I Once Was Lost But Now Am Found

Prologue

As I walked the hard, red clay paths of South Carolina, I daydreamed about when it would end. The Great Depression. I hadn’t know what “depression” was until my Daddy lost his job, and left to work the railroads in Chicago, and we had to take in boarders. My brother, Jack, whined in dismay, “I’m hungry!!” he said pulling on my coat. “We’ll getcha somethin’ soon!” I said. As we walked silently, I heard a familiar, whiny voice. “Why look who’s here Elizabeth Carroll!” Ed Thompson said in his most annoying voice. “Don’t call me that. My name’s Lesie.” I said sternly.  He ignored the comment. “Where’s your bicycle?” he sneered, knowing I had to sell it to get new furniture for the boarders. “I was about to ask YOU the same question Edward Thompson.” I said, wrinkling my nose. “Why right here!” Ed said pointing to a familiar-looking bicycle. My bicycle! Mother had sold it to- to him?! My brow furrowed in anger, but I mustn’t get upset in front of Jack, for he would most definitely tell on me. But my mouth opened. I couldn’t take it. “Well what a nice bicycle! I remember when it was all shiny and new, until someone had to beat it all up, like I’m going to beat your face up!” I said. Angrily, I jabbed my hand into his eye. I have had enough of this Edward Thompson. After all the teasing, hurtful comments, and non-stop rudeness, I was ready to hurt him. I aimed for his skimpy ribs, and missed and he knocked the breath out of me and I felt pain on my head from the concrete roads. All I can remember is of Jack’s screaming, and everything was blank.

Chapter 1

I woke up in the middle of nowhere... On a rough chicken-feed sack in a beat up tent. “Hey darling.” an elderly lady said. She had gray hair, tied up in a bun, with a bandanna to hold her hair up. “Who are you? Where am I?” I said. The lady chuckled. “Well, miss, I’m Edwina Edwards. ‘Corse the folks ‘round here call me Miss Ellie. And girl-you’re in North Carolina...you gotcha self-knocked out... pretty badly. Your brother here said that some Ed boy got you mad and beat you up.” She said. “I have a brother?” I said. “No you have amnesia.” She chuckled again. A boy with sandy blonde hair came running up to me. “Lesie! You okay?!” he said. Lesie? Who’s Lesie? And what’s amnesia? I thought. “Who are you?” I said, utterly confused. “Lesie!! It’s me! Your brother! Jack Carroll. Don’t you know me?! You playin?” he said frustrated with himself. “Dear, you mustn’t get frustrated with yourself. She’s just in a bad dream and can’t remember much.” She said. “You both hungry?” she asked us. I nodded. When had I last eaten? I couldn’t remember. The lady brought me food. “Would you like to eat outside er inside?” she said. “Outside.” I said. “Girl, its cold, but grab yerself that blanket, and I’ll start a fire.” I wrapped myself in the cozy patchwork quilt. When I went outside, I saw men and women, children and teenagers, eating food and drinking water and coffee. “What is this place?” I asked. “Well, this is our home.” She said. A crying baby whined. A man was playing a sorrowful tune on a harmonica. Home?  How could this be home?  “It’s a hobo jungle, Lesie. Mother and Father died a week ago. I had to find somewhere to live.” The boy said. “So you’re sayin’ that I have amnesia...and you’re my brother, our mother and father are dead, and you took me to this hobo jungle?” I said. “Yes.” He said. We stopped talking for a moment. It was too much to take in. “How did you get me here?” I said suddenly. “Well, I hitched a ride here...On a wagon” he said. I ate the porridge the woman had given me. The oats were stale, but I didn’t care. Nothing would get the confusion out of me.

Chapter 2

Later that night, I sat at the campfire for a long while, trying to sort out my problems, when I heard a loud noise. A gunshot! It scared the living soul out of me. I woke up the older lady. “Miss Ellie! Miss Ellie!” I said, pulling her up. “A gunshot! I heard one!” I said. “Oh No!! Ole Man Hank is out!!! He hates hoboes and will kill anyone in his way! Been in jail 1 time for murderer. Got out ‘bout a month ago, been in jail for 5 years! I reckon he’s drunk. We have to leave and go to the falls. It ain’t safe here no more!” she said breathlessly. “You tell the other folks to head out-I get supplies.” She said. She spoke quickly, but I understood every word. I got everyone, including Jack, and head out. Some of the other people said it was safe, and it was going to be okay, so I left them. My head started spinning round and round and I lost my balance, but then someone picked me up and started running. Everyone stopped to rest for a minute, but my vision was slightly blurry, I saw fire. Fire!