Marlon James - The Book of Night Women

— Well, look who decide to finally join we, Homer say.

Lilith move over to the side and make sure her back to the rock.

— Worthy Park nigger let loose that plot afoot in Montego Bay. Most of the militia heading west, Callisto say.

— Good.

— Not so good. Word also spreading ’bout Montpelier, that we might frig things up.

— Who the raas say that?

— Nobody have to say nothing. Me not sure me hear one straight plan from you yet, other than to do what everybody doin’, Callisto say. Nothing but silence follow her. — Who we killing first, massa or mistress? Where we setting fire to, east or west? Cane field or ratoon? What we goin do ’bout the other Montpelier turncoat niggers? Where everybody heading when they flee, through the river or over the Blue Mountain? You do anything but tell we nigger verse?

Homer look ’pon Callisto for a long time. Lilith trying to read her face but it lost in the dark. Pallas looking on the ground and Gorgon look up and down and sideway.

— Tell Worthy Park—

— Mayhaps you tell them youself.

— Oh. Is so it go. Everybody bright and uppity nowadays. Is you plan this whole bloodclaat thing or is me? Is you bring everybody here or is me? Is you make you hungry for free or is me?

— Cool yourself, Homer. We don’t—

— Don’t tell me to cool meself! Me be the head nigger here! Me!

Everybody quiet and looking round at each other. Lilith watching from the side, trying to pick Homer out in the dim light. Homer stop pace.

— Worthy Park nigger got no call to talk ’bout me, no damn call! Them same damn fool go tell white man the plan last year. White man! Take two nigger to fix that backra business and one more to make it look like mishap.

Homer start to laugh.

— Backra won’t know what clock a-strike when we cut him throat, Homer say.

— Eehi? Callisto say. — Maybe backra laughing already.

— Enough with you, Homer say.

— Pallas, some people here so chummy with white people dat dey tongue loose. Loose like dey mouth turn whore, Callisto say, but Pallas don’t say nothing.

Lilith feel for the knife in her apron and grab the handle. She push herself further back into the rock. Pallas fidget, Iphigenia start chuckle and Hippolyta stand off by the light. Lilith feel her heart about to burst through her bosom.

— Somebody here done love slave life so much that nobody can come between her and backra loving.

— Callisto, chat you chat and stop trying to be Homer, Pallas say.

— Eehi. Seem Homer perfect picking not so perfect. A Judas nigger in here. Right in here wid we.

Homer not saying nothing.

— Who? Pallas say.

— She, Gorgon say and point.

Lilith jump. She scream and Callisto appear from the dark behind Iphigenia, grab her by the hair and pull back, then slice right cross her throat. Blood splash on Pallas. Callisto let go and Iphigenia clutch her throat, stagger right into the rock and drop to the ground.

Homer jump too. — Jesus Christ! What the bloodcloth you doing? What the bloodcloth unu doing!

— The woman was a turncoat, fool, Callisto say.

— What you just call me? Homer say.

— Fool me just call you, you fool, Callisto say. — You same one don’t know when clock a-strike. You know how long this bitch betraying we? From you bring her in. Every week she send word to Judas nigger in Jackson Lands to pass on to the massa. She thinking massa goin’ give her reward for all that she know. Only that Judas nigger wasn’t no Judas. She play one that so we can see who the betrayers be. See her there. Iphigenia. Damn fool. Last night we tell her say is Hippolyta we coming for.

Hippolyta jump.

—’Cause of that she think she safe. Then the bitch run to the fence to tell Jackson Lands nigger everything. Gorgon go that estate today and the nigger tell her everything Iphigenia tell she.

Iphigenia still shaking on the ground, garbling blood and trying to clutch her throat, but blood flow past her fingers like flood. Her blood black in the dim light. Her head strike the ground. Homer stiff like a wall. She walk straight over to Gorgon and slap her. Gorgon dash after her like a wild dog but Pallas get in the way. Gorgon push her off and go after Homer, who stand still.

— Cool you bloodcloth foot! Callisto say. Gorgon stop. Lilith gripping the knife hard.

— The river. The river down by the end of that trail. Put a rock in her petticoat and tie up the ends. Then throw her in the water, Homer say. She trying to be calm but her voice seesaw. Homer sit down on the chair and say nothing else. She stare off in the dark and look at Lilith once.

— Me don’t take orders from you, Callisto say. Gorgon bark like dog but leave the biting to Callisto. Lilith thinking this make sense. If there was somebody to be killed, then Callisto would do the killing. She look at the one-eye woman in the dimness and wonder if Callisto is the one she is most of a sister to. Lilith remember the fear she feel when she kill Massa Roget. And something else. Something that higher than when Robert Quinn love her. Something higher than the breeze that rush across the back of her neck when she think of the Ogun that she not to say. Something higher than feeling white. Something that she can’t name or call.

Homer still not saying nothing.

— You think anybody waitin’ on word from you? Niggers on five estate know you mind dead. And you don’t have no use. Better for we if you go live with you dead pickney now. Cho! If people didn’t still ’fraid o’ you me’d arrange that meself. Come, Gorgon.

Callisto and Gorgon grab Iphigenia, Callisto the foots and Gorgon the hands. They drag the body down the passage Homer point to.

— Make sure, Homer say weakly. — Make sure you put rock in her dress so that… six tell six tell six…

Homer words get cut short by a splash. Hippolyta hiss and run. She hold her head down and look at her hands. Lilith still by the wall and still holding her knife. Lilith don’t know if Homer whispering, whimpering or counting. She just then seeing that Pallas crying. Pallas get up and leave, walking first, then running away. Lilith and Homer alone in the cave with the candlelight and shadow dancing round them.

— Me son never lie to me once, Homer say.

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.