SVZ's note: I had to do a short story for English so I typed this lil' thing up in half a hour while downloading pictures of anime (KENSHIN! YATTA!). I'm pretty sure no one's gonna read this since it's done by a 13 year old with limited knowlege of slaves but I'm putting this up anyway.

By the way, this is complete fiction so I won't be held responsible if this fic is scarily a lot like your Great Great Aunt's life story or something ^^'

First Enemies; Then Almost Friends

" Just what do you think you're doing?"

I whirled around frantically to see Mistress Gordon's looking at me suspiciously. Her dainty white hands were placed on her hips and she was glaring unbecomingly. It really didn't help that she wasn't much to look at in the first place. She was short and stout to put it lightly and her watery blue eyes were narrow slits.

I dropped the picture book I was holding. " I was lookin' at pretty pictures Missus, I ain't was meanin' no disrespect and I ain't reading." I pointed to the picture with a dimpling white girl with blonde curls and pink cheeks playing with a doll. "I was wishing'... maybe I could be happy someday." I tried my hardest to look wistful and goddarn pathetic... it worked.

Mistress Gordon softened somewhat. "Well child, you shouldn't be looking at books even if there are only pictures." She chuckled. "Then again, no one would ever believe you would know how to read."

Mistress Gordon chuckled some more and walked away. She was out of the room in a flash ;but not before telling me I should "be sure to dust well". No doubt she was going to "have a quick snack" before dinner time.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the door shut. My stupid act paid off. Good thing I chose a picture book this time.

My name is Anne; the type of name you would expect on a white girl like the one in the picture book. Well I'm not white. I'm a slave to Mistress and Master Gordon at the plantation in Virginia. You might notice I actually think like a "white person"that lived in the north instead of here since I 'm not using "ain't" and "gonna".

Truth is, I can read. I learnt it from a slave (Jeff) was later caught and whipped to death. He was caught trying to escape and was whipped right in front of everyone. That happened two years ago. I was ten then. I am now twelve. At least, I think I am. Mistress Gordon doesn't bother keeping track.

I act stupid to please everyone. They think I have no common sense to fill a cup. I am usually picked on but I don't mind. People would never suspect me of knowing how to read if they think I'm stupid. Just like Mistress Gordon did before, they would just chuckle and comment how such a stupid girl would never be able to learn anything.

I hurried with the dusting when I realized how late I was to prepare dinner for Master and Mistress and the children.

I ran into the busy kitchen. Aroma wafted around me; surrounding me and making my stomach growl hungrily. It grew worse when I realized that while the Master and Mistress dine on roasted chicken and mouth-watering cuisine; all I'm getting for dinner is a piece of corn bread dipped in bacon fat.

"There you are you idiot child," growled Petunia, the main cook. She was as friendly as a Grizzly Bear and come to think of it; she looked like one too. She loved tormenting me. "You make the corn bread, you hear? I ain't toleratin' anythin' burned this time."

I nodded at her and began to get out the ingredients when Savella entered the room with her nose stuck up in the air.

Savella is only a year older than I am but she uses that to her advantage. She's a slave like me but by the way she acts you'd would think she was white. She always sneer whenever she pass any of us and she laughs whenever we get punished. She also makes me do her chores while she hovers over me just because can get away with things like that. She's Mistress Gordon's favorite since she had "whiter" features than most of us. This causes things to be worse. Savella thinks she's ten times prettier than me just because her skin color is five shades lighter. I think she looks like a squirrel that's been too deprived of sunlight. Needless to say, we don't get along much. In fact, I can't stand her."

"You're late," Petunia stated. She stirred the stew on the stove and eyed Savella beadily.

"I was helpin' the Mistress get ready for dinner," said Savella smugly and she began cutting up vegetables. She looked happy she had an excuse.

Petunia rolled her eyes at me and I fought the urge to laugh. I have a feeling Petunia would put something in Savella's supper. As much at Petunia hated me, she hated Savella more.

Later that night, I went to the library. It was hard to believe Master and Mistress Gordon could be so stupid at times. I had told them I wanted to go there to look at the pretty portraits of them that were decorated on the walls and they believed weren't exactly what you'd all bright.

"You're so stupid, you wouldn't do anything bad in there except messing up the room but YOU have to clean it," chortled Master Gordon when I first asked my request.

Acting stupid pays off.

I took a book off the shelf and I flipped it open. Bad mistake. It opened all right; it also created a cloud of dust that caused me to choke. The book was dull and boring but it was better than nothing. It took me ten minutes to get through the prologue just to let you know how boring this was.

I guess the book was too boring for me for I suddenly yawned and a wave of sleepiness hit me. Before I knew it I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

It was probably four when something woke me up. I thought it was my neck because my neck felt unusually sore. I groaned softly knowing that I would be feeling sore for a few days just because of my stupid mistake. I then realized I had fallen asleep while reading. I opened my eyes and a pair of dark brown ones stared right into me.

I stifled a scream. It was Savella and she had the most evil smirk I had ever seen on her face.

"You were reading," she stated, nodding her head at my book. It was on my lap and it was still wide open.

A voice in the back of my mind told me to protest. I tried putting on my stupid act again.

"I ain't reading' . I know nothin' 'bout readin'. I was lookin' at the pictures," I protested. I could feel beads of sweat trailing down the back of my neck. It then occurred to me there were no pictures in the book.

Savella knew it too. She smiled smugly (making her look like a fox) and said, "Don't try pullin' that act on me, I know you ain't stupid." She eyed me and said softly. "You are puttin' on an act so people would only think that way."

My throat felt dry and I couldn't deny any of it. I shut my eyes. I don't know how long. Maybe it was a ten seconds or maybe a minute. All I knew was that when I opened them, Savella was still looking at me.

"Name your price," I said bitterly but yet soft enough in case anyone was awake to overhear this.

Savella hesitated and I was astounded. Savella hesitating? That was unheard of. From what I know of her, what ever she wants she would just say it and most likely she would get it considering she's Mistress Gordon's pet.

"You're gonna teach me." she murmured, her eyes casted down.

My eyes nearly bugged out. "What?" I asked, unbelievingly.

Savella scowled at me, "You know what I said, I ain't repeatin' anything."

I swallowed hard. "You want me to teach you how to read." I said. It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah, took you that long?" asked Savella sarcastically. Ah, this is the Savella I know and.. uh. hate.

"Why?" I blurted out. I couldn't help it. After all, Savella was not the type of person who would want to know such things. She would rather be Mistress Gordon's pet and help Mistress Gordon with dressing her hair and such or wanting a new dress than to learn how to read and write.

" It's aint' none of your business and I ain't answerin' anymore questions of yours, you hear? If you don't teach me I will tell Mistress Gordon and you will get in trouble," snarled Savella. She knew she had me there. Mistress Gordon would believe the moon was made of cow dung if Savella told her so.

I rolled my eyes. "Fine, I'll teach you. One more question though, how did you know?"

Savella raised an eyebrow. "I got mighty suspicious when you started speaking like them white folks a year back. I remembered I told you sounded stupid and that you wanted to be a white so you started talkin' like them. After I told you that you stopped sudden'y. I also thought you spent too much time in the library to just be lookin' at those ugly pictures on the wall."

I hid a grin. "I'll teach you tonight, in my room." Savella raised an eyebrow at the comment. I knew she would rather have it in her room since my "room" is nothing more than a small closet infested with rats and had bales of hay.

I already knew no one would find out about this. Who in the world will believe me, the most senseless girl in Virginia, teaching snotty Savella how to read and write?

No one, of course.

"Fine," she muttered and turned her heel and marched out of the room.

I yawned and rubbed my eyes. What in Lord's name have I gotten myself into now?

Today wasn't one of my best days. I didn't have to act stupid today for I did it without thinking. I dusted the parlor but nearly broke the vase, got scolded an called stupid so many times I lost track, and bumped into five people.

Master Gordon actually pulled me up my the cuff of my dress and asked, spraying spit in my face, "What the dickens is wrong with you?" and smacked me right across the face creating a bruise. The bruise left my face numb. I would honestly have to say, the most painful part was having to look up at that ugly face of Master Gordon. With his face all red and his breath smelling just as bad as sheep dung; he was no pretty sight.

It wasn't until after dinner did I feel slightly better. There was no more work to be done meaning I wouldn't mess up anymore than I have to. I stayed in my pitiful room all evening waiting for Savella who took her own sweet time.

"Sorry I'm late," she said not meaning a single word of it, when she did arrive. She wrinkled her nose at the sight of the room and rolled her eyes. Then Savella nearly had a heart attack when she saw a couple mice scurrying across the room.

I sighed mentally knowing that this would not be an easy task and it would take a lot of patience. "Let's start with the letter 'A'..."

Over the next few days, I was surprised that Savella actually learned the alphabet quickly. I was even more surprised when she began acting civil to me; although only when I was teaching her. When everyone else was around, she still acted like sassy like always but she picked on me less.

It wasn't long before Savella could actually start reading. When I told her that, she only said "So?" in a bored tone of voice. However, the excited sparkle in her eyes told me she was trying hard not to show me how excited she was that she was actually getting somewhere.

"I still don't understand somethin'," Savella mentioned to me one time.

"What?"

"Why do white folk think readin' and writin' is bad for us?" she asked. "It's only words, how could it be so bad that people get hurt or thrown in jail?" I was surprised at the question. I still tend to underestimate Savella. I never knew how perspective she was.

I looked thoughtful for a second. "I remember asking that once. The man who taught me told me that white people don't want us to know because if we had education; we would seem more human. White folks are afraid of that. They don't want us to seem human. They want us to seem like animals so they would feel less guilty of having us as slaves. Besides, if they thought of us as animals, they can beat us to death like animals"

I felt Savella tense up at what I said. Even though the light was very poor, I could tell she was angry. I knew what was coming next, she would then exclaim a cry of outrage and then whisper how wrong it was.

I was right. Savella began saying how wrong it was and unfair. I didn't pay much attention until she finished and announced something that I would least expect of her.

"I'm escapin' north."

There was a chilling silence before I stammered, "W-what?!"

Savella glared at me. "You know what I said, I ain't repeatin' it."

I opened my mouth to ask if she was crazy but closed it again knowing that she would not take kindly at that. "When?" I asked.

"Two days from now. Christmas night. Right after Missus and Master Gordon gives me the Christmas present[1], I'm leavin'. No one will notice since everyone's gonna be busy. It's Saturday night too, it won't be reported in the newspaper until Monday. It'll give me a head start."

I was amazed on how thoroughly Savella had thought this out. It sounded like it might work.

"Are you sure you aren't going to be caught?" I asked, nervously. There were so many things that could go wrong. If she was caught, she would get beaten, hanged, body parts cut off.. and she could even get hanged.

Savella shook her head, her braids flying. "I ain't gonna get caught. I will try or die tryin' but I ain't getting caught. Besides, I'm wearing that black dress Missus gave me. It will hide me in the darkness. I already made moccasins with lard covering the soles so those darn dogs Master Gordon has won't track my scent. I'll also be sure to go through a stream or river so my scent ain't gonna be a problem."

Those were the last words I've ever heard her say for Savella then stood up and left my room and the next couple of days was completely hectic and chaotic so we never had a chance to speak with each other.

The night she left, I couldn't help but feel a bit sad. Sure, Savella and I haven' t been the greatest friends.. heck, we aren't friends period. However, we managed to go from archenemies to almost-friends which is a pretty good accomplishment.. considering I wanted to wring her skinny little neck ever since we were toddlers.

Come to think of it, I thought silently. Savella actually changed a bit over these past couple months. Well, more than she had for a long time. She was actually nice.. sort of...

I got up and decided to pray for the first time in two years.

"Dear God, Please keep Savella safe and guide her through this. Thank you, Amen," I whispered.

It was the first time I've ever prayed for two years.

Not ever since Jeff died.

He was my father.

Wherever they are, I hope both are safe. No matter if they're in Pennsylvania or in Heaven.

[1] On some plantations, slave owners would give little presents to their slaves on Christmas. Usually it would be something like a hair ribbon for girls and other minor things. There are some cases where slaves were rewarded with a nickel or something ( this happened in The American Girls Series: Meet Addy.) Yes, I remember these things from books I've read four years ago ^^

SVZ's note: Well I hope someone out there enjoyed reading this. If you like it please review or something.