Miss Morgan

One

Spring 1877

-Arthur-

"Come on, kid. Quit playin' in the dirt." I drag my younger sister by her tiny hand along behind me. "We have to keep movin'." Apparently dirt is much more appealing to a two year old than finding food and shelter.

We've been walking down this path all day without a single sign of anyone else around. I know there was a town on the map I saw yesterday, but I have yet to find it. I see the shadows stretching further to the east and the longer they get, the less certain I am that we're on the right path.

I could have left Ivy behind, left her with some nice couple that would have taken her in and given her a chance at a nice life. I could have gotten wherever I'm going much faster without dragging a cranky kid the whole way, but I couldn't do it. Couldn't bring myself to abandon her. Poor girl just lost our momma, only after losing our father last summer, I'm all she has left.

If I'm being honest with myself, I guess she's all I have left too.

There's a big age difference between Ivy and I, but I had to grow up fast. I didn't get an education because I had to help out around the house in order to survive. If I didn't work, I didn't eat.

Ivy lets out a whimper. "No more walk." She protests, her bottom lip jutting out in a pout.

"You just gonna sleep out here then? Or you wanna eat?" I grumble. I don't mean to take my frustration out on her but I'm exhausted and hungry and trying to keep us both alive is hard.

I pull my sister onto my back and carry her. She's light so it's not hard to carry her, but as the hours go on and the evening sun begins to set, 30 pounds begins to feel like 300. Thankfully the weather ain't too bad or all this walking would be much worse. The sun is warm, but the breeze carries a bit of a chill and I welcome it because I'd be sweating without it.

As I come around a corner, a wagon comes into view and a breath of relief escapes my lungs. I run on wobbly legs to get closer to the wagon and I find one man driving it with another man sitting in the back. "Hey mister! I need some help here."

The driver eyes me suspiciously, as he should. Danger is everywhere, you can't trust no one. Then the man's gaze shifts to Ivy. "What's the problem?" The driver's eyes flick around his surroundings because he thinks this is an ambush, but all I want is a bite to eat and a place to sleep. The man in the back keeps his eyes glued to mine.

"My sister and I are trying to get to Hamilton. Could you give us a ride?" I ask as nicely as I can, but my voice cracks and I know look and I sound a lot rougher than I intended. I'm a dirty orphaned street rat kid with a bad attitude, and I guess that puts people on edge sometimes.

"Hamilton's pretty far back that way," the driver holds a thumb pointing back to the road behind him. His hair is short and light colored. The other man has long hair that is raven black and swept back with pomade. Their clothes are clean and they both look well-kept. Surely they can help a couple orphaned kids right?

"Please, mister. We've been walkin' for days. We need food." I don't like asking for help but I'm getting desperate.

"What's in Hamilton?" The man in the back of the wagon finally speaks. His dark eyes shimmer as the last of the setting sun dips below the horizon.

"Nothin'. I just saw it on a map. Figured it was the closest town for us to find food and a bed."

"Where's your parents?"

Jesus what is with the questions. Don't most people see two starved orphans and help before playing this game? "Dead." I answer dryly. I don't need to give anymore details.