“Get up, boy! Fight back!” cried the white man eyes tinted with hatred. His hands were gripped tightly around a whip. “A real man doesn’t fight back,” whispered the small beaten child. The man growled hitting him again and again, each hit growing rough, harder, and never flattering. Blood seeped through the swelling whip marks, eyes watering, but never losing his strength for the next. With the last and hardest hit the pale man kneeled facing the boy, “a real man is not black,” he hissed spitting in his face before standing and walking back into the house. Pain overfilled the crippled boy, small tears staining his bruised cheeks. His mother, who was standing in the background, rushed over to her son. Her eyes bloodshot and fear shaking her skinny body. “I didn’t fall mother,” he smiled blood covered his white teeth. “You never do, Oakley,” she whispered kissing her sons forehead.

As the years painfully dragged on. Oakley Jayse’s life never got better it only got worse. His mother past away not long after his thirteenth birthday, leaving him to fend for himself and younger sister. They found work in the roughest places, they were homeless, lonely, and hungry. Oakley got into, started, or finished a fight every day. His sister was growing weaker and weaker as the days passed by. Without money to pay for food or shelter, she was left to die. She died in her brothers arms, small smile was painted on her lips as she looked up to her brother for the last time. Oakley’s tears fell upon his sister’s cold face as he held her. “I promise you I will never lose my strength or left another control me,” he whispered pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Oakley buried his sister next to their mother, he replaced the flowers on his mothers and added them to his sister’s. Oakley whispered his finally farewell before taking his leave. “Oy, n*****!” a deep raspy voice called. Green eyes looked over Oakley, nodding in approval. “I have a job for you,” the man said, mystery relevant in his eyes. As depressed as he was Oakley excepted the job. Following the man he lead them into town, down twisty dirt roads, till he stopped at a mansion. Oakley’s brown eyes grew large as he looked at the large house before him, chuckling the man lead him into the barn.

“Your job is to muck out the stables, feed and care for the animals. Your pay is food and a place to stay. Do you except?” he questioned Oakley. He graciously accepted. “You can start now,” he rasped leaving Oakley alone in the dark barn. Oakley quickly found the shovel and barrel. Scooping and plopping the manure into the barrel, he started singing. “Being in love and not loved back is like lying on grass and feeling needles,” he sang. A small creak of the wood made him stop and turn. There stood a girl, her blonde hair blowing in the wind, her bright blue eyes staring back, her demeanor uncertain.

“Hi,” she whispered her innocent voice filling Oakley’s ears. “Ramsey!” screamed a man. “Yes father!” she replied her eyes locked with Oakley’s before she turned and ran. Sighing Oakley smiled going back to work. He scooped, cared and feed the animals, and cleaned the barn till dusk covered the earth. “Not bad n*****,” a voice said starling Oakley. He stayed quite, eyes lowered afraid to make contact. “Your pay,” his Master said handing Oakley bread and meat. “Your bed is the floor of the barn.” Oakley nodded, “thank you Master” he whispered barely auditable. Taking his leave his Master exited the barn slamming the door behind him. Oakley shuttered, his over worked hands shaking as he held the food.

He slowly raised the small amount of food to his lips. Sniffing it his eyes fluttered shut. Before long he devoured the edible. Dusting off the crumbs from his lap he stood to prepare his bed. An old sack was laid on the ground, hay was bundled together for a pillow, another unused sack was draped over his muscular body. His dark brown eyes shut and darkness filled the cold barn. ‘N*****! N*****! Get up! Fight back you coward! Show the world how weak you are!’ screamed the pale man from his past. Whips and blood, curse words, tears, shouts and screams startled Oakley awake in a cold sweat.

His breathing was harsh as he tired calming himself. “You always were my little hero,” his mother’s voice said calmly. Finally composed enough Oakley closed his eyes a deep slumber taking over his tired body. When morning came Oakley woke early, feeding the horses, milking the cows, and grabbing the eggs from the hens. Thinking he placed the eggs in a basket and exited the barn. Walking to the mansion he set the basket down on the step going into the kitchen. The chilled February weather placing goose bumps upon his darkened arms. “Stable boy,” an innocent voice said from behind him.

Oakley turned and saw the beauty from the night before. “Miss Ramsey my apologizes,” he shyly stated stepping down bowing his head as he made his way past her to the barn. “Stable boy,” she stated again making Oakley stop. “Turn and face me. Don’t shy away from me,” Ramsey whispered walking closer to Oakley. His breathing hitched as her smell filled his nose. Slowly raising his head, their eyes instantly locking. As Ramsey moved closer to him she whispered, “teach me how to ride.” Oakley just nodded his head, eyes flickering from her blue ones to the snow covered ground.

Rushing back to the barn he straddled her horse. Grabbing the lead rope he met Ramsey in the training circle. She was dressed in her nicest riding gear, riding boots shiny. Oakley placed a small stepping stool besides the horse. She stepped, grabbing tightly a hold of Oakley’s hand. Her leg stretched and she was sat. Oakley placed her boots into the foot holder. He ordered her to grab the ropes. “Give her a gentle kick in the side,” he said hand holding the lead rope. “I don’t want to hurt her,” Ramsey said. “You won’t,” he simply said.

Ramsey gave the horse a gentle kick and she started moving. “Stable boy!” she shrieked. “We’re just moving slowly. Hold on Miss Ramsey,” Oakley said. Ramsey did as ordered and held on. Watching Oakley intently he led the horse around the circle. They walked till Ramsey felt like she was able. Oakley dropped the lead rope and she was off. “Just keep walking,” he said smiling. Ramsey looked at him and smiled. As they did a few more laps Oakley stopped the horse and helped Ramsey to the floor. “Thank you stable boy,” she thanked him. On her tip toes she kissed his cheek. “Meet here again tomorrow?” she asked. Nodding his head she left, looking back at him with glee glistening in her blue orbs.

They meet again that next morning, and they did for months, growing closer and closer. His love for her becoming deeper and deeper, as did hers. Oakley, not afraid to touch Ramsey, gently grabbed her small hand guiding her to the pond behind the mansion. As they neared the water Ramsey became tense, “Oakley I can’t swim” she honestly stated. Oakley laughed looking behind him. Her flawless face glowing as the light shone upon it, her blue eyes bright, her pink lips plumb and full. “We aren’t swimming Miss Ramsey.” She sighed it filled with relief. 

They stood before the glistening water reflecting on their faces. “Miss Ramsey,” he whispered gently taking both her hands in his, “for the first time I’ve found someone I hate leaving. I’ve found someone that I can’t get enough of. I’ve found someone that accepts me for who I am and doesn’t tell me I need to change. I think I’ve found someone who I can fall madly in love with.” He shyly stated eye contact full. Tears foamed at the base of her eyes, “Oakley,” she whispered letting the tears fall. “Miss Ramsey I think that I might be in love with you.” Ramsey wrapped her delicate arms around his muscular neck. Her hold tight as her lips brushed against his ear whispering, “I think I might feel the same stable boy.”

“Ramsey Mavis!” an old raspy voice screamed. “Get away from that n*****!” He screamed again charging at the happy couple. “Never touch my daughter again you, you n*****!” Pushing away Ramsey he punched Oakley square in the nose. He fell to the ground, blood dripping from his newly broken nose. Master began kicking at Oakley’s side, cursing as he went. “Get up!” he shouted. Too impatient he reached and tugged Oakley so he was standing on his feet. Another punch was flown at his stomach. Oakley hunched over the wind knocked out of him.
Master grabbed Oakley and dragged him to the front of the house. “Strip!” Master ordered fury firing in his black eyes. Oakley obeyed stripping himself of his rags, dropping them at his dirt covered feet. “Ramsey get the whip!” Master screamed at her never disconnecting his eyes from Oakley. Ramsey cried tears that flowed down her cheeks, and dripped to the dirt below her. “Now Ramsey! Go!” he screamed at her again, she ran into the house coming back, in her hands was the whip. She shakily handed it to her father eyes watching Oakley.

With hatred covering her father’s features he glared at Oakley before raising his hands and harshly hitting his back. Oakley’s scars reopening blood racing to the surface, spilling and dripping just as rapidly as the newly define whip. Furious words and actions repeated themselves as Master continued whipping him. “You are a piece of s***! A nothing! Worthless!” Master screamed voice getting horse. “Father stop! Your killing him!” Ramsey screamed unable to witness anymore. Father whipped Oakley once more before throwing the whip aside. He forced him to stand, facing him. “Fight back,” he hissed. Oakley, hunched and weak only stood were his feet planted themselves.
“Just as expected. Weak.” Master scold. Kicking Oakley to the ground he turned and faced his daughter. Her eyes widened with uneasiness has large hands forcefully gripped her arms, pulling her away from the scene of the crippled, naked, lifeless black. A low growl escaped from her father’s throat as they entered into the kitchen, a small flickering of a candle the only illuminated. He dragged her up the wooden stairs and into her small bedroom. Once Ramsey was sat in a chair her father lowered himself to her height, his lips nearing her ear as he whispered, “you are to pay for what you did to me.” With that he cruelly slapped her acrossed the face, a pink hand print imprinted on her check.

Two weeks pasted by languidly. No food, no water, no love, and no light was given to Ramsey in her depressed and dangerous want to see and touch Oakley. For days on end her imagination drove her crazy, horrid thoughts of him dead or broken making her anxiety grow and her heart beat quicken. A loud overdrawn out sigh released from dehydrated lips as her dried eyes shut. Oakley who was alive lay on the tattered sack, wincing and hissing at any movement. His thoughts were solemnly focused on Ramsey. Wondering if she was well or not. Night dusted the earth and Oakley was determined to see her. He forced himself to stand and walked out of the barn, his limping figure a dark shadow casted by the glow of the moon. He reached the base of her window, a pipe line ascending right to her slightly creaked window.

As Oakley began to climb his body weak and muscles growing tease. When he finally reached the window his large chocolate hand gripped the seal to pull him inside. Once fully inside his eyes wandered the four bare white walls, in search of Ramsey. Once brown orbs directed themselves in every corner they landed on a very skinny, very weak Ramsey perched lifeless on her bed. Oakley rushed over to her side, his chocolate hand interlacing with her pale one. “Oakley I’m so sorry,” she whispered after a quiet moment hushed over their frail builds. Oakley just coughed awkwardly; he looked at his beautiful Ramsey and simply stated, “If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn’t part of ourselves doesn’t disturb us.”

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she gently cupped his swollen face and pressed a kiss to his bloody lips. Oakley lay on his back next to Ramsey his hand never disconnecting from hers. She moved to press a very gentile kiss to his jaw before lying next to him again. His bruised arm wrapped around her waist, bringing her closer. “If I lay here. If I just lay here would you lay with me and forget the world. Forget what we’re told before we get too old. Show me a garden that’s bursted into life. All that I am. I’ll that I ever was is here in your perfect eyes. They’re all I can see. I don’t know where. Confused about how as well. Just know that these things will never change for us at all.” She whispered her free hand running through his knotted hair.

“I thought life was unfair until someone said, ‘life is fair because it is unfair to every person’” he laughed. “You have the strength to heal yourself, and you need to know that. We often think that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the strength in our minds. Claim and consciously use that strength,” Ramsey said. Tears began falling from Oakley’s sad brown eyes, letting them fall and wiping them away. “Miss Ramsey,” he whispered his rough hands gripping her soft ones. “Yes stable boy?” she whispered back bring his hand to her to her lips, she peppered kisses to his knuckles.

“I didn’t believe in myself until you revealed that deep inside me is something valuable, worth listening to, worthy of your trust, sacred to your touch.” He honestly stated pain eating away at him. Tears filing from her now duel eyes, “you always had it in you Oakley.” Ramsey said pressing one last kiss to his chocolate hand. “Miss Ramsey,” Oakley softly asked looking at her. “Yes stable boy?” she questioned.  Without a reply his lips meet hers in a harsh connection, sealing their words with a kiss.

The morning sunlight wounded its way to shine in both of their closed tired eyes. Ramsey awoke first, her small frame hugged tightly to Oakley’s bruised body. As she wiggled around his eyes fluttered open, bloodshot redness flowered through his black orbs. A small grimace escaped his swollen lips as he sat up. “Morning my love,” Ramsey whispered pressing a gentle kiss to his broken nose, “how are you?” she asked again in a whisper. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. “Very sore,” he replied kissing her plump lips.

They sat there heart beats rapid, blue eyes looking back and forth at brown eyes. Rough large hands intertwined with small soft hands. Chap bloody swollen lips pressed against dainty pink plump lips. No two persons fit better than Oakley and Ramsey. All the hateful people left forgotten, the feeling of loneliness gone, all that was relevant was the feeling of love, trust, and care, as they held each other. “I love you Miss Ramsey,” Oakley whispered a single tear falling. “And I love you Stable Boy,” Ramsey replied capturing the tear with the pad of her thumb. Oakley shifted before standing, his hand extending to Ramsey, helping her get on her feet. The wooden boards sent chills throughout her body as her toes touched the ground. They quickly and very quietly maneuvered around the room to the window. Oakley began to descend the pipe first, shortly after followed by Ramsey. Once they reached the dew coated grass they ran, never to return, never to look back. They escaped the hatred and they escaped the world.