Finding the Way

“Now, jus hole on a minute,” said Abe, pushing roughly around the horse. “He’s not goin’ anywheres till Ah look in his wagon.”

“It’s not working,” I whispered, starting to panic. “Thee must distract them and I’ll go around to the wagon and get the runaways out.” 

“Distract them?” Ben asked. “How?”

“Thee will figure out something,” I said as I heard the blacksmith urging Abe to forget about the search and instead bring him his horse.

I moved quickly but quietly out into the cold. Why, oh why hadn’t I gone to the wagon to warn them the minute we got here? Big huge snowflakes were falling steadily from the sky. I stopped. A hawk was perched on the edge of the wagon. It looked at me, then flew away. I jogged around to the edge of the wagon and saw there was some sort of canvas covering the bed. A feather laid on top. I remembered the hawk feather from the thunderstorm, and quickly grabbed it and slipped it into my pocket. The coincidence was strange and I felt a foreboding mix of fear and excitement.

The canvas was tied tightly, and I struggled to undo the thongs that held it in place.

“Mandy!  Isaiah!  Get out!” I whispered as loudly as I dared. I struggled with the leather ties, but they were frozen tightly in the icy rain. “The slave catcher is here. I can’t get this undone!” Finally one came loose. I pulled the corner off and saw the people huddled together for warmth.

“Angelina?” Mandy asked. “Wass the matter?”

“Get out! Run! They’re going to find you!”

Mandy slipped out, and the baby began to cry. I heard a door bang.

Suddenly the slave catcher was upon us, and before I could make a move, he grabbed Mandy and threw her to the ground. Putting one foot roughly on her chest, he immobilized her, then reached over to the wagon and, with a strength that surprised even me, tore off the covering. In the faint light from the barn, Belinda and Isaiah’s faces were ashy gray with fear. Baby Sestina wailed. Abe Lambden’s ugly face turned towards me, flushed with victory.

He wasn’t much taller than I was, and standing with one foot on Mandy made him unbalanced as he attempted to pull Belinda and Isaiah from the wagon.

I rubbed Ruth’s ring and pleaded to God as I jumped on the slave catcher and tried to knock him down, away from Mandy. 

Please, please don’t let them get hurt. Let them get away. I just want this to end. 

I heard Ben’s voice shouting, then something heavy hit me and I suddenly felt as if I were being pulled backwards. Silence enveloped me.