Juneteenth by Ralph Ellison

Aaaaaaaayeeeee. ! It ripped his ears in a rising curve, choked and bubbling like the shout of a convert who had started screaming while Daddy Hickman was still raising his head from beneath the baptismal waters. Aaaaaaaaayeeeeee! and he could feel it coming in sharp, shrill bursts but the redheaded woman was holding him so fiercely that he could not tell if they came from her heaving body or his own. Arms and hands were flying and he was plunging toward the coffin, catching sight of Teddy sprawled in the sawdust-only to be snatched up again, feeling a pain burning its way straight up his back as she screamed He's mine! He's-her head snapping back and the scream becoming the sound of Daddy Hickman's trombone and he saw the white sleeve of a tall sister's arm flash red, hearing, "Y'all leave her to me now," and thinking Blood as they whirled him around and her arms tightening and thinking That's flying bloody blare of horn she's bleeding-feeling himself being ripped completely away from her now, the sisters with faces hard and masklike coming on and twisting him from her arms like a lamb bone popped out of its socket, holding him kicking high and passing him between them as he looked wildly for the flowing blood. .

Catch him! someone shouted, and he then felt himself hanging by his heels and they were grabbing and slapping him across his burning back, lifting, and his head came up into a confusion of voices, hearing, Here, let me take him. Let's get the poor child out of here, seeing Sister Wilhite and another sister was saying Better give him to Sister Mary, holding her broad hand against his stomach, Sister Mary's home, she's got kids of her own, and another voice saying, No, she's too crowded and lives too close to here. . and Then who? Sister Wilhite was saying and long smooth fingers were reaching for him saying, Me, Sister Wilhite, let me have him and Sister Wilhite looking intensely at the young woman, her eyes sparkling, You? and the smooth Elberta peach brown face with curly hair covering her ears saying, Let me, Sister Wilhite, I live far and I got no husband and I know my way through these woods like a rabbit. . And Sister Wilhite turning her head, saying, What you all think? and he tried to open his mouth but she shook him-Hush, Revern' Bliss-and someone said, She's right. Give him to Sister Georgia, only get him out of here. And he was leaning forward, hearing Sister Wilhite's Here, sister, take him, and he began again, I want Daddy Hickman, and Sister Wilhite saying, And you hurry. He was being handed over once more and he said, I want Daddy Hickman, hearing, Hush Revern' Bliss, honey, in the hot blast of Sister Georgia's breath against his cheek. You're going with me 'cause this ain't no place for you to be-not right now it ain't. Then she turned and he caught sight of Daddy Hickman climbing down from the platform. Then he recognized the little slant-shouldered sister's deep voice-Will y'all sisters get out of the woman's way? she said-and the others were pushing and shoving and Sister Georgia was pushing him against them and the little sister said with her head on Sister Georgia's shoulder Go with the speed of angels, love. Madame Herod done come, Mister Herod be coming soon; the snake! So take that child and let 'em diga my grave. .