Freedom Train

April 11, 1963

April 11, 1963

"I just love it when we get to hear Dr. King speak," Annabeth mentioned to Bobby and Sandy as they waited patiently for the rally to begin.

"There's definitely something special about him," Bobby agreed with a nod.

"There's that home-wrecker you used to be friends with," Sandy observed as Candy walked through the door.

Candy looked around the room and spotted them, offering a brief smile before she headed over.

"Be nice, Sandy," Annabeth whispered.

"You guys make up?" Bobby asked Annabeth as they watch Candy get closer to them.

"Well, I'm not planning her demise or anything," Annabeth smiled his way.

"That makes one of us," Sandy mumbled as Candy reached them.

"Hey guys. I'm sorry I haven't been around these last few days."

Annabeth smiled, not knowing how to reply since she hadn't noticed Candy's absence at all. As a matter of fact, Candy had hardly even grazed her thoughts over the course of the last three days.

"I was kind of stuck in Bessemer. Did you hear about the dam burst?"

"We did. We also heard that a dynamite cap was found by the Jefferson County Sherriff's department," Bobby said.

Candy nodded.

"The dam was definitely sabotaged," she agreed. "They were hoping that it'd be cars full of Negros that close to Bessemer. It's a shame that poor boy had to die for it."

"The bigger shame is that they'll probably never find the bastards responsible," Sandy said.

The others nodded in agreement.

"Was anyone we know arrested on 19th Street yesterday?" Candy asked, referring to the 27 protestors she had heard were incarcerated the day before.

With the local lunch counters closed, the mini-marches were all active protesters had to make their point. And just like they hoped, the Birmingham jails were filling, slowly but surely.

"Maude, I believe. Christine's been in for a few days so at least they'll have each other now. It's getting harder and harder to come by bail money."

"They're working on it," a deep voice that can only be recognized as Terry says from behind the group.

The hair on Annabeth's neck stands on end as she straightens her back and turns around with a smile. The girls and Bobby also turn themselves, so that they, along with Terry and Henry, make one very diverse circle of people.

Bobby looked at the two boys and immediately noticed something that made the corner of his lip turn upward in amusement.

"So, did you guys coordinate, or...?" Bobby joked as he subtly pointed at Terry and Henry's matching white t-shirts and tan slacks.

Terry and Henry look at one another, as if they had just noticed their matching attire for the first time.

"You're a funny man, Bobbo," Henry smiled, the joke not lost on him, as he pulled on his t-shirt.

"Pure coincidence," Terry laughed, his brown eyes finding and locking on the blue of Annabeth's.

"It's okay, fellas," Candy teased. "I hear the twin thing is in these days. Real hip."

"Yeah," Sandy laughed. "Like Tweedle Dee and Tweedle..."

"Watch it," Henry growled to Sandy, who in turn threw her head back in laughter.