Le Petite Terre

This story is set in the bayous of South Louisiana. The people who live here, the Cajuns, have always had a unique style of living. They see things that many others never understand. The Elders of the community, and the ones who had been Elders previously but had passed on to become the Spirits of the Bayou, help to make the lives of their brothers and sisters Bayous work harmoniously.

Of course, everyone in the story has passed the age of consent.

The landing at Le Petite Terre sits at the end of a road that runs out in the bayous surrounding Cochon Lake. From there, supply boats go out to rigs that litter the waters of the Gulf of Mexico like fallen leaves. The landing goes back an age or two when the people who lived out in the Bayous would come there for the things they needed. The people who lived in the bayous, the Cajuns, are a breed apart. They know the ways of the Bayous and what is there. They make their homes on small spots of dry land in the Bayous. These spots are like islands randomly scattered around. Some of the islands are large enough for a family to build homes. Over the years, these islands have seen many different uses. Smugglers and pirates might store their goods on one or another island. Other islands offered refuge to those who were accused of various crimes. Some of the other dry spots might be covered with alligators and other animals that live in the Bayous. Also, the islands offered privacy to those who might wish to follow the beliefs that were common in the lands that their forefathers came from.

Louie Broussard, or as everyone called him LB, and his Lady, Mlle Zula Mae, were the current proprietors of the store at the landing. Everyone understood they owned the landing, and if you wanted to use it and places nearby, well, you gave them their due. The folks who operated the supply boats knew that from the start. LB and his Lady were always happy to see the supply boats tie up to the dock and take on a load of supplies as crews came and went from the rig. A while back, when the black boats first tried coming into the bayou, LB sent word around that the people who ran the boats needed to talk with him. At first, LB and Zula Mae were ignored. Then, there was a horrible boating accident where one of the black boats hit something hidden below the surface of the water.

The boat exploded, killing everyone on it as a fire consumed the boat. Then, there was an unfortunate incident when a bridge leading out of the Bayou collapsed while a truck was going over it. Then, the Sheriff and several of his deputies met up with another black boat as they were unloading their cargo. Well, the outsiders who were working on the boat were welcomed into the parish's notorious prison. The prison did not need walls and fences as it is situated on one of the larger islands in the swamp. Hundreds of alligators supposedly surrounded the island. People don't escape from there. The word floated around that, in time, the people who operated the black boats came to an understanding with LB and his Lady.

The people who lived out in the Bayous thought that LB and Mlle Zula Mae had some mysterious powers. What, no one knew for sure. But they had an almost unexplainable way with things. LB and his Lady knew everyone in their corner of the world. Should bad luck fall on one of LB's people, help is always available. They always made sure that their people, the people who lived on the water, were protected and taken care of.

The good Father Jean-Pierre, whose family had lived in the nearby city for generations, understood these folkways. Yes, the people around the landing would always attend Mass when he came there. Father Jean-Pierre had heard the rumors that had floated around for years that people would gather somewhere out in the bayou now and then. But what happened when they gathered was always open to speculation, tall tales, and wild rumors.

Occasionally, LB passed the word that his lady, Mlle Zula Mae, needed to get away from the landing and everything there. Shortly after that got in the wind, they would leave in their pirogue, usually on a dark, moonless night. If someone happened to see them, head out. They might be able to see them for a few moments until they disappeared into the mists that filled the Bayou at night.

No one knew who the elders were, but LB and Zula Mae were thought to be one of the elders in the community. Now and then, it was said, the elders would gather on one of the more remote and hidden islands in the Bayou. Here, they might discuss what they were seeing where they lived and decide on moving forward. The elders might talk about outsiders who had come into the Bayou and what should be done about them.

Among the other duties the elders had assumed over time was matching together a new couple. Often, the couple needed to be made aware of each other. Yes, they might vaguely know of each other as people who live in a small community know others. With the blessings of the elders and help from the spirits who filled the Bayous, the couple would discover each other and be drawn together. With this, Claude, a strapping young man who knew the ways of the Bayou but was somewhat shy, was to be matched. Several girls were considered and set aside for one or another reason. The elders decided that Marcelle would be an excellent choice.

After all, she came from a solid family. A few of the elders expressed that Marcelle did not appreciate what her place was. She would let her mouth run away from her. At first, it was thought that Claude would have his hands full to get Marcelle to understand and appreciate her place. The elders saw in Claude an inner strength that he did not know he possessed. Their thinking was that by matching him to Marcelle. He would discover that facet he did not think he had. And Marcelle would become the woman who would always support her man.

Yes, the elders had seen this before when a willful woman was placed with a reflective man. Wearing a bit of a grin, Zula Mae reminded her fellow elders of the time when a newly matched pair was at the landing. The young woman took exception to something she had been told and began running her mouth off. The man, who was in many ways very similar to Claude, picked his woman up off the dock and tossed her into the Bayou. When her head appeared, her tirade only worsened. After that, her man jumped into the bayou, pushed her head under the water, and held her there for a few moments.

Then he pulled her head up and softly told her that she would learn her place or she would go back under the water. Zula Mae's retelling of the story brought out a few chuckles and many smiles. Going on, Zula Mae reminded the assembled elders that the woman had learned her place, and now she happily supports her man. The elders recalled that spectacle. Someone commented that, of late, things had been very quiet. Perhaps Marcelle might treat the community to a similar show in the near future. That comment got a few chuckles as Zula Mae reached over and once again took LB's hand in hers while smiling at her man.

The word was passed around that the men who bought the hides of animals that hunters had taken would be coming to the landing after the next new moon passed. Hearing that, the menfolk began to take down the nutria and alligator hides that had been drying since the last time the buyer came and began to clean them. Everyone knew how important the buyer coming was to the folks who lived along the Bayous. A good market would give a household needed supplies and sturdy cloth for la madame to make new clothes for the family. The young folks knew that sooner or later, the Elders would make suggestions on who might be paired with whom.

At the market, the youngsters might experience a feeling of who they were paired with. It happens, not often, but it does happen that a youngster would object to a pairing. They would find themselves taken by their family to the bridge that ran into town and left there. Both Claude and Marcelle were well aware of the customs. As Claude was getting back in his pirogue as he was leaving the market, his eyes happened to fall on Marcelle, and he politely nodded at her. At first, Marcelle smiled lightly and then lowered her head as expected. Then she looked up and turned away from Claude. Zula Mae saw this play out, which got her to smile as she thought to herself, time will tell. She knew that in a few weeks, there would be Faire la Fete, which was a feast for everyone who lived in the bayous. That would be when Marcelle would be claimed. Of course, Claude and Marcelle's father had to talk first.

Claude occasionally went to the landing to get ammunition for his rifle. As Claude was getting ready to leave the store at the landing, Marcelle's father happened to walk in. When the two men saw each other, they smiled, and then Claude indicated that he would like to talk with the older man. The older man knew what Claude wanted to talk about. He had felt the changes that occurred when Marcelle and Claude saw each other at the landing. He knew that the elders had paired the two young people. The elders pairing a couple was the way things were done in their community. No one knew who the elders were, but there was no question that the elders held sway over the community. People would swear they felt something that the elders deemed necessary. Everyone knew the elders, and their spirits were not to be denied.

On his way to his place, Claude stopped at his parents' home. No sooner had he gotten out of his pirogue than his parents walked up to him. Both of them had seen their son and Marcelle at the landing when the buyer was there. Even a blind man would have seen as clear as day that the elders had paired the two of them together. Claude began to tell his folks about seeing Marcelle's dad at the landing earlier in the day. It took his mom just a quick second to know where this was headed. Knowing that, she exploded. The way his place looked was not acceptable, so she went on to list each and everything she knew that just had to be fixed. In closing, Claude was told in no uncertain terms that she, his dad, brother, and his sisters would be there next week to begin making the place presentable for his woman. His family spent three days making Claude's place presentable for Marcelle's arrival, and finally, momma was happy. Claude was told in no uncertain terms that he was to keep the place just as they were leaving it. If he didn't, he would have to answer to her.

The evening after Claude and Marcelle's father had spoken, both of Marcelle's parents went to the vegetable garden behind their cabin, as they would quite often. They both knew the ways of the Bayou, knowing that and having seen Claude and Marcelle at the landing. It was understood that Claude would take Marcelle home with him at the upcoming Faire la Fete. Momma knew that she was to tell her daughter what was to be. Mother and daughter had talked about this before. This conversation would be different. The pairing had been made. Marcelle was to go with Claude. There would be no discussion. Claude was known in the community as a good man. He was seen as a quiet man of few words. Marcelle had a reputation for freely and openly expressing her opinion.

The next morning, as Marcelle was doing her chores, cleaning out the chicken coop and gathering the eggs the chickens had laid when her mother went outside looking for Marcelle. When she saw her mother, she knew without her mother saying a word what was to be. Marcelle knew her options. Go with the man the elders had paired her with, who she knew in her heart was Claude. Or she would go to the bridge. A few people every year chose to walk away from the bayous and the way of life everyone here knew. When a person left, it was as though they had never existed. All of their possessions were burned, and the ashes were scattered on the water. A rumor had it that some of the people who went to the bridge were able to make their way to Father Jean-Pierre's house. There, they were able to get shelter and help to build a new life. This idea lingered in her mind all day as she did the chores that were a part of her life.

The family gathered together for the evening meal. Usually, Marcelle was in the middle of everything going on around the fire as the meal was prepared. But not this day. She was strangely silent, sitting apart from everyone and watching the water flow in the bayou. After supper, she went to where her things were kept. In her things was a scrap of cloth that had been cut from the dress her Grandmother was wearing when she died. Marcelle thought that her Grandmother was the most wonderful person she had ever met. When they had sat together, Marcelle felt at ease, at peace.

Standing there now, Marcelle could almost hear the voice of her Grandmother. She was telling her that Claude is a good man. A man who would always provide for her and look after her and their unborn children. Much as her father watched over her mother and the family. Marcelle saw that Claude was always destined to be her only man. She would proudly carry his children and make a home for all of them together. Feeling this, she put aside any thought of going to the bridge. Standing there holding this small piece of cloth gave her a sense of peace she had never known before. In the morning, she went to her mother and asked for help putting her things in order so she could take them with her to Claude's home. The home that they would make together.

When the time came for the Faire la Fete, Claude was one of the first people to arrive. He helped set everything up. As usual, Zula Mae and LB had arranged to have several zydeco bands there to get everyone up and dancing. By mid-day, it looked like everyone who lived out in the bayou was here. The old saying, Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler, was the rule of the day. Claude had found a spot where he could stand in the back of the crowd and take in everything. He kept looking here and there, hoping, wanting to find Marcelle in the crowd. But she wasn't to be seen anywhere. Then he felt her standing next to him, looking up and smiling. Wordlessly, the two of them made their way to where Claude had tied up his pirogue. As Marcelle stepped in, Claude saw a bundle in front of where she would sit. When she was settled in her seat, Claude picked up the paddle and began the trip to their home.

Claude felt a hand that took him to choose a way to what would be their home. The way he was directed to take would not take them past his parents' place. It took a little longer for them to get to their home. On the way there, they did not share a word. The sounds of the bayou filled their ears as the spirits of the elders guided them. Marcelle had never been to Claude's cabin before, but as they glided up to it, she smiled, thinking to herself that this place would be a loving home. Claude hopped out of the pirogue and then tied it off to a small tree close to the water's edge in front of their home. Then, he reached out to take Marcelle's hand to help her get onto the landing safely. The feeling of holding her hand hit him like a thunderbolt. Seeing his woman on there, he reached back in the pirogue and picked up the bundle that had been at her feet.

As Marcelle walked up toward the cabin, she saw that the fire in front of their new home needed to have some more wood on it. It was as if the spirits directed her to add a few pieces of wood to the fire, then turned to see where Claude was. He was walking toward her, carefully carrying her things in his hands. Together, they walked towards the cabin. Claude took Marcelle's things into the cabin and put the bundle down on the table there. Then he went back outside to find Marcelle sitting on the porch. Seeing that, he sat down next to her. Neither one of them said a word, but their hands were wrapped together as they sat there listening to the songs of the bayou. In time, Claude reached over to give Marcelle a hug, which she welcomed with a soft purr as she buried her head on her man's shoulder. The spirits guided them. They stood up together, walked inside hand in hand, and made their way to the bed.

As they came up to the bed, the spirits directed them to undress and lie down next to each other. This was the first time either of them had ever been in bed with anyone else. Knowing this, the spirits directed them. Once they were lying down, their hands wrapped around the other's hand. In time, Marcelle rolled over and put her head on Claude's shoulder. One of her hands reached over to rest on his other shoulder as her leg snaked across his waist to wrap her man inside a warm, loving hug. Laying together, they became one. Claude's hand slipped along Marcelle's shoulders and her back. Which made her let loose a soft kitten like purr as she pulled herself closer to her man. Claude's other hand reached down and began to pet her exposed breast while discovering the rigid nipple lightly. Marcelle responded by shuddering, then her hand reached up and took her man's hand. Guiding him around her offered breast. Getting him to pinch the rigid nipple led her to cry out. As Marcelle rolled over on her back, her warm eyes danced over the man that the spirits had sent her. She knew that truly he was the one who would always be her man.

Once more, she took her man's hand in hers and moved their hands into the forest between her open legs. With Marcelle's direction, his hand slid over the damp lips there. Then he pressed his fingers against the hard nub hidden there. Marcelle was arching her back up to give of herself to her man as she called out. As if the spirits decided, Claude moved around on the bed and found his way between her open knees. Then taking his hard cock in his hand, he slapped his woman's damp open lips. Then slipped the head just inside the open lips, staying still a moment. Then, pull back slightly and move forward again. This time, Marcelle thrust her hips forward to capture her man as she gave herself to the man the elders had knowingly sent. As she did this, Claude drove deeply into the warm place she had prepared for them. At first, there was a short, sharp cry from her. Then she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as she gave herself totally to this man who had claimed her as his.

With the sun rising on a new day, Marcelle moved about next to her man on their bed. It was then that she felt a peace that she had never known as if the spirits of the elders were opening new doors and leading to undiscovered paths for them to follow. She knew that she was his woman and that he was her man. If another woman looked toward her man, wanting to tempt him, she knew that she would rip that woman's eyes out of her head, for Claude was her man. And she was his woman. And the spirits told Marcelle that they would always lie together until