Taterskin & The Eco Defenders: Book 2, Chapter 14
Book 2 ("Tell It to Future Generations"), Chapter 14 of 56
CHAPTER 14
“It must be witchcraft!” someone in the crowd yelled. There were numerous shouts of agreement with that assumption, but Jefferson scoffed at the idea. In some ways, he was more intelligent than his cronies. That’s why he was their leader, I guess; those less cranially endowed were at least insightful enough to realize that.
“You are definitely a talented and unusual bunch, I’ll grant you that,” Jefferson said, “But we’re gonna do what we’re gonna do, regardless of what you say.”
“We have a proposition for you,” Albert said.
“I’m listening,” said Jefferson, crossing his arms and looking down at us. “But be quick about it.”
Albert then explained to him his idea to have a single representative from each side of the conflict work out their differences, thus saving time, money, and most importantly, the lives of all those who would otherwise have to die at Antietam, Vicksburg, Gettysburg and seemingly countless other fields of slaughter.
No matter how persuasive or insistent we were, though, Jefferson and his confederates would simply not listen. They believed they were within their rights to keep their slaves, and thought they would quickly and easily win a war against the ‘soft’ northerners, especially because God was on their side (so they thought).
Since they wouldn’t listen to reason, Albert and Alexis told them what would happen if they refused to reconsider (we always gave fair warning first): Even if we didn’t intervene, they would lose the war. But we would intervene, and they would probably like the results of our intervention even less than simply ultimately losing the war after four years of false hopes, dashed dreams, and misery.
“Yeah?” Jefferson said incredulously. “What do you think you’re going to be able to do, with your ragtag bunch?”
This caused Rory and Stripes to exhibit their most impressive roars and growls. On hearing those, Charleston’s best and brightest (and the others present) unconsciously took a step or two back.
“As we already demonstrated,” Albert said, “We can communicate with animals — and not only the Horses, Donkeys, and Mules that you are willing to have die by the millions in this war you are dead set on waging, but Wolves, Alligators, Snakes, and various types of Spiders. And all the others. We will combine forces and easily defeat you.”
“Easily?!? Humans against animals?!? You don’t stand a chance against us. We kill animals all the time.”
“We know. And that’s why we won’t pull any punches, so to speak, when we attack you,” Alexis said. “Are you aware that animals outnumber humans a billion to one?”
“I don’t believe it,” Jefferson scoffed, making a dismissive gesture with his hand.
“That doesn’t change facts. Would you like me to prove it?”
“What do you mean? How could you prove it?”
“The McLeod Plantation is near here, right?”
“Yes, everybody knows that.”
“We will meet you there tomorrow at dawn. We will take over the plantation and free the slaves. Those slaves — then emancipated — will be given the mansion, and the owners will be invited to live in the slave quarters.”
“What?!? They would never stoop to living in those ramshackle cabins! That would be beneath their dignity as Southern Gentlemen and Belles!”
“It’ll be either that or vacate the premises altogether. They will be free to leave — and if they absquatulate, they will not be hounded (no pun intended) up hill and down dale and into the swamps, as is your wont to do when slaves try to flee the oppression they suffer — but, if they want to stay, their place will be in those quarters. And if they want to eat, they will have to work — doing the same work they are now forcing the slaves to do.”
“You’ve got a deal!” Jefferson spluttered, gnashing his teeth. “We will see you there tomorrow at sunup.”
We knew that the Southerners were going to show up with a large and well-armed group. But Albert had a trick or two up his sleeve, too.
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