The Sky Never Ends

Welcome Home

April 26, 1865

Today Noah had to stop by the cattleman and the grower so he could purchase a few starter animals and seeds to be delivered to his plot. Soon he could begin producing his own food.

Noah halted the wagon half a mile from the site and told Samuel to stay with Selah while he made his purchases.

The farm animals he ordered wouldn't arrive until the end of the week. So he bought a few days worth of salted beef and vegetables. The grower handed Noah a large sack of his seeds and seedlings. He also purchased a male and female dog from the cattleman, which he was able to bring with him today.

He returned to the wagon with his purchases. When he arrived he saw Samuel and Selah sitting on the ground talking. The dogs he had with him sprinted to where they were sitting and began circling around them sniffing the air. Selah's face lit up with a small smile when she saw them. The black and white dog sat beside Selah, she reached over and lightly scratched the dog on its head. The dog wagged its tail and licked her hand, causing her to let out a dainty giggle. Sam pet the smaller brown dog for a few moments and stood up. Turning to Noah and grabbing one of the bags out of his arms and tossing it in the back of the wagon.

"Alright, let's get moving. I can't wait to sleep under a permanent shelter again. I know I like travel and all, but I'll be fine if I don't sit on a horse for the rest of the year." Samuel joked.

Selah stood up and walked over to the men with the two dogs trailing behind her.

"Will you be alright with these mutts back there with you for the next few hours?" Sam hesitantly asking Selah.

"That's fine, they seem to like me pretty well." she lightly shrugged. She really didn't mind she just wanted this journey to end as soon as possible. She was mentally and physically exhausted from being trapped under the bonnet of the wagon for so long.

Sam placed the dogs in empty crates and tied them to the frame of the wagon to keep them from sliding around. Selah crawled in behind them and Noah and his brother mounted their horses, heading for her new temporary home.

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When they finally arrived to their plot of land Noah was pleased to see Harrison, his family friend who moved his family to a nearby plot a year before the Woodbridge's, he was scything the grass towards the front of their land.

Noah could take a deep breath now, knowing that all of his hard work was kept safe while he was gone. It worried Noah the entire time he was gone. He was concerned that looters or opportunists might discover the empty developed lot and try to inhabit it. His family would probably never be able to pay Harrison back for his kind deed, but his father did pay him generously for the favor.

Noah dismounted his horse and made his way to the old man. They shook hands and Noah thanked him sincerely for his kind favor and promised Harrison that if he ever needed any kind of help his family would be more than glad to do the same. Harrison climbed atop his horse and headed back to his home.

Sam helped Selah out of the cart and faced her towards their sprawling land.

"Welcome home!" he announced. He was beaming with excitement.

Selah had no idea where it began and ended. They we're surrounded by tall trees in every direction. In front of her was a fenced pathway she assumed would lead to their dwellings. Selah couldn't deny she was curious to see where she would be forced to live.

Noah returned and he and Sam grabbed the reigns of the horses and lead them down the path. Selah followed behind.

After walking for a few minutes they arrived to a clearing. In the clearing stood three tall houses of different sizes and one structure that was just beginning to look like a house. The houses we're much more than Selah had been expecting. She prepared herself to see dilapidated cabins or something similar to the sod houses she'd heard about. What she saw in front of her were well crafted, wooden shingled, two story houses spread a few hundred yards apart.