Memoirs Of A Sparrow

Chapter Two

~ Esther

Something's wrong. I don't know what it is exactly but there shouldn't be that many lights at the border. The governor must have sent a rider ahead of us to warn them.

    "We're going to have to leave the wagon." Atticus says.

    "Okay." I was was hoping it wouldn't come to this.

    We pick the most important things and stuff them into packs that we load onto the horses. I wrap a scarf around Israel and I using it like a sling.

    Atticus releases the horses and we lead them to the river, leaving the wagon by a tall dead tree. Every two hundred feet along the river is a bridge with guards and we aim for a spot between them. Atticus searches in the reeds for the small raft we hid in the summer. He finds it and we tie the horses to one of the logs. He slips it into the water and I get on carefully.

    "You there! Stop in the name of the governor!" A voice calls from one of the bridges.

    We look at each other for a second, I hold my breath. Then he pushes the raft into the water and runs for the trees. The current starts dragging us down river and the horses are forced to follow. I grab at the reeds to try to stop us but we're already too far out. The river gets deep quickly and soon all I can see of the horses is their heads.

    I scan the bank, trying to catch a glimpse of Atticus, then realize that I am sky lining myself against the flat river. I lay down carefully on the raft, holding Israel close and hoping we will float to the opposite bank.

    I wish I knew what was happening.

    Finally the raft bumps against something hard. I sit up straight and look for landmarks hoping this isn't the same shore I started out from. I notice the tall tree where we left the wagon on the opposite side.

    I made it! We are across the border!

    But Atticus is still somewhere out there.

    I step off the raft and slip in the mud. Israel wakes up with a start and starts crying. I rock him slowly until he quiets down then lead the horses out of the water and untie them. I push the raft back into the river and make my way up the bank. At the top I find a place to hide the horses and tie them to a tree.

    I realize then that Atticus won't know how to find me. I go back to the river and tie a clump of reeds together hoping he will know what they mean. I wish none of this had happened.

   I get up and look for a hiding place and try to keep Israel from crying. If he starts crying I will as well and I won't be able to stop and someone will hear us. I sit down in a spot sheltered by trees and a little up hill in the slight ravine created by the river.

    I take Israel out of the sling and change his diaper then feed him. Now that I don't have anything to do but wait my mind wanders.

    What if they caught him? What if he can't cross the river? What if he was running away from me?

    At my last thought I stop myself. I have to trust him. He will come back. The stone suddenly becomes warmer than it already was. Starting at my chest a wave of warmth passes over my body leaving me with a strange sense of calm.

    Israel starts fussing again but this time I'm not scared of someone finding us, and I don't feel the same desperation.

    "Esther?" I hear Atticus from near the river.

    "I'm over here." I whisper, relief flooding through me that he's back and unhurt.

    "Where? I can't see you." he says, even though he's standing almost in front of me.

    "I'm right here." I say stepping out of the shadows.

    He blinks in surprise before taking me into his arms.

    "We made it!" He says into my hair.

    "Yes we did!" I say, I'm suddenly hit by how tired I am "Let's go to sleep."

    He laughs "I'll go find a good place to camp."

    I go to untie the horses and follow Atticus.

****

    In the morning we inspect our supplies. One of the bags, which were both supposed to be water proof, is dry. The other one, with our food in it, sprung a leak and now almost everything in it is ruined.

"I guess we will have to go into a town today."

We save what we can from the wet bag and load the horses again. We both mount a horse, this time with Atticus carrying Israel.

We decide that the best way to find a road is to follow the river until we find one coming away from a bridge. We'll have to be careful to not draw attention from the border guards.

Within a few minutes we find a road and follow it until we reach the nearest town. The town is small with only one street and small shabby houses. The biggest establishments are a livery barn, a hotel and restaurant, and a general store.

We both dismount and Atticus passes Israel to me. We part ways, with him going to the barn to feed and water the horses and I going to the store with Israel.

Atticus is going to see if he can get another wagon and I'm in charge of buying food. We have been saving up since before we got married so we have a considerable amount of money. I want to keep most of it for when we make our new home though.

I enter the store and a small bell rings. A lady walks out and I hold the door for her. She says thank you but looks at me strangely. A few other people are in the store and some of them have the same reaction.

I walk closer to the counter and see a sign. Written on the sign in bold letters are the words "WANTED: Esther Sparrow. For disobeying the governor and for stealing from the province of Cinagro."