The First Book of Adeline: Freedom

Chapter 3: Memories

She was in her old house, helping Mama fix dinner, when a knock came at the door. Mama opened it to reveal two men; one was tall and broad shouldered, his rounded cheeks clean-shaven, while the other was shorter, around Mama's height, and was bald, his head and face shaved save for a bushy mustache

As soon she saw them, Mama tried to slam the door and yelled, "Hide, Adeline! Now!" Before the door could finish shutting, the big man wedged his foot into the door...

In the back of her mind, Adeline noticed the pan slip from her fingers as she retreated into the corner, trying vainly to hide from her own memories. She heard herself wail, and saw Isabel, Ophelia, and Grandma Meranne rush in, but none of it registered in the grip of her panic.

There was shouting, and the big man struck Mama, whose head slammed against the wall. She fell limp, and the big man stepped over her body. The smaller man with a mustache stepped up and looked her over, pronouncing, "She's dead."

Conversation buzzed around her, although Adeline didn't understand what was being said. Some reached for her hand, making her flinch, but a moment later whoever it was grabbed each of her hands in turn. A little while later, she felt herself being picked up.

The big man cursed, pounding the wall with his fist, before eventually calming himself down. "There was someone else, at least – a girl, Adeline," he said, his voice deep and scratchy.

The mustache man nodded. "It shouldn't be too difficult to find her."

Adeline quivered from where she was hiding, watching the two men search all over. As they were looking, the mustache man commented, "Not a bad setup. You'll be living comfy for a long time."

Adeline gasped, and the mustache man cocked his head. Before he could do anything, the big man snorted. "You ever try to maintain a place like this by yourself?"

"Of course not," the smaller man answered. "That's what slaves are for."

All of a sudden, Adeline was soaking wet. Dimly, she realized she'd been carried outside into the rain, and she shivered. She was set down gently, and in the distance, she thought she could hear a wolf howling.

Suddenly, the mustache man poked his face right in front of her. "Ah, here she is," he called out, then turned to take a closer look at her. "Hmm...she'd fetch a good price right now, depending on the buyer..."

The big man glowered at him, saying simply, "She's my wife's daughter. She's not for sale."

The mustache man gave him a skeptical look, before finally shrugging. "So be it." He turned and left the room.

The big man gave Adeline a long stare, before he, too, walked away.

Distantly, Adeline heard Ophelia cry in alarm, and Grandma Meranne say, "Wait! Just watch..." Soon, her focus rested on a large, snow-white wolf moving cautiously toward her. Somehow, Adeline could see the concern in the wolf's eyes, as if she – Adeline somehow realized the wolf was female – considered Adeline one of her own pups. Adeline moved forward through the mud and hugged it close, crying into the wolf's neck for several minutes, while the wolf nuzzled her gently.

After she'd sat there for a minute or two, Grandma Meranne asked, "Are you feeling better now?"

Adeline nodded, huddling closer to the wolf for warmth. The wolf nudged her towards Grandma Meranne, who helped her stand. "In that case, let's get you out of the rain."

The young girl let Meranne lead her into the cabin and dry her off. Isabel and Ophelia hovered close behind, concern evident in both their faces. Grandma Meranne wrapped Adeline in a blanket and tucked the girl into the bed. It wasn't long before Adeline had drifted off to a quiet, dreamless sleep.

Several hours later, she woke up. It was completely dark outside, and the only source of light was a simple lantern next to the chair where Grandma Meranne was sitting, working on the clothes they'd picked out earlier that day.

Slowly, Adeline sat up, bunching the blankets around her to ward off the chill. Looking up from her work, Meranne smiled. "If you're hungry, there's some food over there. We were able to salvage a few of the pastis that dropped, fortunately."

Adeline tentatively walked over to the small table, stepping around the sleeping forms of Isabel and Ophelia. She took a bite, chewing even more carefully than she usually needed to, and looked confusedly at Grandma Meranne. Shouldn't she have been sleeping, too?

The older woman noticed her confusion and chuckled to herself. "Are you wondering why I'm still awake?"

Adeline nodded. Grandma Meranne smiled softly. "I guessed you'd wake up soon, and could probably use the company."

That made Adeline frown. Why would Meranne worry that much about her?

Watching the young woman for several minutes, Meranne asked, "Have you ever wondered where people go when they pass on?"

Once again, confusion filled Adeline's face. The question seemed... strange. The young girl shrugged, paused a moment, then pointed up.

"Mm, not a bad answer," Meranne replied, as though Adeline hadn't quite got it. "So, would you be willing to believe that they watch over people who are living?"

Adeline nodded fervently; on that subject, she had no doubt. She knew her mother had, at the very least.

Meranne nodded, pondering for a minute on what she wanted to say next. "Your mother came to visit me today." Adeline's eyes nearly jumped from their sockets, and she scurried over to Grandma Meranne's feet, her entire face pleading to know more.

The old woman chuckled again. "She spent a long time talking about you. It is very easy to see how proud of you she is."

Adeline's feelings began overflowing into tears, and her heart felt so full it could burst. She used her sleeve to wipe the tears from her eyes as Grandma continued, "Your mother wanted you to know you have remarkable things in store. You can be a light that leads many people to happiness and safety, maybe even thousands, but first you have to find your own light." The old woman pointed to the lamp next to her. "You're like this lantern; when your light shines, it lets everyone around you see, too." Seeing Adeline's skeptical expression, Grandma Meranne tapped the young woman's chest and promised, "That light is there inside you, I promise. Just keep looking for it."

Adeline looked at the lantern doubtfully. And what did it mean to "find her light"? Still, it sounded like something Mama would say, and that made her feel better, even if she didn't completely understand. She was still pondering long after she'd crawled back in bed and Grandma Meranne had snuffed out the lamp.