Fade To White - Sequel to Fade To Black

Adventure

The first night felt strange without her. That same feeling of emptiness as I laid where Clementine usually laid in our bed. I could smell her scent and was finally able to sleep in the early morning hours. I had managed to stay up all night worrying about what was happening right at the moment with Clementine, and imagining horrible things. Even though I told myself to stay positive It proved more difficult trying to push these images from my head.

I would get to know the kids better , learn to relax, be the boy she used to know. I wanted her to know that we could work through anything. Instead, I felt insecure about George. I couldn’t fool myself- he was younger, handsome, and a gentleman when it came to Clementine. I didn’t know his motives but I know I feared the worst.

Still unable to sleep for more than two hours I got up around daybreak and went downstairs quietly to make something for the twins. I opened up the pantry to find nothing, remembering that George and Clemy had packed nearly everything with them. Even though it was early I decided to head out to the market, slipping into the white fog, walking quietly alone. The parish square was empty and I walked by each store, passing Josephine’s dress shop, and the local watering hole. Horses tied up to posts were just waking and I headed uptown to the dry goods stall.

Thankfully the stall’s owners had just arrived to open and I could afford two pounds of flour, salt, sugar, dried meat and sausages. It was hardly enough for a reasonable meal and would only sustain us long enough until the next month or so. I hoped that this boarding house plan Clemy had dreamed up would turn out successful. Not just for the money but for the simple act of freedom. We would give former slaves a place to start up their lives as free people and figure out the next part of their life.

As I walked back, arms full, I didn’t detect that there was anyone with me on the same pathway back home. I looked cautiously at my surroundings when I felt that someone was watching me. Following me. Suddenly, out of the brush a black woman rose from the bushes and ran towards me in a rush. She looked scared, shaking all over. She had cuts and bruises on her face and her dress was torn, her feet bare. She looked as though she was trying to say something to me, crying out, but she would only mouth nonsense, I couldn’t hear a sound, except for her crying.

“W-what’s wrong? What’s happened to you?” I asked the woman. Her eyes were wide with fear. I was just as shocked, never thinking she would pop up in front of me. Again, she tried to talk to me, but the words just weren’t coming out. She just continued to cry. I tried to shake her from the state she was in, grabbing her by the shoulders. “You must tell me what happened!” I said again and again.

The loud sound of a carriage coming up the road sparked something in the frightened woman and she sped back into the brush, disappearing as if she had never been with me. I stepped aside as the carriage flew by, a band of men on horses following it. They didn’t look especially happy and were calling out different names. I could only think of one thing- slave hunters. They would travel long distances with hound dogs and horses and guns. Some made it, but those who didn’t suffered greatly afterwards, so running away often seemed too risky. I tried to forget about the women and hurried home, hoping Anna and Wes hadn’t waken up already.

　

　

　

　

　

　

Clemy sat in the wagon under a few blankets, the cool morning sending goose-bumps down her arms. George had stopped Wolf and they pulled over the side of the road to give the old horse a break. George had started a fire to make breakfast with and got a pan, cracking an egg over the side. She looked up through the fog, hearing the sizzling of the pan, and Wolf’s tail swishing.

“ Clementine. Breakfast is ready.” George said. Clementine sat up and climbed out of the carriage. Rubbing her hands together to stay warm they both hovered over the fire, eating from the pan hungrily. While they ate they talked, laughing from time to time.

“ So, what’s it like on the other side?” She asked him.

“The other side?” He raised his eyebrows and Clemy laughed.

“It feels like I’m on an island. Like the rest of the country is so far away. The South seems like such a small world.” She said, her eyes misty.

“Back home, everything seems small their too. I grew up on the prairies of Nebraska, I didn’t know much about war. As a boy I always heard about the war of our independence- everyone’s heard that one- but it didn’t prepare me for this war. There is something much more scarier about his war.

“Do you have a wife… any children?” Clemy asked curiously.

“No. Well, there was this girl. I say was because she stopped sending me letters so I assume she’s lost interest but I had planned to marry her when I got back from war. Of course everyone said the war was going to be short but it ended up dragging on with no end in site. So, I guess I really only have my sister and mother, out in the prairies, waiting for me.” George seemed distant and Clementine refrained from asking anymore questions.

“What about you? What’s your story with Jackson.” He asked. Clementine smiled and looked happy to answer.

“We met when we were seven. I was his family’s slave. And I know it sounds crazy, it always does to me, but we fell in love and so many things happened to us… so many scary things, and sad things, and happy things. But lately, nothing’s happened to us. Things are moving slow and there are so many things I want to do with Jackson but he’s afraid.”

“Afraid of what?” George asked.

“I think he’s afraid of me.” George pursed his lips and looked at Clemy, questioning. “Not like how it sounds exactly. I think he’s scared that I’m adventurous. That I want to do things together that are wild and dangerous. That’s what our whole life together was- an adventure. I want more of that but still, he keeps me grounded, stuck inside. I feel as if the plantation is the only thing I can see, everything else is just blurry and distant. Being here right now is making my heart beat again. You understand that right?” She asked him.

“Yeah, I understand that. Hell, it feels like the whole South is looking for me. If that doesn’t get your heart beating then nothing does.” The two laughed and then Clemy cleaned up after breakfast, George feeding Wolf and putting his harness back on. Clementine then climbed in the back of the wagon, pulling up the blanket over her head and blending into the supplies. George took his place at the front of the wagon and snapped the whip, the little wagon traveling down the road once again. They made it undetected, the road quiet and still, for about a mile. Clementine was feeling a bit uncomfortable, squished between crates of food and trunks of clothing. Still she realized this was the only way she would get out of Louisiana safely. As soon as they made it to Mississippi she could pretend to be George’s slave safely.

The sound of another traveler was coming up ahead and George told Clementine to stay quiet and lay low. The other traveler’s carriage rounded the corner and there wasn’t enough space on the road for the two of them so George pulled over, trying to avoid anything that would not be in their best interest. Instead of moving along the other man stopped his carriage next to George’s and began to talk to him.

“Have ya’ heard the news?” The man said to George. It was a Creole man.

“ What news?”

“They’re searching for a Union Soldier, about two miles off the main road. Someone sent a warning that they had seen a man in a blue uniform running around in broad daylight about a week ago. You would know anything about that would you?” The man looked curious for information- maybe even hungry for it. They must have placed a high price for his head, George thought.

“No… I don’t know anything about that. But if you see him, kill him.” George tried to be as convincing as possible and it seemed to have worked. The Creole man just chuckled and then went along, muttering something about those ‘crazy confederates.’

As soon as the man was out of sight Clementine sat up and breathed a sigh of relief. “What are we going to do now?” She asked, worried.

“We’re going to take a little short cut. We won’t be safe if we take the main road. You said you want your adventure? Well, here’s your adventure.” He said, snapping the whip once more and Wolf sped down the road…