Filth

Chapter 5

I feel like my update was so late that I owe you another chapter so here it is! I hope you enjoy it!

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Ever since that day on the Perkins' farm, I hadn't wanted to even approach them. Yet, Mr Howard's words kept echoing through my head. Don't let them change you. Don't let who change me? All these people who I believed to be wrong? Why would I change? I'm not going to change for anyone.

Suddenly I felt a surge of confidence, my previously extinguished fire now aflame. I got up from my bed. I was going to see Tommy and no one could stop me. Don't let them change you.

I sprinted to the bottom of the farm, leaping over the bushes once I finally reached them. It wasn't far past five o'clock, which meant that all of the people were still working on the farm. They all watched me warily as I whipped under the fence, slowing as I realised what I was doing. I clenched my already sweaty fists and tried to stand upright.

'Where's Tommy?' I asked.

I was answered by a slightly plump woman, who was sweating profusely, her back hunched with age. She looked a little too old to be working on a cotton farm at this time but as she faced me squarely, I could see from her stature, she was not as fragile as she seemed, 'Look, missus. Tommy been in trouble ever since you came here before. I think you should go.'

I drooped slightly, remembering the way Mr Perkins had hurt Tommy, 'I didn't mean for that to happen. I just - please?'

Her eyes swooped over my pleading expression, studying my face. I felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny, playing with the hem of my shorts. She finally sighed and pointed in the other direction, 'If you keep running to the top a the farm, there's a few houses where we live. He's in there.'

'Why ain't he out here?'

'He can't walk properly.' My mouth nearly fell open. Why couldn't he walk? Oh, god. Please don't tell me –

From the bitterness in her tone, it was not difficult to draw the worst conclusion. The thought felt like a stab. Oh, Tommy.

'You best be careful Mr Perkins sir don't see you.'

I nodded, rushing up towards the top of the farm. I soon realised just how large the land was, as I had to slow to a jog. I looked around, the thousands of cotton plants swaying gently in the breeze around my calves. Narrow pathways for people to pass through barely stood out among the fully-grown plants. I eventually reached the houses. Looking at them properly, the disheveled exterior caught my attention. They looked slightly lopsided; the wooden houses that looked more like shacks were splintering.

I noticed a light was on and was about to approach the house when I noticed a grander house standing to the side. The Perkins' house. It was large even though the Perkins never did have any children. The quietness and still, hostile air was clear from where I was standing at least ten metres away.

Deciding not to take any chances with the aggressive couple, I dropped to the floor, crawling my way to the house. Luckily, the cotton plants were large and almost covered me completely. Crawling was an ineffective way to get to the wooden mess but it was better than facing someone who resembled my father so closely. It took a long time of dragging myself across the muddy ground before I reached the door and jumped up, placing my hand on the doorknob and glancing nervously around. I slipped into the room and almost screamed when Tommy yelled, jerking upright in his bed.

'What?' I whisper-yelled.

He replied, 'I thought you was... I thought - oh Lord...' He placed his hand over his heart, letting out a breath of relief before turning back to be with a worried expression, 'Why are you here?' He whimpered as he stood up from his bed, almost falling over.