I took in a deep breath of the thick air that surrounded me; it had the acidic, after stench, of a burnt match or a bonfire that had gone on for far too long, and suddenly all the memories of last night came flooding back into my confused head. Had it all really happened? Where was T.J? Was T.J. OK? My head rolled over onto my pillow, which was still wet from my tears during the night admit I don’t like T.J. but he didn’t deserve anything that happened last night wouldn’t wish it upon anyone…not even the people I hate the most. I lay silent for a few minutes just thinking.
I could here mama and papa talking in hushed voices in the next room. I put my ear against the wall so I could hear well. ‘I shouldn’t be too long, Mary, I need to go and see the Avery’s, we need justice round here, and it’s come to the point where, we will do anything to get it’ Papa would probably put his old tattered cap on now like he always does when he is going out to visit someone. An awkward silence hung in the air, like a thick smog in winter hangs midway in the air, after a few seconds of quietness, which seemed liked minutes, I heard mama sniffle ‘Oh David, its not fair…poor ole T.J., he don’t deserve this.’
Mama was crying ‘It could be one of our children next.’ I hate it when Mama is upset, I slipped down from the wall and lay in bed, and then I quickly hopped out and ran through to the room in which Mama sat on the chair with her head in her hands. She was sobbing away, Papa was trying his best to comfort her but it was going to take more than a cuddle to solve this problem. I ran towards her, ‘Oh mama’ I cried out, and as soon as I was in Mamas arms I let my tears out again, ‘I don’t want T.J. to die.’ I wept inconsolably, I kept repeating myself ‘I don’t want him to die’. Mama placed me on her knee and rocked me until our grief had gone away. Her long, silky hair fell on her slender shoulders, she tried her best to console me with some comforting words ‘Look Cassie girl, T.J. did do some bad things and so did the white adults…but justice will be done, ok?’
Somehow I didn’t think justice would be done, I had no faith in the justice in this town. It had let us down before, Inside I felt sick with fear, nerves and dread of the unknown, and I was trying to imagine what T.J. was going through. The pain was too unbearable to think of, He doesn’t know what his destiny is, other people were going to choose it for him. His life was in the hands of some people, who don’t even know him, it was so unfair. He deserves another chance. Papa remained silent, I looked up at Mama, she smiled at me, ‘Papa is going to see T.J.s father soon, to sort some things out.’
‘I will go now, will you too be alright?’ Papa piped up he then patted my head, kissed Mama on the cheek. I let out a little chuckle ‘We will be fine’ Mama nodded in Papas direction. He left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Mama remained tranquil for a while, I interrupted her moment ‘Mama’ I took a deep breath ‘Do you think T.J. will be hung?’ ‘Oh Cassie, no. No. He’s only a child. They wouldn’t do that to him, he will probably be put in the town cells for a few weeks at the most, if that.’
Something deep down made me suspect that Mama was lying to me, she seemed to be covering something up. Why would she be so upset at the idea of T.J.being arrested for a few weeks? And what did my Papa and Mr.Avery have to ‘sort out’?’ I was beginning to worry myself with the thoughts that filled my inexperienced mind.T.J should be able to get himself out of this one I hoped, T.J. was the best at talking his way out of things, probably the best in the world.
Then I started to think-what if T.J. couldn’t he himself out of this one, what if he gets the punishment, instead of the Simmes. Stacey would be heart broken if T.J. did go to prison or even worse…die. I don’t want my brother to go through losing his closest friend, our closest friend. It’s as if T.J. is just another brother, to us, he has been there since I can remember, and we can not lose him. Stacey and I will fight to our deaths to save T.J., I want Stacey to wake up so we could start to plan something, to save T.J. nevertheless I also want Stacey to carry on sleeping softly so he doesn’t have to find out about T.J.
Monday morning, first day back at school, since the incidents of the weekend and I didn’t know if I could face it, but I just remembered Mama’s words ‘Smile and put your brave face on’. Stacey is feeling the same as me, we are both thinking of what to say to people when they ask how T.J. is and they will all want to know hat happened, and oh no! I just realised I have to face ‘Miss’ Lillian Jean, she will probably try and start an argument, she will be shouting some abuse at me no doubt about. I let out a little whimper ‘mama do I have to go today?’ Big ma looked up from her stitching she was doing on Christopher Johns’ trousers, she looked up and flashed me a glint of her chestnut deep brown eyes. ‘Cassie girl. You have to go to school; you need dat good education girl, like your mama got when she was a just a kid, you hear me? Now no more whining, girl.’
