Under the Honey Colored Sky

Due South

Honey Jensen hurriedly stepped off the train, head ducked to avoid any unwanted attention as she nervously gripped her suitcase. It was the one item that she'd brought alone with her: a single piece of luggage that contains everything important to her. The large case was practically her life: her most prized possessions were stuffed inside, snuggly kept beneath her clothes.

People carelessly bumped into her, tossing her this way and that way. The platform was slightly crowded and Honey had to fight the herd just to get away. It was crazy and hectic and loud: something completely unnatural for her. She was now in an unfamiliar part of the world that could either make or break her.

In the middle of May, in the year of 1872, the sun was high and blazing. Slavery had only just ended in the South and new opportunities for African Americans were now popping up. From a broad perspective, this was great news. However, there were still many prevalent racial issues — this she knew very well.

Though Honey had never really experienced it in a brutal or harsh way, she acknowledged that she was no longer in the world she grew up in. This world was one where people who had her skin color were not very liked and there was nothing she could do about it except mentally prepared herself as best she could.

Growing up in the north, she was free and safe for the most part. There had been a few incidents but nothing too serious. Her life was pretty normal, if not bland. Her days were usually spent working long hours in the diner down the street from her house. She, unfortunately, did not have very many friends, just a few girl friends. However, what she lacked in that department was made up — in abundance — by her wonderful family.

The small tree consisted of three people total: Honey, her grandmother: Rosetta, and her baby sister: Hazel. They all lived together in nice two-bedroom house which was more than enough for them.

Although they were small in number, their love and happiness was large. The three of them were closer than close and happy regardless of what barriers came their way.

However, one barrier was a little trickier for them to get over. The root of all problems: money. Slowly but surely, it began to put a huge strain on them. With Rosetta being too old and slightly disabled, Honey was the only worker in the house. It was rough and a little stressful but they managed; until the income was no longer sufficient for the family.

Honey's little sister Hazel was no long a baby. Each day, she grew more and more; and with her growth came the more needs. Yet their one source of income wasn't growing along with her. It was started affecting them both mentally and financially.

Before it got too bad, Honey came up with a plan: an idea. A wild, crazy, idiotic idea but it was something nonetheless. So on her nineteenth birthday, just a couple of weeks ago, she revealed her plan: she would be go to the south in hopes of earning money that she could send back to her small family. She was set on it no matter who tried to convince her otherwise.