Drapetomania

Prologue

     I was 10 years old when I met him, the tall blonde boy I fell in love with.

     He was smart, kind, and so handsome, I thought all of my worries were gone when I met him.  He was only a year older than me, and I thought everything would be fine.

     But to my surprise, it wasn't.

     My mama was an angel in heaven, and my dad worked in the mines all day.  When he got home, he would go straight to his room and sleep.  I barely got to talk to him, but I knew he had to work to keep both of us alive.  He had his mind set on me becoming a doctor, someone to keep him fed and alive. 

     I met the blondie in the forest, while I was picking flowers for my daddy for his birthday.  I picked the red ones first, then got blue and purple ones to surround the outside of my bouquet.  I heard a deep voice, soft and clear.  It was singing.  A song as sweet as that had to be for something special, I thought, and I wandered off to find the voice.  When I finally spotted the blonde boy with almond skin and blue eyes, he stopped singing.  Looking around, he shot up from his spot on the moss.  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."  I said, popping out from the tree I hid behind.  "I'm Bree, I was only picking flowers for my daddy."  His eyes softened when he looked at me, and a smirk formed on his cheeky face.  "I'm Sean,"  He smiled, making me feel welcome.  "What are you doing out here?" I asked him, interested.  "Living."  He said, and vanished.  Every day I went and met him, until I was almost 13. 

     Sean seemed to be everywhere, not just in the woods.  I would see him in the market, smiling and waving at me, or outside my window at night.  I asked daddy one day, if he knew the boy.  "Bree Bear, I've lived in this town since I was born, I know everyone here.  There is no Sean Stevens, no kid with blond hair, blue eyes, and tan skin.  The closest to that description I can think of is Darryl Gibson, and he has freckles and red hair.  Sorry, sweetie."

     I refused to believe that the boy I saw was fake, and continued to look for him. But after that day, I didn't see him.

When I turned 14, he showed up. I was in the forest, serenely walking, when I heard his voice. That same singing. I raced through the woods to find him, and I did.

"Why did you just disappear for a year?" I snapped at him, and he jumped at the sound of my voice. His lips grew into a smile, and I continued to glare at him. "Sorry, Bree Bear, I had some stuff to do." "Why does my dad say you don't live here?" I asked again, annoyed by his calm remarks. "I don't." He said. "I mean, I do." He scrambled for words, and my glare turned into a confused snarl. "I do, but nobody knows." He said, laughing at my anger. "And what do you mean by stuff? Where do you live then? What are you talking about?" Stress bubbled in my words, making my angrier. "Hey, calm down. I will show you. If you come with me." I looked at him, confused. "Where?" He bit his lip, grinning.
"Everywhere."

edited 06/18/16