Freedom Train

December 27, 1962

Chapter 5: December 27, 1962

It wasn't the first-time Terry had snuck in his house at such an ungodly hour. He tried his best to keep his feet light as he walked passed his brothers bed toward his own. The old springs creaked loudly as Terry lowered himself to the mattress. His effort to keep quiet had gone ignored as Jamal began to stretch on the adjacent bed.

"What time is it?" Jamal's voice whispered sleepily to his big brother.

"Late," Terry replied as he tugged his shoes off and lay back against the bed. "Early. Depends on how you're seein' it."

There was a lull in conversation that Terry had misconstrued as Jamal going back to sleep. Terry pulled the blanket up over his trousers, not even bothering to change for bed.

"Did you meet her?" Jamal asked suddenly in the silence.

Terry looked his way. The kid was clearly half awake as he couldn't seem to stop his hands from running over his eyes.

"I did," Terry answered vaguely.

"It went good?" Jamal questioned.

"It did."

Jamal yawned loudly and scratched behind his ear.

"When we gonna get to meet her?"

Terry sighed, thinking of the likeliness of something like that ever happening. This thing he was doing? It had silliness and disaster written all over it. Every inch of Terry knew that it was the worst idea he'd ever had. Yet, he couldn't help but be excited about the coming night, when he would be able to see her again.

"Not today," he whispered. "Get some sleep, little brother. The sun will be up soon."

"G'nite, Terry," Jamal mumbled as he buried his head back into the comfort of his pillows.

"Night, kid."

**

Annabeth woke up and followed her morning ritual of picking out an outfit (blue cotton dress) and tying up her hair with a matching satin ribbon. She worked with her Mama in silence, preparing the same breakfast they always made, ensuing the same monotonous routine they always followed.

Ronny and Reginald came through the back door full of muck right on time to eat. Reginald looked over the newspaper and Sarah pushed around the eggs on her plate silently. It was a quiet breakfast, but that is the norm in the Washington household. Not even Ronny made a peep as he rushed through his eggs and pancakes.

Afterward, Annabeth helped Sarah with the housework and then they made sandwiches to bring to the boys in the barn for lunch. One of the back fences needed fixing, so Reginald told Sarah that him and Ronny were going to work through the meal. Sarah asked Annabeth if she wanted to run down to the Main St. market with her, but Annabeth decided she'd rather ride her bike to Liz's house instead.

It was nice to escape the suffocation of her house as she rode her bike toward her little blip of freedom. She thought about the night ahead of her and bit her lip nervously as the cold stung her cheeks.

It would be the first time she had ever snuck out of her house. Ever. She had heard about girls from school sneaking out to neck with their boyfriends at the local park and play. They made it seem so easy. Annabeth, however, was as nervous as a whore in church, scared that she would get caught and get in trouble. Or God forbid, something would happen that would put Terrance in danger and she would never be able to forgive herself.

While frightening, Annabeth also found it all incredibly exciting. The idea that she was doing something many considered wrong gave her a surge of adrenaline like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She must admit, even if just to herself, she enjoyed the rush.