Freedom At Last

April 23, 1856

Maggie and I finally start on our delivery. I pack an apple in my dress pocket and we walk along the street with the laundry in a knapsack. We walk past the bakery, the market, the hotel, and the blacksmith.

We have been walking for about an hour, almost to the bridge (the marking point of the border), when we hear loud shouting and guns going off.

"Ruth? What's going on?" Maggie asks tensely with fear in her wide eyes.

"I don't know, but I'm sure it's nothing important." I say, not completely believing myself. "And it definitely won't affect our delivery."

Oh, how wrong I was.

Once we came closer to the commotion, I could see men shooting at the people on the other side of the bridge. I grab Maggie's hand, leading her across the it. We run as fast as our legs can go, but still it is not enough. We are seen. The men call out, "No slaves will escape!"

One thought goes through my head like a flash of lightning: We are NOT slaves anymore!

BANG! The gun goes off, a bullet flies and reaches it's final destination:

Maggie's heart.

"NO!" I scream, and try and run to her, but someone pulls me away. Frantically, I kick and yell like an infant to try and get away, but it's no use. The person holding me back is much too strong, and they pull me away from Maggie.

One last glance, I think, sobbing. Give me one last glance at my baby sister.

I cry and cry until there are no tears left, not even bothering to look at the person dragging me along. Finally, we arrive at a house, and I am pushed gently into the doorway.

My captor turns me around so I can see him. He is black, and has 3 scars running down his face. The marks of a whip. The man had probably been a slave.

"Why am I here?" I ask, trembling from my sister's death. In the least, I think she's dead. "Let me go back to my sister!"

The man just glances at me, clearly troubled. I also see a bit of guilt in his face. "We cannot. I will not let you go back."

"Whatever do you mean? I need to go back! I need to help my sister! She might be alive, and she needs to be taken care of!" I scream, and head for the door, but the man bars my way. Why won't he let me leave? Maggie needs my help!

"You cannot go back." He repeats.

"Why? I need -" I try to go out the door again to no avail, "to get -" I try to push my way out, "TO MY SISTER!" I scream, and shove the man straight in the chest. It's no use. The man doesn't budge, and I fall down to my knees, sobbing uncontrollably.

The man watches me cry, and tries to comfort me, but I am not going to calm down.

Maggie is dead.

My baby sister is dead.

The man ushers me to the kitchen, where he hands me a handkerchief and offers me some soup. I accept, blow my nose, and go into the dining room to sit down.

There, I am surprised to see 3 other people sitting there: 2 men and a woman, all black. What was this, a fugitive camp?

I sit down nevertheless, and wipe my eyes. Now is not the time for tears, I tell myself. You need to be strong, Ruth. Very strong.

One of the men and the woman look up at me, and nod as if accepting me into a group. This was not childhood, where you played games and picked teams! Someone has just been killed, and it is my sister! I wanted to scream, but I just sit and try not to stare at the people sitting across from me.