they own house afire, Homer say.

— Goddamn man! They can’t do nothing right! Callisto say. Homer slam her hand on the kitchen counter. Callisto look at her. Homer head still swinging and swaying.

— Come, we leaving now, Callisto say.

— You go. Me have unfinished business, Homer say.

From behind Miss Isobel room door come the sound of bolting and key locking. Then the bang bang bang of things she shoving up to the door to bar anybody from coming in.

Massa Humphrey and Richardson reach the gate. He riding up the narrow hill road that lead to the great house but get caught up watching the cloud of black smoke and him fields burnin’. Some negroes see and run to him with hoe and pickaxe and shovel. Massa Humphrey ride through them, firing him musket and shooting one in the neck and trampling a woman who was waving a stick. Then Massa Humphrey hear a crack to the west and an echo in the east. Him horse buckle and crash to the ground. The throw send him flying and he fall down the hill side of the road and roll until a rock slam into him head and stop the fall. Richardson look over for a little, then go on riding.

Lilith in the bedroom watching Robert Quinn sleep. She run to the window and see some negroes walking up to the cottage. Some carrying stick and some carrying fire. Lilith run outside with two of Robert Quinn musket.

— We come for de overseer, a man say.

— You go all over the field and miss him? Lilith say.

— He deh yah wid you, he say.

— No man keeping my company. Why you don’t find some Johnny-jumper to kill?

— Them all kilt. Fi him time now.

— No damn nigger coming in this house.

— Black cow, you cain’t kill all o’ we.

— But me can kill one. Who want to dead first, step up and get you judgement.

They look at her. She look at them. Nobody move.

— We coming back, the man say and the group run off.

Lilith run back in the room. Robert Quinn still sleeping. Lilith look at the great house and think of Miss Isobel. She look to the west and the east and see fire dancing underneath a cloud of black smoke. She hear cheering and yelling and shouting and screaming. A herd of cows run past, knocking down every post and barrel in the way. More nigger run past the house and she clutch the musket and feel for the pellets in her apron. She run to the next window and see a group of mens run up the stairs and into the great house. The mistress and Miss Isobel.

The burnin’ cane wake Massa Humphrey mother. She remember that today is the day she go riding.

— Patrick! Patrick, what is that smell? Do not even think to enter my room with such a fetor, the mistress say. The room door swing open and Homer step in. She still wobbling and her eye shut more than open.

— Who is it? Who is it, I said? And what is that goddamned smell? Where’s Patrick? I said where’s Patr—

— Patrick d. . Patrick dead two year, two year now, you stupid, shrivel-up cunt.

— Oh, my God—

— Hell he be, and you soon pay a visit.

— Homer? What is the meaning of this? What is the meaning of all this?

Homer cock her rifle.

— You know what this mean?

— Oh, dear lord. Oh, dear lord. What do you want from me? I’ve always treated you niggers well. I have always treated you well!

— You, you is the one who tell old Jack Wilkins to whip me, then sell me pickneys.

Homer out of breath.

— Pickneys? What would you want with pickneys? You’re brutish animals, brutish! What need have you for children? I did you a favour. That I de—

— They’s dead. All of them. The pickneys Jack Wilkins make nigger rape out o’ me. The pick. . pickneys that you, you, you sell just ’cause you don’t want me to have or love nothing but you.

Homer swaying like she drunk. She swing round the gun and hold the nozzle.

— For that, me goin’ deal with you special, she say.

Callisto running across the path. Lilith seeing her from her window. Bullet fly through the sky and explode in Callisto head. Gorgon scream and run to the body. Whole heap of negro run away but some stay to watch the plantation burn. The great house still standing and Wilkins’ house and the cottage where Lilith be with Robert Quinn. Lilith watching out from the window, she looking at the field as they burn and the negroes as they run past the house. Sooner or later some goin’ stop and try to burn the house down again. Sooner or later they coming.

— God feckin’ damn, I had the strangest dream. I’m sorry, luv, I thought you had…

Lilith turn around. She see Robert Quinn up and looking at her. He get up quick and go to the kitchen, seeing the stove and the teapot. Then her. He over to her so quick that before Lilith could move, him hand on her throat.

— Talk, him say.

But Lilith choking. She grab him arm but he squeeze tighter.

— I said talk, him say. She choking.

— C. . c. . can’t. . tal. . she say, pointing to her throat. He let go.

— They goin’ kill you! They goin’ kill you if you go outside. Don’t go outside! Don’t go, Robert.

He look at her with so much anger that Lilith step back. Him eyebrow raise high and him face getting red. Not taking him eye off her, Robert Quinn grab the musket from the table. He go into him room and come out a minute later with another musket and a rifle and bullets that he stuffing in him military jacket with the shiny button. She grab after him but he push her. He go to hit her again, but eye and eye meet and he stop.

— Goddamn you, Lilith, goddamn you, he say and leave. Lilith look out and see him ride off in the direction of the great house. Far off, the fields burnin’.

Negroes from four estate taking to the hills. Hundreds. Some the Maroons most likely goin’ catch, but the number too big to catch them all. Plenty negroes on the estate. Plenty in the great house. Pallas run upstairs and see Miss Isobel room open. She go in to see a light-skin nigger fuckin’ Miss Isobel hard while the chocolate-skin nigger hold her up and cussing that he taking till Judgement Day fi cum. Miss Isobel don’t look like she living. They holding her up by the arm while the chocolate nigger have her two leg on him shoulder and him breeches at him knees. Pallas fire a shot and they drop Miss Isobel.

— Stinking nasty nigger, she say while she reach for her other rifle. We fighting for freedom and all you want to free is you breeches. Get out before I shoot the two of you.

— You have mouth. What say we have fun with you too?

— Can’t fuck me when I shoot you balls off.

The mens quiet.

— Now get out, she say. The mens walk past her, looking at the barrel of the rifle. She point her gun at Miss Isobel. Miss Isobel sputter.

— Oi, Miss Isobel, me know you name. You know mine? Miss Isobel nod and sputter. Pallas stoop down.

— You know me? Me name Pallas, the nigger who soup you love spit in.

Pallas pull off her head wrap and red hair tumble down. — Me same one who hair you can’t stand ’cause it remind you that your kind fuck nigger to get me. Me was goin’ kill you. Just right now, but guess what, Miss Isobel? Me goin’ make you live. Me goin’ make you remember for the rest of you life how two niggerman take what is not them to take, just like how you love take what is not yours. Hope you pussy stay tear out and you breed nigger twin too.

Pallas get up and leave Miss Isobel sputtering. She pass the mistress room and see it open slight.

— Homer? What you doing? We have to go, Pallas say.

— Me ready when me ready. Right now, me and the mistress having correspondence, Homer say. Pallas look at Homer barely standing up, her dress stripe with blood. Pallas look down and see the old mistress knees on the floor but Homer holding her up by the neck of her nightgown. The mistress face punch up and bloody. Homer swinging wild and for a instant the two women looking like they holding each other up.

— Next meeting in the hill? Pallas say.

— Next meeting in the hill, Homer say as Pallas close the door.

Lilith by the window as Montpelier go down. Then the window on the other side of the door explode and she scream. The rock land on the floor, followed by a burnin’ stick. The carpet catch afire and spread so fast Lilith think the flame chasing her. The floor crackle. Lilith run to the back door but it locked. She turn back and see the fires already attacking the chair and table and the curtains that Quinn just buy. Smoke blacking the space and she can’t see. Lilith coughing. There be nowhere but behind her. The door won’t budge, but the window open. She climb through, but the drop from the window too high. Lilith thinking about what very stupid and very necessary. She thinking that it can’t be more than two yard or so between window and ground. She out on the window ledge now and smoke rushing out from behind her. Lilith stunned that fire could move so fast. She wonder what Robert Quinn doing. And Homer. She jump.

Lilith wonder how safe she be if some of the negroes have her off as Robert Quinn woman. She don’t know where to run. What not full with smoke and fire full with niggers running like flock of fowl with they head chop off. Behind her be the niggers that set fire to the cottage, niggers who mark her for killing. Ahead she see something that stun her, but there it be standing still like a dead house. Like everybody forget who live there. Unless nobody is there. And even so, by now even turncoat nigger would burn down the place out of spite.

Jack Wilkins’ house.

Wilkins’ house have a staircase round the back. Lilith run up to the glass and wood door but it lock. She run back down for a rock and hear some niggers coming. She drop flat on the ground and don’t breathe. Soon as she couldn’t hear them no more she run back up to the door and break a hole in the glass.

She down the hallway and see a half-open door. Prop up on the bed be Jack Wilkins, him hair wild and white and him chin resting on him chest like he dead. A big explosion shake the room and wake him up. Jack Wilkins stare at Lilith for a long time, then hiss.

— Haven’t I done enough for you? What more do you want? he say.

Lilith look at Jack Wilkins and try to think of him as anything but a devil. She think to leave him to either the fire or the negroes, but then he look at her again and she see a weak old man in the bed. Just a weak old man who can’t hurt or promise. She look at him eyes and try to see herself.

— You can walk? she say.

Jack Wilkins lighter than feather. She have her hand round him waist and him arm on her shoulder, but she could have easily just carry him, she reckon. She wonder if the smell on him is the father smell. He not weak, just drunk, and even him arm stink with liquor. Lilith seek connection with him once, but now she wondering what connection mean, and snap herself back to the present when she smell the smoke coming through the window. She think of her own burnin’ home, the home that she make with Robert Quinn. Jack Wilkins can barely step. As they reach the last step Lilith walk into the mouth of a shotgun.

— And where d’ye think you’re going with my husband?

— Fire outside. Smoke was coming through the window.

— But of course. You niggers just want ta burn everything now, is that it? Nothing’s too good for you.

At the end of the gun be a short woman who still in her nightdress and her hair as white as Jack Wilkins’.

— Me say smoke was coming in him room. Look ’pon him, he would be dead before him even got good cause.

— All hell could come before I believe the word of a nigger, Missus Wilkins say.

— Hell all around you, you damn fool, Lilith say. The woman shock. Lilith step past her with Jack Wilkins and help him into an armchair. The only armchair in the hall. Everything else, from chair to table to clock to books, pile up by the door. On the floor by the armchair be more rifles and shotguns and muskets than Lilith ever see in her life, twenty, fifty, one hundred.

— He always knew a day such as this would come, the bastard, she say.

— Day like this he damn well cause, Lilith say.

— Loaded they all are, each and every one of ’em. Did it meself. He was never much use for nothing but breedin’ niggers. Damn that—

— This all right for the door, but what about the windo—

A rock burst through the window and glass explode. Missus Wilkins scream. Lilith move behind Jack Wilkins’ armchair. The man slump over like he sleeping, but jerk every time he hear a sound. She expecting a stick or bottle with fire next, but sounds come through the window of mens and womens with blood on the tongue. The first man climb through. He so tall, he almost touch the ceiling. He look in Jack Wilkins’ direction and yell. Him cutlass cover in blood and didn’t shine. He charge with him cutlass and Missus Wilkins raise her rifle and pull the trigger. The woman fall back but the man chest burst as the shot lift him off the ground. He fall on the floor and the room shake. Another climb up to the window, a woman this time. Missus Wilkins fire again and miss her. The first woman rush to Missus Wilkins screaming and run right into the bayonet. As the woman yelp and fall off, Lilith grab a rifle for herself. Another woman did come in, unbeknownst to Lilith or Missus Wilkins. Missus Wilkins turn to Lilith, cussing all them confounded niggers, when again bang, and blood explode from her mouth. She cough and cackle and shocked when she see her own blood running down her bosom. Missus Wilkins look up straight at Lilith. As she fall out of the way, there be Hippolyta pointing right at Lilith. Hippolyta hiss, then fire.

A click, then nothing. She pull the trigger again but still nothing. The rifle jam and Hippolyta hiss. She not wearing her long black dress but a tear-up white one, and her legs and chest bony. A thick scar run up from her neck to her left ear. Hippolyta hiss but her green eyes screaming. She throw ’way the rifle, pick up the first man cutlass and charge, making sound like a yellow snake. Lilith fire and Hippolyta face blow to pieces. One more nigger push him head up and Lilith fire again without thinking or even looking. The man scream and fall.

Lilith look down in the armchair and don’t know if Jack Wilkins asleep or awake. Him hair long but at the top don’t have much. From where she lookin’, he could be a old preacher. Gunshot burst from nigger nearby and both she and Wilkins jump. She look over to him wife and Hippolyta, both shot in the head, and the other dead people in the room and think nobody should be living. Nobody at all, not she nor Jack Wilkins. She aim the gun at him balding head. But she couldn’t shoot. She didn’t even want to and don’t know why. Surely of all the white mens to get kilt, he be the one who deserve it the most. The man who rape her mammy. But she don’t know her mammy. She never touch her nor smell her nor know if the mammy ever want her. I’m a wicked son of a bitch, Jack Wilkins say one time. Not even the devil ever met the likes of me. But he save her from the field and he stop them from whipping her — even Quinn didn’t do that. And he be her pappy. She don’t know what that mean. Mayhaps it mean nothing, especially today. But she shed enough blood already, including Hippolyta, who be her own kin. She not shedding no more. She stoop down in front of him and aim for the window and stay that way till whoever come.

The ground shake with the best of horses. Redcoats. His Majesty’s regiment coming in from Spanish Town. There be fifty or sixty but they all on horseback, making a noise like thunder and whipping up dust. With they red jacket and shiny sword and brown musket and big black horses, they look like an infantry just rise up from hell. The sun going down and blast a purple in the sky. At the great house a fire blazing.

Pallas set fire to the kitchen when she leaving. Montpelier is a house with plenty book, oil, wood and paper. Fire catch and spread like rumour. Massa Humphrey yell as the redcoats pass by and one stop to pull him up on the horse. The redcoats ride right up to the stairs and watch a third of the house on fire. Massa Humphrey jump off the horse, followed by the redcoat, and set to go inside when they hear a bump. Massa Humphrey look up to the window to him mother room to hear an explosion of glass as a body burst through the window and land from two floor up to the ground. Massa Humphrey rush to the body. Homer step to the window and raise her hand. The sunset hit her body and she change to black. She wave the rifle in the air. The redcoats fire and riddle her body with bullet. She dance from the rifle fire and her whole body shoot blood. She make a yell, then fall, with half her body hanging off the balcony. Massa Humphrey bawling like a baby. Like a little girl. He on him knees and he pull him mother body to him and wrap her up in him arm. He bawling and can’t stop. Some of the redcoats rush inside while some ride off to secure the estate. By now, hundreds of the negroes gone. Evening turning into night, but the flames blaze the county alight like it be day. Fire on the ground, black cloud in the sky, burnin’ sugar and flesh in the air.

In Jack Wilkins’ house, Lilith believe what the evening tell her ’bout Robert Quinn. She know from the minute the tall dark woman appear in the room, unawares to Jack. The skinny dark woman take leave of her and go through the front door. Lilith stay by the armchair and watch her father.

30

NO WOMAN CAN AFFORD TO FEEL ANYTHING FOR A MAN IN 1801. That be the source of eternal misery. Lilith pondering them things when they catch her on the road to the gate, beat her till she pass out and throw her in the back of the cart with other runaway nigger. The redcoats find Miss Isobel still knock out and dishevel with her dress up her neck and her pussy out a door. The commotion wake her up and she scream. She grab her dress and pull it down and bawl that she is lady of good means and superior birth.

Commander Forster of His Majesty’s regiment is no stranger to war. So he begin each time he talk. Forster say that if everybody did take heed of the Barbadian code of 1688, this would never happen. If everybody did remember that niggerman so barbarous and savage that good ol’ England law was unfit, then no white man would have get catch off-guard. He say that to other redcoats as they watch Montpelier cane field burn to the ground. Four days later when he talking, the fields still smoking and the sky still grey and smelling of burned sugar and flesh.

One of the redcoats say that is only ’cause so many slaves run away, and not so much was around to stand and fight, why they didn’t overrun the whites and take over the county. The redcoats scratching them head ’cause they can’t explain how so much nigger manage to plan something so big and still keep it quiet. By the time they chop off a slave woman fourth toe, she tell how they plan to exterminate all backra and set up village states all over the county like what be in the Africa. Like what Tacky was goin’ start in 1760. They think she mad. Rumour start to spread that is woman who plan the whole thing, which make white man and niggerman, slave man and free man perplex, cause such devious and nefarious thinking was beyond the capabilities of the fairer sex, much less a bunch of goat-rutting savage womens.

The fifth white man they find was Richardson, breeches gone, cocky stuff in mouth and bullwhip stuff up arse. The sixth white man they find was Robert Quinn. He dead beside him horse, also dead. Him shirt soak through with red. Massa Humphrey in between weeping, say that Quinn died trying to save the estate, an estate that was not even his, and he was a man he loved more than him own blood. Ninety and four whites dead in the revolt all over the county and seventeen unaccounted for. Some of the white mens get shot and some of the white womens get rape but plenty white people get kill in all sort of wicked way. Massa and Missus Newforth from Worthy Park get find in bed, they head chop off and switch to each other body. Some slave must did remember that twenty year before, Massa Newforth draw and quarter a runaway negro and hang a section at each end of him slave provision ground to warn uppity nigger not to take step. There be no white body that was leave alone. Even the ones who get shot also get chop, burn, hang, and some even get throw into a boiler alive. Even white pickney. Nobody know how much nigger dead.

Plenty negro try to escape to the mountain on foot, but most didn’t get that far. The redcoats catch dozen and dozen including Gorgon, who was dragging Callisto body. Other negro use night darkness to escape, only to get catch by Maroon nigger who set down on them like they was waiting all along. With they musket and rifle and spear and cutlass, they round up over one hundred slave who too tired to fight back or run anymore. Maroon nigger deliver the runaway slaves by they lonesome, though some of the womens they keep.

The slaves that get catch know them fate. By the night, all of Middlesex County smell of flesh. Bleeding flesh, burnin’ flesh, starving flesh and rotting flesh. At Worthy Park, most negro get shot in the head, then hang until they rot to the bone. At Ascot Pen, most get whipped, then hang up to burn, most times over a fire that set slow so that the slaves will burn for two days straight but can’t faint or die quick. But Montpelier nigger get a different fate. Montpelier master lose the two people he love the most in one day, and after crying for three day straight like a mother who lose her pickney, nothing leave in Massa Humphrey heart but blackness.

They leave the capture niggers in a cage, all stack tight. Some whimper that they never do nothing and is error. Some shout that they glad for the first taste of white kill. Lilith quiet. Day and night, living and dead don’t make no difference to she no longer. She find a corner and crouch down and stay there, burying her face. Morning, noon and night pass and she try not to think of Robert Quinn. She will hear Lovey, or Luv or just Lilith said in the Irish way and just shake and shake and scream till her throat sore. On account of that, no nigger stay too close to her. She see the great house, half burn down with just the frame of that part of the house standing, and she think of Coulibre. Days pass and the cage take up with sweat, shit and dead nigger. Lilith look out and see a white man walking through the ashes, with smoke blowing across and hiding him one blink, showing him the next. Her heart jump when she see the black hair, but then she realise that is red hair blackened by ash. Massa Humphrey stepping through damage like a ghost. She see him and he look at her.

The next day, Massa Humphrey wave him hand and one of the redcoats open the back door of the cage.

— Lilith? Who answers to the name Lilith?

Lilith don’t answer.

— Come now, you stupid niggers, I’ve very little time for skylarkin’. Who answers to the name Lilith?

Lilith don’t answer, but all the nigger step away from her.

— I reckon that’s you. Well, come on!

Lilith don’t budge. The redcoat grab her by the foot and yank her out of the cage so that she fall on the ground, her back and head hitting the dirt.

— Report to your master at once, the redcoat say. Before he could shut back the cage, a niggerwoman run out screaming down the road. She get as far as fifty or so pace when a redcoat lift up him rifle, aim like he be on a hunt and shoot off the back of her head. The redcoat look at Lilith and point to the great house.

Lilith inside the great house looking at the hallway. On the left, the red carpet still on the floor and the paintings still on the wall, and the looking glass and the vase and pretty things. But when she follow the carpet and the wall, suddenly they break and there be nothing beyond but ash. Nothing but ash and wood and burned cloth and the sunlight coming in ’cause there be no roof. She find Massa Humphrey by the piano in the middle of the sitting room, where every other piece of furniture, chair, table, cabinet and bookshelf turn over. The chandelier pull down from the ceiling and pieces of glass scatter all over the floor. Lilith watch her step.

— Jack Wilkins says that you were protecting him, he say.

Lilith don’t say nothing.

— See to Miss Isobel, Massa Humphrey say. He staring at the piano. He still in the blue shirt and grey breeches he was wearing the day of the rebellion, but both smudge up with blood that dry to look like wine stain. He hair mess up and wild and he right cheek have a long cut.

— Go! he say and Lilith run upstairs.

Part of the banister break away and all sort of rubbish on the steps. Rifles and bullets too. And clothes and shoes and food and painting that get cut up and rip up to pieces. Lilith smelling flesh and piss and old dust that wake up. Miss Isobel door not lock, but Lilith can’t push it open. She push and push and it only budge a little. She push again and make enough space to scrape through. On the other side of the door is a chest push against it with two chairs and the commode. Lilith didn’t look good enough yet before she hear a crash. She turn around only to see a big broomstick coming after her with a screaming pile of hair behind. Lilith jump out of the way and the broom ram into the wall. Miss Isobel get hit hard in the chest and fall back flat on the floor. Lilith help her up and take her to bed. Miss Isobel smell of mildew and negro. Lilith leave her sitting up but hunch over on the bed. Miss Isobel start to tremble. Lilith go downstairs to what left of the kitchen. Most of the walls gone and the cupboards burn down but the stove still there and working. Lilith draw some water from the well and try not to hear the screaming and shouting niggers. When she go back upstairs, Miss Isobel still hunch over on the bed looking at her trembling hands.

— Come, Miss Isobel, Lilith say and touch her hand. Miss Isobel jump back.

— Don’t come any closer! Don’t come any closer! Miss Isobel say and jump off the bed. But then her head go light and she almost faint. Lilith catch her and help her to the bath.

Lilith undress Miss Isobel and she lean against the dresser. Her left eye swell up and purple. Lilith pull Miss Isobel dress over her head and see her breasts beat up and bite up. The dress fall to the ground. Between her legs and her pussy so beat up that it purple too. Lilith help her into the tub and pour warm water over her. Miss Isobel jump, screaming that she is a lady, she is a lady, she is a lady. Lilith hold her down and remember a white man she push under the water. Lilith pour water over Miss Isobel head and Miss Isobel weep. Lilith trying to not think ’bout him.

That evening, everything clear on Sister Jack Hill, the highest point on the Montpelier Estate. Massa Humphrey and Robert Quinn used to smoke up there under a tree and argue ’bout book stuff or share whore story. Now Massa Humphrey there burying him greatest mate and him beloved mother. The preacher be the same one who come by in Christmas to tell slave to be grateful for slavery and the massa. Now he saying ashes to ashes and dust to dust and Massa Humphrey just stare at the two boxes like is he they holding in there. Miss Isobel hang back and Lilith hang back farther. The two womens dress in black. Lilith find dress in the mother room. She remember looking out from the shatter window and wondering where Homer body be. Massa Humphrey start cry again until he get so loud he echo on the hill. Miss Isobel touch him on the shoulder but he push her away so hard that she nearly fall. The preacher shout out that he should unhand her and remember that he’s a gentleman and Massa Humphrey grab a stone and fling it after the preacher. The stone clap him right between the crack of him arse and the preacher yelp. He demand money right there and then and Massa Humphrey pick up some more stone. The preacher run down the hill so fast that he trip and fall and roll halfway down. Massa Humphrey leave the two womens on the hill.

By the fourth day the grounds work up a great stink. But it was niggers working up the most stench. Pack tight in the cage for four days, some fall sick, some fall dead or lose they minds and beg skipper not to throw them off the ship. Nigger funk fly with the wind and menace the whole county. Miss Isobel finally shout out to Massa Humphrey that he need to hire help in Spanish Town to deal with the matter. Massa Humphrey hire several white man, but is a different matter they come to deal with. Two day before, he go into town with something he did sketch with ink on parchment paper.

Now, on the way up the great house be trees that line both side of the road all the way up. The branches hang so far over that even at noon the road dim as if in moonshadow. Plenty branches, thirty, forty or fifty. The time did come for counting sturdy branches. Branches that could hold a good weight. On the seventh day, when the smell and the tightness of the cage start to drive the negroes mad, up from Spanish Town come the blacksmith and him cart. The blacksmith tell Massa Humphrey that he lose two cousin in this, the Great Atlas Revolt. They name it the Atlas Revolt because he was the first man name that anybody remember. When Massa Humphrey see the blacksmith he neither smile nor frown, but put on the blank face that hide a black heart.

— Are they quite according to my instructions? Massa Humphrey say.

— Down the last nail, Your Grace, the blacksmith say, smiling with him two brown teeth.

— Do not presume to mock me, sir.

— I don’t presume to anything, Your Grace, only to tell you that your instructions were carried out, the blacksmith say.

Massa Humphrey round up some new white mens from Spanish Town, Ferry and Portsmouth. The judgement that come next come to Achilles first. Four white mens drag him out of the cage and beat him up first so that Achilles could barely stand up. Then they tear off him clothes, kick him down in the ground until him look like ash. The blacksmith pull the cloth off the cart to show something that no white man or negro see for nearly ten years on the estate. Gibbets.

Them was no ordinary gibbet. They forge out of Massa Humphrey own rage. Achilles see the gibbet when they place one on the ground and scream and try to run, but he drop on one knee. Him left foot did break from before. The four men yank the nigger up. The gibbet build like a cage with a iron loop at the top for rope to hang through, two slat of iron that run down the side and one down the front that make the metal cage look like the shape of a man. They then weld bars going right around, four to hold a nigger in tight. The mens throw down Achilles in the open gibbet. On the inside of the gibbet nails stick out and as they close it they stab right into Achilles’ flesh. He go to scream again, but they shove an iron gag in him mouth too and he mutter like monster. Achilles can barely fit in the gibbet. That be how they make it. They close it shut on him and pull him up. Achilles bound tight in the gibbet from head to crotch. The harness hold him in, leaving only him foot free and dangling. They pull him up on a branch on the first tree. Achilles swing and blood run down. Him mouth gag and he scream through him eye until him eye all scream out. They open the second gibbet for a woman.

Two day later, them done. Massa Humphrey watchin’ from him window and he neither happy nor angry nor melancholy. Miss Isobel see a big nigger and run back to her room. Lilith lock in Jack Wilkins’ house, and wrap herself in Robert Quinn blue shirt, trying to smell him back to life. She don’t look outside at hell. Thirty-seven negroes, man and woman, hanging from thirty-seven gibbets one or two to a tree. They screaming in the gag so the whole stretch sound like bawling coming up from hell. And dripping blood to wake up fly and mosquito. All the way up the road niggers be hanging like uncanny fruit. In a week most of the negroes stop living and the wind roll through, carrying the sound of death rattle. Who don’t dead live on in torment as the crows get tired of waiting. Rumour spread in Spanish Town that anybody who set out for the Montpelier Estate better be prepared for a sight that no gentleman can unsee. Educated man call it the Jamaican Appian Way.

Gorgon last longest in the gibbet.

Pallas never get her day in court. The white mens in Spanish Town did hungry for blood so they ransack the gaol and pull she and ninety other negro and tie them up to stalks and burn them by slow fire. The niggers take three days to burn and nobody could pass out or die quick. After that, five hundred negro get ship to Honduras while some get ship back to a place that rumour to be in the Africa. Before Pallas dead, she speak a curse on the Wilson family and then make a song ’bout how Miss Isobel ruin ’cause two nigger rape her. The song reach other negro tongue and they sing it so loud that it fly all the way back to Montpelier. Miss Isobel demand that Massa Humphrey go to Spanish Town to defend her honour and Massa Humphrey say as soon as she develop some honour he would gladly go to town to defend it. Miss Isobel lock herself in her room with her laudanum and didn’t come out.

Day turn to week and week turn to month. Miss Isobel soon realise Massa Humphrey forget everything ’bout marriage and not bothering to remember. She clutch her belly and give herself such a conniption that Lilith have to give her tea to sleep. Massa Humphrey take to riding at evening to Sister Jack Hill, where people say him talk to Robert Quinn. From there, Lilith watch him as he watch the estate. The one field of cane that untouch. The seven field of ash. The half of the great house that still standing. Nobody hear if he goin’ rebuild or no. He just ride up to the hill and kneel between the two grave and be as unmanly in him grieving as he wish.

Then it come to pass one night that Lilith gathering Robert Quinn stuff that didn’t burn when the moonlight cut a shape in the doorway. A man shape. She run into Robert Quinn bedroom but Massa Humphrey jump her and they crash on the bed. He on top of her and Lilith screaming and crying and Massa Humphrey ripping her dress off, one hand pressing her head down in the bed and the other tearing away the cloth. He growl and yell and Lilith don’t know what he saying but she crying. He punch her back and tell her to shut up, shut up, godforsaken wicked black bitch, but she not still. He hold down her head and pull down him breeches. He hump and hump and hump and breathe heavy until he stop. Lilith try to turn round but he hold her and cuss. He cuss louder and louder but let go. Lilith turn over again but he grab her breasts and hump and hump but then stop and collapse on her. Lilith don’t know if he whimpering or crying. He don’t look at her. With all him humping he didn’t enter her at all. He breathing heavy and him breath foul. Lilith lie still under him, not daring to move but not wanting to move either. They stay there and she feel tears running down the side of her cheek and don’t know if is from him or her. He try to ram her again. She look past him red hair into the ceiling and listen to the bed creaking. She wrap her arms round him back and know he not entering her but act like he be. She close her eye tight and thinking that him hair long and black, that him eyes cheery and light and that he calling her lovey. Then they both lay still and leave it to the cricket to make noise in the night.

31

EVERY NEGRO WALK IN A CIRCLE. TAKE THAT AND MAKE OF IT what you will. But sometimes when a negro die and another negro take him place, even if that negro not be blood, they still fall in step with the same circle. The same circle of living that no nigger can choose and dying that come at any time. Perhaps nigger take things as they be for what used to be will always be what is. Maybe it better for backra and nigger that things go back to what people think is the best way until the fire next time. White man sleep with one eye open, but black man can never sleep.

Time now to give account of the league of women. The blind niggerwoman in the bush, she tell me everything. This was not the story me did plan to tell. Massa Humphrey realise that he can’t stop cry if he remain at Montpelier, so he sail back to England. Maybe he recapture him manhood back there, Miss Isobel say when she know he can’t hear. He didn’t take Miss Isobel. Massa Humphrey leave all estate matters to an attorney and allow Miss Isobel to live at the house after it rebuild. He never take Lilith to bed after that first time and by the time he gone the two womens in the house both big in belly. Miss Isobel try to go back with him the day he set sail and demand that he be a man and a father. Massa Humphrey say that whether or not he be a man is his own affair, and as for her and her child, perhaps she should petition Kingston, since any man could claim the bastard. But he leave her at the estate, which some take to mean that him admit that the pickney could have been him own. Miss Isobel swear that she goin’ pour all her hatred and ill will into the little boy for his father and Massa Humphrey reply that he’ll burn down the whole county then. Who knows, perhaps it will be a nigger baby, he say also. Miss Isobel slap him, but he slap her back. She swear to him that she will never leave Montpelier, to which he say that was quite fine since he’ll never come back.

Lilith don’t even think of Massa Humphrey. The attorney let her continue living in the overseer house with Jack Wilkins until he pass away. The attorney hire a new overseer but he live in a house build since the rebellion. The attorney let slip once that this was Massa Humphrey specific wish, as he himself didn’t take too much to the society of negroes. The first thing the new overseer set about was to buy new negroes, but seasoned negroes or those born in the colony, no nigger from the Africa and that take quite some doing. Word was that this was folly, since the interest in the West Indies was fading and slavery might soon over. Lilith didn’t get any free paper, but she act like a free negro. She work in the kitchen and cook and clean for Jack Wilkins and do her own thing as be to her mood. She still be the only negro that could go near Miss Isobel. When Lilith by her own company, she rub her big belly and say luv.

Time to give account of the league of women.

Hippolyta didn’t have no face left after it get blast off with a shotgun. She dead in Jack Wilkins’ house and a song rise up ’bout the papa who kill him daughter. Nobody did know her much when she was living and they know her even less when she dead, for her spirit still yelp in the dark and hide in the corner wearing a black dress with a high neck to hide where slave-driver cut her throat when she did but a pickney and take ’way her speakin’. Hippolyta song quick and harsh. A song rise up against Hippolyta, a chant to keep her spirit away from the living and grant her peace.

Callisto take four white man herself, was the account that Gorgon give while she was swinging in the gibbet. Gorgon say that Callisto was a woman who laugh all her life but never smile once. From the day Jack Wilkins shoot out her eye for kicking a white overseer in him balls, her mind never set right and in the storm of gunshot was the best way she could dead. Gorgon spend the rest of her short life haunted that she didn’t get to hear the last thing Callisto say. But she take four white man herself, and in the fields and the bush a new song rise up under the quiet, about Callisto, Callisto, who bring backra down to so-so.

Gorgon die by the gibbet but she do things before that. Gorgon loud and rude and act like she bad before the rebellion, but as the rebellion got worse, she hide behind Callisto like a monkey. She slow Callisto down and Callisto get shot for the trouble. Short almost like midget, Gorgon get out of hard work because Jack Wilkins be her daddy and he know she be no use in the field. She love him for taking her out of field hardship, but she hate him for making her owe him. But she the only one that Jack Wilkins ever call him blood. She call him Papa Jack and he never strike her. Something in that drive her mad ’cause she know she could never be the Coromantee that she want to be in her spirit. That make her wilder than wild and badder than bad, but she hide behind Callisto when she frighten. Gorgon was the only nigger who didn’t scream in the gibbet, but she talk. She make song out of the names of the women, but not Lilith. Gorgon sing her song high, she sing her song low, she sing it until she run out of voice. She dead after eight days. The song about Gorgon was short and had no word, since all that need to sing she sing already.

Pallas make for the mountains but lose her way. In all the running Pallas didn’t see that she on the wrong path, on the wrong side of a wrong hill. That be what the song of Pallas say but nobody remember if is true or lie no more. Night was coming down and Pallas hiding under leaf until she hear rumble in the bush. She run deeper into the forest and see the first Maroon before he see her. He naked and have a rifle on him back. She behind bush and see him coming in her direction. She stop and cock her rifle. The second Maroon run right up behind her and don’t make a sound. He swing back him hand to blackjack her but she swing round swift and shoot him in the face. Pallas running on the ground but the first Maroon running through the trees. He hop to one branch and jump to the other and grab a branch and swing, then disappear in deep bush. Pallas running on the ground and didn’t look up to see him flying above her. But when he jump down to land on top of her head, she swing round with the shotgun and shoot him balls off. Then she take the gun and bludgeon him head until she can’t tell the difference between head and dirt. The third Maroon nigger fire on her. Bullet fly through the bush with a zip-zip-zip. They zip-zip-zip so quick and so quiet that much time pass before Pallas notice that her left shoulder was bleeding. She curl herself like a snail and roll down a bare hill until she near land in the river. Pallas hide behind a rock. She reload. She wait for him to come down. She looking up and the river below make noise over the rocks. She didn’t see the Maroon until he jump her from behind. They roll and tumble and end up in the river. He on top and he push her head under the water. The Maroon hand pushing down tight on Pallas neck and Pallas flailing about. But she grab a rock and clap him in the temple with it. The Maroon fall back in the water and Pallas jump on top of him. She grab another rock and hit him in the head. Then she hit him again and again and again and again until a streak of blood wash down the river. She put on him clothes and head back into the bush. A couple Maroon pass by her and she wave, signaling that the runaway might be deeper in the bush. Nanny Town Maroon make they woman bear arms. Accompong Maroon don’t. This was Accompong. Before she could even notice, they swarm her and use a rifle butt to knock her out. The Maroons hand her over to the redcoats and the magistrate charge her and others with insurrection and mass murder and throw her in the gaol. White man fury bigger than white man justice. They break in the gaol and drag her out. They beat her hard, then tie her up to a stake and burn her slow so she wouldn’t pass out but feel herself burnin’ to death. Her song long and mournful but when the song reach the end, it dance and the spirits jump.

Homer didn’t die by gunfire at the mistress window. Homer die the day she get word ’bout her pickneys. Pickneys that nasty nigger rape out of her, but pickneys she love nonetheless. Homer was the mistress’ personal slave and many of the evil things that happen to her was because the mistress was so miserable that she make it her mission to make everybody round her miserable as well. Especially a negrowoman with nothing in this world but the mercy of her mistress. There be something in the negro smile that confound the mistress because she know they didn’t got no reason to smile. Her husband, the mistress grow to hate, but Homer she hate from the day they assign her. Then she grow to need Homer and hate her even more. There was a quilt of scar on Homer back too and some of that the mistress leave herself. But Homer bide her time. Homer watch, Homer wait and Homer plot. And Homer find the right group of woman with just enough cause to join her. Woman who have a right to be free ’cause of birth but get robbed of it. Woman who carry Jack Wilkins’ malice in they very being. Woman who could see the moon and know when be the time to shed blood. Homer kill Homer and reborn herself as the struggle. They never find Homer body. Homer song get sing in a whisper like a night spirit leaping from a tree. Her song be in the dark of the eye where secrets be.

Turncoat nigger Iphigenia cover all over in coal burn. But that wasn’t the worsest. Every burn leave a scar that grow big and bumpy so that the woman cover from neck down to toe. No man was ever goin’ want her so Iphigenia start to think ’bout what she want for herself. She forget black, she forget nigger, she forget everybody who couldn’t help her when they was raining burnin’ coal all over her skin. That leave only she to take care of she. Iphigenia thinking that if she tell massa ’bout the plot she would get British pound and freedom for sure. Turncoat nigger Iphigenia ain’t got no song.

The blind niggerwoman in the bush, she tell me everything.

What can a niggerwoman do but endure? What can me do but tell the story? Who is there when we recall great womens? My name write in blood and me don’t answer to it much.

Me was but nine year in age when me mother start to teach me how to read. The book she teach me to read was Joseph Andrews, which she find under a pile of osnaburg cloth that used to cover Homer bed. As soon as me read that, me move on to other book, for nobody care who or what go into the library no more. Me read John Donne and Lives of the Poets and Edward Long’s History of Jamaica and Sense and Sensibility, a new book leave behind by the attorney. And she teach me how to write. That was the most forbidden of thing and it still be so, but there be no man, black or white, that can stop her now. But she didn’t teach me for me but for her, for when the time come to write her song she have somebody true to be her witness. Somebody who know that one cannot judge the action of a niggerwoman who only wanted to be everything and nothing. Mayhaps she ’fraid of how the time was goin’ judge her. Mayhaps she don’t care, for she tell me everything as if me was a stranger and not blood.

Atlas the slave get him name from somebody me read about in Thomas Bulfinch book. He be the man or man-god who get punish to carry the burden of the earth on him back. Me not no Heracles but me know why she telling me everything. Me know what Atlas trying to do to me, to shift onto my back. For somebody must give account of the night women of Montpelier. Of slavery, the black woman misery and black man too. And me goin’ sing the song and me mother goin’ sing it and even the blind niggerwoman who live in the bush, who thin like stick, who hair white like cloud and who smell of mint and lemongrass, going sing it too. We goin’ sing once, then no more.

The womens. That woman. Me look at that woman. Me mother call me Lovey Quinn from birth. Me used to hate that name. Me did hate that name when me start writing but me come to peace with it now. Any niggerwoman can become a black woman in secret. This is why we dark, cause in the night we disappear and become spirit. Skin gone and we become whatever we wish. We become who we be. In the dark with no skin I can write. And what write in darkness is free as free can be, even if it never come to light and go free for real. The first time me write, me wanted to tell a different story, a story ’bout me, not a story ’bout her, but such is she that every nigger story soon become a tale ’bout they mother, even the parts that she didn’t tell herself. The first time me ever write ’bout me mother was December 27, in the year of our Lord 1819. This was the first thing me write.

You can call her what they call her. I goin’ call her Lilith.