Memoirs Of A Sparrow

Chapter One

~ Esther

I hear Israel crying in his room and stand up to go check on him. I just put him to bed, he shouldn't be awake yet. I pick him up and rock him gently, quietly humming a lullaby. He stops crying and stares at me, his eyes flutter and after a minute he is asleep again. I sit down slowly on the chair in his small room and watch him sleep in my arms. His face is so peaceful, he doesn't worry about anything.

    The door opens and I hear footsteps come down the hall.

    "Esther, where are you?" Atticus calls.

     I decide it's not worth waking Israel to respond and wait for him to find me. I feel his presence at the door and look up. He smiles at me, but I see worry in his eyes. I stand up, place Israel in his cradle, and wrap him in a hug.

    "What's wrong?" I ask, looking up.

    "It's happened. We have to leave tonight." he whispers.

    I knew this was going to happen but I was hoping we would have more time. My father warned me about this. The governor and his board don't think the Passer's stone should be owned by one person. We tried to tell them it can only be controlled by someone in the Sparrow family. They didn't believe us of course and were taking a vote today to see if they should take it from me. The vote must have passed.

    I would gladly let them have it except that then everything we've worked so hard for will start to disappear. The trees and animals that have managed to thrive in this new climate will die off. After that it's only a matter of time before we die. I wish I could leave it behind.

    "Thank you." I say.

    "For what?" Atticus asks.

    "Staying with me."

    He smiles "It's all worth it," he kisses me then says "we need to pack."

    "I have everything ready, I just need you to load the wagon." I say.

    He holds me for a moment longer and then leaves the room. I watch my baby sleep, placing my finger by his hand. He grabs it and brings his fist to his mouth. I pick him up and place him in his seat for the wagon. He stirs but doesn't wake up.

    I walk to the kitchen and prepare one last meal in my home. I have lived here for only a year and a half, but I had hoped to spend the rest of my life here. Atticus comes in the house and we sit down at the table. I eat slowly, trying to savour our time here.

    "Esther, we're going to make it." Atticus says looking straight into my eyes.

    "I know." I say trying desperately not to cry.

    "I'll go get Israel." he says, getting up.

    After he's gone I go to our room and open the box that contains the Passer's stone. I haven't worn it since I got it on my seventeenth birthday two years ago. The stone is warm, just like last time and when I put it on, it calms me. Last time I wore it I only felt fear.

    I walk out the door of the house to the wagon where Atticus is waiting with Israel. I climb up to the front seat and look at our home one last time. Atticus starts the horses and we ride away as the sun sets.

****

    We make camp four hours later in a grove of aspen trees. We are a few hours from the river which we will cross tomorrow. Atticus' brother lives across the border and our plan is to stay with him until we can find a new home. After we cross the border we will be out of the governor's territory. We are hoping that no one there has heard of the Passer's stone.

    Israel is awake and crying loudly when we stop. I take him out his his seat and feed him while Atticus sets up the tent and starts a fire. I smile, thankful that my baby won't remember any of this. I want his life to be as normal as possible. When I give the stone to him I want to be able to see it as a blessing like my parents did.

    I wish we had had time to say goodbye to them, and to Atticus' family. They will understand and we told them we might have to leave but I still wanted more time.

    The nights are starting to get cold and when Israel is done nursing I go sit by the fire beside Atticus. He takes Israel and wraps his arm around me.

    "I'm going to build you a beautiful house," he says "We'll live somewhere by a forest and I'll build a fence around our house. We're going to plant fields and raise animals and our baby and I will love you forever."

    "I will plant roses by our windows, and sing to you when you come home and take care of our boy and I will love you always." I say back leaning my head on his shoulder.

    After a few more minutes we get up and go to bed.

    Israel wakes us both up before the sun and we can't fall back asleep so we get an early start. In a few hours the governor's men will search our house and when they don't find us they will come after us. As long as we can make it to the border before they do we will be safe.

    We reach the river shortly before noon. The bridge to cross it is rickety but I'm glad that there is a bridge. It groans under our weight but does it's job and gets us across. The border is now only five hours away. I think we are going to make it. It will be nice to live somewhere where no one knows about the stone or the Sparrow family. All my life I have been known as the hero's daughter, now I will just be me.

    The trip passes uneventfully with stops every now and then to take care of Israel or stretch our legs. He babbles and smiles almost the whole trip which lightens the mood making it feel more like a holiday than an escape.

    I almost forget that we are still in danger until the border comes into view.