A Swamp Girl: Tish
1904
A clear Lake surrounded by a grassy plain separated two forests that bordered the east side of the small bustling town of Crawling Rock, Louisiana. About a mile from town lived a poor white community and further on, in the depths of the marsh settled creoles and those of African descent. The latter of those people held different forms of ethics most of which intimated the American born.
Despite their differences, the townspeople dubbed them both less. Most of those countrified folks, whites, blacks, and French settlers, worked the rich farmland that occupied where the marsh turned into fertile ground. The people of the marsh governed themselves but stayed separated by race. They were country people living the simple lives their ancestors had possessed.
Busy as a bee, swamp native, Tish Tracy waltzed along a dirt path, picking berries along the way to her house. She plucked the ripe ones, popping a few overly ripe berries into her mouth. A navy hue that mimicked the dark coal liner around her eyes stained her plump lips. She hummed a church hymn and stepped to the next bush reaching up to yank at its branches. The berries tumbled in droves to the bucket below.
Tish dropped down to retrieve the few that had fallen to the earth. Her dress inched up, revealing two tanned asscheeks. She became startled when she felt two large warm hands gather around her plump rear.
Squawking in surprise, she shot up in a panic to confront her attacker. Her tender heart eased when she recognized Pip Jones standing tall with a smirk.
"You nearly scared me to death!" Tish yelped, placing her hand on her heart.
Pip gave a small chuckle before he sounded with a profound southern drawl, "You can't be bending over like that and showing your bottom to anyone who passes through."
"I-I didn't mean to. I was just..." Ashamed, Tish looked nervously toward the bucket.
"You were what? Trying to lure a man?"
"No," Tish shook her head, swaying her curls from her cheeks, "No sir."
Pip hadn't laid eyes on her for at least a few weeks, but she seemed to have blossomed in the short time.
Tish and his sister, Mae had been friends since they were girls. Pip remembered playing childish games with them before coming of age. Now that both girls were women, he saw less and less of her.
Pip lowered his eyes to peer down her frame. Tish was a beauty and a sight of marvel in the dull poverty-stricken region outside Crawling Rock, Louisiana. She was fair-skinned with long gloaming hair that reached her sloping hips. She was barely 5 feet of perfection with a stacked body that pulled one's eyes to each perky breast on her chest. Her slim frame racked around her full hips, slanting at a degree, and halted around her toned thighs.
Unaware of her temptation, Tish still highlighted her curves in tight youthful focks. She didn't understand that her figure was stunning to the eye and she was weary as he stepped up closing the secure gap between them.
Pip was older than her at 24 but he held a boyish charm. His long blonde hair slightly hung down his nape and cut short across the top. Although he was the smallest of four brothers, he towered over her with authority.
"What are you doing out here by your lonesome?" Pip asked with a smirk.
"My mama, sent me out here to pick berries, sir."
"Have you been picking those berries or eating them?" Pip asked, pressing his finger to her stained lips.
He gently brushed them causing her bottom lip to quiver.
"I-I like them," she mumbled.
"Are they sweet?"
Tish nodded.
"Can I get a taste?"
Puzzled, Tish looked toward the bucket but braced herself as he slowly dragged in. Her sheepish mind thought of his violent reputation and she wondered if he would harm her
"W-what, what are you doing on this side?" Tish questioned nudging her dress around her thighs.
"Hunting."
"Oh," Tish sighed in relief, "What kinda animal are you hunting?"
"No, no animals. I'm hunting pretty little girls." Pip chuckled, reaching out to pinch her cheek, "I guess I found me one."
Caught off guard, Tish blushed and shook her head, "You just come out here to scare me."
"I ain't scared you none." he laughed, spreading his touch down around her jaw, "Your mama's a voodoo witch. I know you ain't scared of nothing."
"If you scare me again, I am going to tell my mama." Tish taunted him with a smile.
"Now why would you go do something so drastic like that?" Pip winked, rending up her dress and exposing her bare ass.
Tish was stunned by his touch. Her mouth dropped when his palms spread smooth over each firm cheek.
"You scared of me, girl?"
With butterflies soaring in her gut, Tish nodded.
"Would it help if I apologized?"
Tish shrugged and bit her lip awaiting his apology. Her heart skipped a beat when he shifted closer and hunched down to her level.
Pip was handsome with a crystal blue gaze that contrasted her light brown eyes. She searched his lustful sights and drew a ragged breath as his fingers clawed at one of her buttcheeks, rendering her dumbfounded.
"I'm so sorry I unnerved you, pretty girl," Pip beamed at her tanned awed expression, "I bet you could keep a secret from that all-knowing mama of yours, can't you?"
Tish nodded with curiosity and asked, "What kinda secret?"
"Um, I don't know. Maybe a family across the way has a son that's got a crush on a cute little swamp girl."
Tish beamed with excitement and could hardly believe her ears, "You like me, Pip?"
"I ain't say no such thing," he smiled pressing his finger against his lips, "Something like that could get you and me in trouble. Especially if I planned to kiss you."
"I ain't never been kissed before."
"I find that hard to believe."
"I won't tell anybody." Tish bit her lip.