The ground was hard. It was like they were digging on a rock. Emma’s entire face was slick with sweat and her blouse was stuck to her body like second skin. The big skirt she was wearing trapped all the heat inside, literally boiling her legs. She could feel the sweat rolling down her legs. Her skin was aching from being under too much direct sunlight, without any sunscreen to protect it. Emma was tired but she continued to lift the hoe up and bring it down with as much force as she could muster.
Andrea and another woman were seated under the shade of a tree in the middle of the strip of land. They had a large jar of water and snacks which they eating while talking and laughing. Emma’s throat was parched and she needed water but Andrea had said they wouldn’t be getting any until the work was done. Emma and her colleagues had no choice but to continue working under the terrible conditions.
Suddenly, Emma felt a hit on her back. She nearly rammed into her hoe as she fell over. She looked up and saw a fuming Alison standing over her.
“This is all your fault,” Alison said.
“I said I was sorry a hundred times,” Emma said and tried to stand up but Alison wasn’t having it. She went down and started raining punches on Emma who lay on her back and tried to defend herself. She managed to hit Alison on her stomach a few times but the punches were so weak Alison didn’t seem to be minding. Alison, on the other hand seemed to be having a lot of strength. She continued hitting Emma. Emma did whatever she could but Alison was stronger than her.
“Hit her, hit her…” Andrea and her friend chanted as they stood up to watch the fight.
“Stop it,” Emma yelled but Alison was consumed by anger that made her unable to listen to listen to reason. Suddenly, Alison was pulled off Emma. Emma was relieved to see the person who had pulled the blonde away. It was Richard.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Alison asked. “Why are you always defending her? Why can’t she get punished for what she has done to us?”
“Do you want to kill her or what?” Richard asked. “If you do, what will happen? Do you think we shall be freed because of that?”
“No, I don’t. I don’t want to kill her. That would be too merciful. I want to release all the rage I feel towards her. If it wasn’t for her, we would have left and not got caught. I’m so tired of suffering like this. I wasn’t born for this kind of work. This is un fair.” By that time Alison was screaming and crying. “I hate you all. I hate everything. This stupid pack sucks!”
Emma stood up. “You could have left on the day Tommy died. Why didn’t you leave? It was your choice to stay because others were staying. I did not force you to stay with me. You could have left but decided to stay.”
Alison shook her head, twisting her face. “I can’t believe it. You’re an ungrateful piece of sh1t. Why Tommy would be with someone like you is what I can’t understand. He was such a great guy but you, you are vile and toxic. I can’t believe I let these guys talk me into staying. Poor tommy. Although he is dead, he must be happier. At least he is away from you.”
Emma had had it with the woman. She stepped forward and slapped her. Alison slapped Emma. Emma slapped her again. Before it could turn into a slapping competition, Richard pulled Emma away. “You two have gone completely crazy.”
Andrea chuckled. She had come to watch the fight. “He is right,” she said. “And as much as I enjoy you two fighting each other, the work needs to be completed. You have to dig this whole strip and if you keep fighting, you may never finish it before dark. Get to working, all of you.”
Before leaving, Alison managed to shove Emma and ran off. Emma shook her head and turned to grab her hoe. Richard went back to his position and the work continued. Although she was feeling pain, Emma was glad that the interruption had happened.
She understood why Alison was mad. Alison was right to feel the way she did. Had Emma been in Alison’s position, she knew that she would have blamed her for everything too. Emma hadn’t meant to sound so ungrateful but she had said whatever came to her mind in the heat of the moment.
Andrea went back to her friend and they resumed their chatter and laughter. For an hour, Emma struggled with the work while the midday sun scorched her. She couldn’t wait for lunch time. Towards their break, Andrea came to where she was. She glanced at the part Emma had worked in with disapproval written on her face. Emma tried to ignore her and started to dig faster.
However, Andrea’s mission was to infuriate Emma as much as she could.
“You’re not doing it well,” she said. “I think you’ll have to repeat your part tomorrow. This soil needs to be loose and soft. The rains are about to start and we don’t want to have to work on it again before the planting starts. Do the work like you love it.”
Emma didn’t react to her words. She just continued to ignore the woman and worked as fast as she could. Andrea stood there with a smirk on her face. Emma glanced at her and continued to dig. She was so angry and had decided to use the act of digging as an outlet. So far it was working.
She heard Andrea’s footsteps and could tell that the woman was coming towards her. Emma sighed. Suddenly, Andrea grabbed her shoulder. Emma let go of the hoe which was done.
“What the hell do you want now?” she asked.
“I want to play,” Andrea said and slapped Emma.
“Stop it!”
Emma’s lips parted as she turned her head to look at the person who had spoken. It was Richard. Emma glanced at Andrea’s face. The woman’s face was red and she looked extremely furious. Emma braced herself for what was about to come next.