Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
This is the Wakefield Doctrine’s contribution to the Six Sentence Story bloghop.
Hosted by Denise, there is one rule: Six (no more, no less) Sentenceses to the story
This is one of a series of Six Sentence Stories we’ve written based in the all-too-unfortunate reality of Parchman Farms. Links here and here
(In case you’re having trouble with suspending disbelief, here’s the wikipedia page.)
Prompt word:
LEASE
Sundays were the only day the inmates did not spend in the fields of Parchman Farms; that religion held sway over the lives of the men of Camp 8 one need only watch as they walked up the road towards the small white chapel with their escort: horsemen with rifles riding, groomsmen for a ceremony that celebrated irony as they endured the sermons of deliverance while wearing iron shackles.
The morning’s heat served to offer an involuntary baptism to the newest prisoners; as was the case of most things in their new life, the prisoners were expected to provide the water for the sacrament, as the man in black told them that they could be saved.
Severn Tigue, a name that made his life tough and his disposition tougher, leaned towards the old man who sat with the practiced balance of the aged on the rough-sawn pew to his right.
“You think, if I went to the Preacher and told him I’d surrender to the Lord, I might get an early release?”
The smile on Elias’ face, the one language beyond the reach of the Warden was, but for a flash of white in the ebony crags and folds of the old man’s face, spoke volumes.
“Your soul might belong to Jesus, but Boss Roscoe, he holds a lease on your body and there ain’t no skippin’ out on the rent.”
About clarkscottroger
He might as well let Boss Roscoe have his body.
I like how the sweat off their bodies could provide the water for their baptisms.
thanks Frank
Very fitting story for Holy week.
Thank you
Ah, how people misunderstand grace, often and especially those in the pulpit.
yes ’em
If he behaved well, maybe he could get some sort of parole?
too valuable (to the State) as a worker
That was really interesting, Clark. Good tale, great music, and I even looked at Wikipedia, and then suddenly I remembered you have done something before, and there it was. Excellent!
yeah, it’s been a while since writing a Parchman Six… stumbled across the song while driving and, as sometimes happens (when we’re lucky) the song triggered the rest in my head!
go figure
Nicely done! That last line is heaven.
thanks, V
The confession may not be of much interest after the conviction.
unfortunately too true
What a god-forsaken, soul-destroying place.
this is true (why I thought the Wikipedia link would be appreciated… not hyperbole on the author’s part)
this was interesting
thanks~
Well, I’ve learned something today thanks to your tale and the Wiki link!
yw
Sadly, seems quite timely. Very rich historical fiction!
thanks, Liz