Monday, January 23, 2017, Donovan went to the library to see if he could find more information on the microfiche machine. When Donovan entered the library, Becky Lou saw the best-looking man she had ever seen. The Library had a stack of updated Essence Magazines on a rack, the other Liberian hunched Beck Lou and asked, “is he a model from those black men magazine?”
Becky Lou said, “he sho’nuff look like it.”
Donovan found nothing in the library.
*******
The following Sunday, Donovan returned home from H. B. Metropolis. The sun was beginning to set as he pulled into his driveway, he jumped out the car, ran on the porch and stopped. His thoughts were muddled and confused, he wanted to tell Theenda what he had seen, he waited for a moment and wondered if she would believe him or simply think he had lost his mind.
When Donovan stepped inside the house, he could smell food cooking, he followed his nose. He went through the family room, past the home library, the den where Theenda’s book club sometimes met, through the dining room, and into the kitchen. “Hello Baby Girl,” he kissed her cheek, “I think I saw slaves today,” he sat down.
Theenda turned from the stove and said, “what?”
He was slumped over the table liked he had run a marathon, Donovan normally sat tall, proud, and ready to eat. She went to him and asked, “are you okay?” She studied him before asking, “where you've been? You're filthy.” She stepped back and continued, “you stink.”
Donovan laid the notes from the library and the map of MacCall on the table. He looked at her through sad eyes and said, “I don’t know,” he pushed the papers towards her.
“You don’t know where you’ve been? Give me a second,” Theenda said. She cut the food that was cooking off and put it in serving dishes, she sat the dishes on the counter. She went back to the table, sat down and opened the map, she looked around at the food, and said, “dinner’s ready.” She returned her attention to the map and asked, “what am I looking at?”
“Don’t think I’m crazy Baby Girl,” Donovan said before trying to explain, he watched her reading the notes and said, “this is going to be a hard pill to swallow.”
Theenda looked at Donovan and said, “just say it.”
Donovan said out, “we may have moved to the wrong town.”
“Explain,” she said and pushed the papers aside and gave him her undivided attention.
“Well,” Donovan started, he looked at his wife, he knew she loved the school, her kids, the town, and had made friends. Donovan lowered his head and said, “Baby Girl, I think I saw slaves today.” He waited for Theenda’s response.
She got up from the table and began making their plates. She asked, “hungry?” she sat his plate in front of him, then said, “you’re filthy and stink, go clean up before we eat.”
Donovan said, “before you have me shipped off to the funny farm,” he watched her busy herself around the stove, he continued, “I have no other way to say this except, I walked fifteen or more miles today, through a forest. I-I-I saw through my binoculars people were dressed like slaves walking around, and shacks all lined up in a row.”
Theenda sat down, said her grace and began to eat. “I’ll eat without you then.”
“Imagine how I felt when I made the discovery, there was a huge giant tall gate, I left an Essence Magazine and a note.”
A little irritated Theenda asked, “which one of my magazines did you leave?”
“The one with President Barack Obama.”
She stopped eating and glared at Donovan before saying, “There were several, I was saving those.”
“Baby Girl, I’m trying to explain.”
“Okay, I'll calm down, did you talk to anybody?”
“No, I didn't,” he got up and began to leave, “I’ll clean up.” He left.
When he was gone, Theenda went into the library and looked through her magazines, she said quietly to herself, “he gave the one titled, The Obama's, my favorite,” she exhaled and said, “I’ll be okay.” As she was going back to the kitchen, she said under her breath, “gave my favorite one away.”
When Donovan returned to the kitchen, Theenda was sitting in the same spot, mad.
Donovan sat down. Theenda said, “your food’s cold.” Donovan looked down at his plate, then at her, she said, “yeah, I could have warmed it up. I chose not to as you chose to give my favorite Essence away.”
He stuffed his mouth with food and said, “not that cold.” He took a bite of the roll, looked at Theenda and continued, “Yes, I saw a plantation, no I did not speak to anyone, but I did see people walking around. Remember when we visited the plantation in New Orleans? We walked through the Massa house and the slave shacks, that's what I saw, only there were people inside this tall giant size gate, I couldn’t get in.” Donovan looked troubled and confused before saying, “I have no idea why I took your magazine. I just knew that’s what I was supposed to do. I put it in a freezer bag and left it between the gate’s tight prongs.” He looked dejectedly at his wife and sadly said, “Baby Girl, I don’t know why I did it, I am sorry.”
“Maybe, we should go visit,” Theenda suggested.
Donovan stuffed more food in his mouth before saying, “we can't get in.”
“Why?”
Donovan said a little irritated, “the gate.”
“Don’t get upset with me, I’m trying to forgive you. Isn’t there a house?”
Donovan checked himself and said, “sorry. There are gates and forest that wraps around the whole property. Yes, there’s a big house in front.” Donovan said and then took a bite of bread.
“So, the owner locked themselves in?”
“Seems like,” Donovan said as he ate a bit of food, then continued, “It was like looking in a kaleidoscope.” He put more food in his mouth before he swallowed and said, “everything was nice and in order. The forest, the gates, the house, all of it was well thought out.”
Theenda said, “Sweetie, if you're not mad, or crazy, and telling the truth, we need to report this.” She took a breath and said, “How did you find out about it?”
Donovan ate in silence for a moment. Theenda pushed her plate aside and read through the notes. She noticed a rough draft of a huge building sitting alone, “what’s this?” she showed the drawing to Donovan.
“Wood furniture was in there, you would love it,” he looked at their table and chairs and said, “as a matter of fact it looked sort of like this set.” He paused when he remembered the furniture in the store downtown. He said, “like both our sets.” He looked down at the table and said, “this and our dining room furniture.” He pointed to the drawing Theenda was looking at and said, “I drew that.”
Theenda said, “I know.”
“The building was huge,” Donovan said as he watched Theenda flip through the papers.
“I think the police should hear about this,” Theenda said.
“No, we can’t,” Donovan replied as he finished eating.
Theenda asked, “why not?”
On the table were toothpicks in a clear glass holder, Donovan grabbed one, slid his plate aside and said, “remember the family that mysteriously died a few weeks ago.”
“Yeah.”
“The teenager was my student, he’s the one that told me about the plantation and MacCall. He said something about it being dangerous, the next morning his whole family was found dead.”
“I don’t understand.” Theenda began, “did you report he was missing from class?”
“The article appeared in the paper before classes begun.”
As Donovan twirled the toothpick between his fingers,
Theenda sat watching him before asking, “someone randomly went to the house? Just out of the blue killed a whole family, then wrote an article.”
“If you think that’s strange, you should have gone to the funeral.”
Theenda said, “what would happen if the FBI found out that someone still has slaves.”
Donovan said
, “somebody is being paid to keep it quiet. My student’s whole family was killed.” Donovan stood up then sat down and said, “gone Baby Girl, and nobody is doing nothing, five people dead in their home. And nobody is doing nothing.” He stood and took their plates to the sink. He looked at Theenda and said, “the police should be over there, yellow tape around the house, why aren’t they?”
“Where did they bury them?” Theenda asked.
“Cremated, after the strangest funeral, ever.”
Theenda suggested, “maybe it was a random murder.”
“The boy’s father drove to MacCall and spoke with the police about it. Are you listening?”
Theenda got defensive and said, “don’t talk to me like I’m the crazy one.” She shifted in her chair to see Donovan who was by the sink, she asked,” are you saying, the police are keeping it quiet?”
Donovan went back to the table, sat across from Theenda, the two were quiet, as though they were in deep thought. Theenda looked at the table and chairs, then at Donovan and asked, “if this is true, what’re we do?”
“Good question,” he reached across the table, put her hand in his, and said, “good question Baby Girl.”
XX
The Magazine That Changed Lives
While Donovan was at home trying to explain what he may have seen to Theenda, on the plantation a fourteen-year-old boy, named Cush, found the Essence Magazine. Cush showed it to his father, Lee, and grandma, Lillie.
I’s Neva Seed’
The slaves worked twelve hours six days a week. [RL63]The two overseer’s, Roy and Fred, began work before the slaves since they had to get up, get dressed, go to the slave quarters ring a bell and yell wake up, and open the slave gate. The slaves were always up, they wanted to see the overseers do more than sitting on their horses watching them.
Usually, the two overseers sat quiet, but in February 2017, they were happy and chatty, that year was their last year being held hostage on the plantation. They were being released off the plantation January 2018. Fred said, “we’ve been here thirty-seven' years, we were hired 1980, man we worst’ twenty years old. Can you magine' how da' world look now?” Fred asked.[RL64]
Roy said, “they can keep my woman that Massa’s daddy, pick for me.”
Fred shook his head in agreement, “mine too. She neva' got pregnant, I wonder why.”
Roy said, “we white men, treated like the niggra’s. When we get out of here, I’m telling the authorities.”
Fred said, “I remember those two old guys face when we arrived, they jumped down off their horse and ran out da' dividing gate past us, likes dey' on fire.”
Laughing Roy said, “old Massa Brown said, “Hey boys, not so fast, we are going to feed you. My son and cook are in the kitchen waiting for you.”
Fred said, “dey’ were runnin’ fast ta’ freedom”
Roy said, “now we know why,” he jumped down off his horse and said, “Freedom going to feel mighty nice. I don’t want Massa food; I just want to go home.”
“Yeah,” Fred said, “too many years locked up, we ain't seed’ nobody,” he looked at the gate and shook his head and continued, “why we locked in?”
Roy said, “oh God.” He held his head down in disgust.
Fred asked, “what’s wrong?”
“This plantation is not legal; those two old men were killed,” Roy commented.
“What are you talking about?”
Roy said, “I’m talking about, I believe my girlfriend is married, probably have children. My mama and daddy probably dead and buried. But I will never find out.” He cried.
Fred looked at Roy and said, “you’ll see yo’ gurl’ friend, maybe she wait fo’ ya.”
Roy pulled himself together, he wiped his face. The slaves stopped to watch Roy cry. Lee, one of the slaves working in the tobacco field said to another slave, “dey’ ain’t no better dan’ us.”
The slave said, “you be right Lee, dey’ cain’t git out either.”
Fred said, “I’s got three women pregnant,’ naw I’s thank’ foe.” He looked at Roy and said, “I’s could be a grandpappy.”
Roy said sadly, “don’t you see, you’ll never see them. I was supposed to graduate from college in 1982. My dad is a chemical engineer, I was studying to be an electrical engineer. My mom a nurse. I have two sisters and a brother.” Roy smiled and continued, “I may be an uncle, but I’ll never see any of my family.”
“Wow man,” Fred said, “you be from a smart famly.’ My sista’ git to da’ sixth-grade afo’ she git’ knocked up. The rest of us, third grade, man, mom and dad didn’t go at all, dey’ cain’t read.”
Roy said thoughtfully, “I wonder why nobody come get us, those two overseers had to have told somebody about this setup.”
Fred said, “knowing the Brown famly’ like you say, dey killed does’ men.” He paused as though he was deep in thought before continuing, when dey open dat’ gate, Roy, run fast you can, yellin’ and hollerin.”
“Honestly Fred, that’s a good idea.”
Fred said, “Mr. Brown ride over to our cabins on he’s motorbike, we take it, no matta’ who be driving, we jump on and leave dis’ place.”
Roy said, “that’s our only way out.” He slapped Fred on the shoulder and continued, “good job Fred, we have a plan.”
The overseers' wives were not allowed to go by the divider gate or near the slaves. Someone in the Brown family was always watching. Roy's first year locked on the plantation, his woman jumped on a horse, and thinking she was going to get out, galloped to the divider gate where she was shot to death. The next day Roy had a new woman, Charles told Roy that his first woman ran away. Roy and Fred knew what happened, they heard the gunfire, still, they said nothing.
After Charles father hired Roy and Fred, Charles changed the overseer's exit off the plantation. While Charles father, Ben, was living, he told his dad, “I don’t feel like dragging four dead bodies back to where they came from.”[RL65]
Ben asked, “what’d you mean son?”
“Out the gates, in the house, kill all four, then back through the divider gate, and bury them.” Charles continued as he held up four fingers, “two overseers two women, dad that’s a lot.” He ran his fingers through his hair and continued, “when Roy, Fred, and their women get too old, why don’t we walk them through the divider gate, shoot them, then bury them in the divider gate forest. That would be a whole lot easier.”
His father said, “son, run Metropolis your way.”
Ben Brown born 1935, died in 2016 of heart failure.
The slaves stopped producing the tobacco since the overseers were always sleeping on the job. The overseers had grown old and tired, it got harder for them to stay awake, sitting around doing nothing. They came up with a strategy, one would sleep on the ground for thirty minutes while the other kept watch, and then switch. Sometimes that worked, other times they both fell asleep, one on the ground the other sitting on his horse.
Ben, Charles father built mini-malls in MacCall, Ogville, and Titleburk. The slave women sixty years and older made quilts, bedspreads, curtains, and throw rugs which were sold in the mall’s stores and shops around the country. For the slave compound, the women made candles for their cabins, women and men clothes for the slaves, children, the nurse, and teacher. Men sixty and older made dining room and kitchen sets that were sold in the malls and across the country.
In 2017, there was seventy-five adult slaves, twenty children ranging between the ages of thirteen to two-year-old. The fourteen-year-olds had been away from the children area for two months. The nurse and teacher were fifty-five years old. Charles had the women to train Helen, a slave, how to take care of the children. Helen received a minimal nurse’s aide and teacher’s training as the nurse and teacher prepared to leave. Harry II told the women that soon they were going to get their freedom. He said, “you have to promise to keep the plantation a secret, and not tell anyone.”
The two women promised.
; The teacher said to the nurse when no one was around, “we’ll keep our mouths shut as we hand over our memoirs to the police.”
The nurse laughed and said, “I agree.”
Throughout the years, each set of teacher and nurse found the memoirs hidden under the loose floorboards, since the Browns or children never entered the sleeping room, the papers were safe. The women wrote in the memoir changes made during their time, from the first nurse and teacher in 1876, to the last in 2017, each recorded the date they were locked in with the children. They wrote in detail what they saw and heard, if the overseer was not looking or for a moment walked away, a slave whispered an atrocity that took place in their area. The nurse recorded everything she saw as she walked from the children area to the slave compound, where she delivered a baby. The nurses had empathy for the mother, who wanted to at least see their baby but could not. With the overseers watching closely, the nurse wrapped the baby in a blanket and took the newborn to the children area.
In the early 1900s a nurse allowed the weeping mother to hold her baby, the overseer killed the mother, baby, and nurse. He told the master of H.B., who had the three buried in the divider gate area. When the nurse did not return the teacher knew what had happened. She quickly wrote in the memoir the tragedy; she also wrote that she could go home or would be killed as the three. An overseer stood outside the children cabin and called for the teacher to join him. She said, “children it’s going to be okay, stay inside.” She hugged each child and left.
The teacher was escorted out of the children gate to the divider gate, where she was shot and killed.
Helen stayed in the children area to learn how to take care of the kids' aches and pains and teach them reading, and writing. The boys that were trained to make and design furniture were placed in a furniture maker home as their son. While learning how to make furniture, they would also work in the fields until they turned sixty. Charles taught all the children how to grow and care for the tobacco plants.
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