My Way to Freedom

Chapter 7: The Wedding

“So, tell me! How did your first day back go?” Ashley asked me.

“Well,” we were back at the shack now and I finally started telling Ash what happened. The entire way here I had been giving her little bits and pieces and now she was near the point of exasperation. “Ash, Onica is getting married.” I said a little too bluntly. See, I have a problem with that. I usually am blunt with about everything. I am sorry, but I'm not going to sugarcoat everything just so you get to hear the news later by someone else. 

“Really! Oh, yes this is going to be the best thing that's ever happened here, in like, ever! She is leaving! The beast is leaving!” Ash screamed. This is exactly why waited to tell her. I KNEW she would do this.

“Ash, let’s not count our chickens before they’ve hatched OK?” I was trying-really hard-to take this nice and easy, but soon I got impatient and just flat out told her. “Ash, this is not a good thing.”

She laughed at me and gave me a little confused look “What do you mean? She is LEAVING! Don't you see the beauty behind that?!”

“Yes, I see it but-” I started to say, but Ash cuts me off.

“Well, then if you see that then what can possibly go wrong?” She was very happy right now and really there was no stopping her happiness or even getting through to her right now. I would have to wait to tell her.

…………………………………………………..

Later that evening, Ash made rose petal tea (a rare delight) and cooked some discarded chicken (Really the chicken was fine if you cut off the part the dog had chewed on) that we had bought at Market.

So while we were eating I decided to bring up the topic of the wedding again. “Ash,” I started, she looked up from her chicken and cocked her head like a dog. 

“Yes?”

“Well, you know about the wedding.”

“Yeah, it's-” I cut her off before she can speak any more.

“No, Ash. It's not going to be the best thing ever.”

“But of course-”I cut her off again leaving her in a pout.

“No, Ash you don't understand. This wedding will be a very bad thing for the slaves. Slaves will die. Starvation. Rebellion. Lack of sleep. Getting whipped to death. Ash, this is no joke. We have to get out of here. Now!” Ash looked frightened now, but I kept charging through. “Ash, we have to start a rebellion among the slaves. We need to find freedom. If this wedding starts and slaves are here. Our friends might die. People we call family might die. Do you want this to happen?” I don't wait for an answer. “Ash, we have the power to escape I know we do. But, if only we escape what will happen to the others? Hmm. They'll DIE. But, there is safety in numbers. I've seen it happen before. Groups of slaves. Big groups I mean, escaping, finding freedom, finding life, Ash don't you want that?” Now I stop and start breathing regularly again. I look at Ash for her answer, but I already knew it, even though she looked troubled she was behind me in everything. She would say yes. But, she still hadn't answered “Ash, are you with me?”

With a tear slipping down her cheek she mouthed the word so silently I almost didn't hear it. Almost. “No” was all she said and my heart broke. 

My one and only friend. The one I shared everything with. The one who was there for me. Said ‘No’ she would not stand with me in my battle for independence. She had left me here. Deserted. Alone. Was this the Ashley I had known? Was this the Ashley I had taken care of since she was twelve? Who was this Ashley? I knew that look. I knew that face. That freckle on the left side of her chin. How, could someone so close to me betray me with a single word like that? Why? I had to convince her otherwise. 

But, I knew that expression. Even though it was hidden by a stream of tears I saw it. The slight tilt of her jaw. The way her ears were inching forward and backward. She was stressed, but she would not be convinced. I knew it, but I had to try. If I didn't what would happen? Would she die? I knew she would be exhausted as a messenger she would be out and about. Almost never at home. Her hours would be lengthened by three hours at the very least. 

“Ash, you must understand. If you stay here you could die! You have to come! If you don't-” I couldn't continue I was to choked up. I too had tears streaming my face so much that I had to wipe my eyes so that they weren’t blinded by my tears. I had to continue but, when I did, it was barely a whisper “I might lose you.” What I had just said was lost though because she was already out the door.