If I Just Had Two Wings by Virginia Frances Schwartz

Author:Virginia Frances Schwartz
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-55455-781-3
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Published: 2015-07-16T00:00:00+00:00

C H A P T E R

E I G H T E E N

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child

They headed north into the swam that leaked out swamp of Weiss Lake. Sounds broke into the stillness of Phoebe's mind like a sudden splash on the surface of calm lake water. Hounds barked in the distance. Men yelled. Phoebe knew she had not imagined it before. All afternoon, they had been followed. Slavecatchers or soldiers, they did not know which, led by an old slave's words.

When they reached the swamp, it was not yet dark and they could still be seen. There was no clear path through it. Tree trunks stood bare with one branch pointing the way. Rotting logs lay like dead bodies. Branches dropped to the ground with a single touch. Everywhere was the smell of decay.

If only night would come, they cannot follow us here into the deep of this swamp. Darkness will swallow us whole. The men may not have light with them for a night chase.

Light! Phoebe suddenly remembered how Liney got caught. The glow of a pine torch had followed her. Slavecatchers had held it high, searching in the night, finding her, lighting her up. Their knife had gleamed, coming closer and closer. It sliced through her friend's tongue. Phoebe stole a glance behind her. Liney ran with her head twisted backward. Her children, thin and unfed, were clutched in her arms.

Remembering. Always remembering.

There was a rush all around them. Unspoken thoughts swirled around them like wind. The children's cries froze upon their lips. An awful smell of sweat and fear rose from their flesh.

Phoebe had not slept for two days. Numbness hugged her bones yet she concentrated on what the mapmaker said. "Time stands still in the swamp and hides you. But you're likely to get lost in it."

Hide us now, she prayed. Praying words filled her mind until there was no space left for any other thoughts.

Her breath came in gasps. Bring the darkness on, her footsteps beat out a rhythm. Drop us deep into shadow. Ahead of her, Jake cut his way through the dim swamp. He circled tree trunks with his hands. Phoebe recalled Old Willie's words about moss on trees pointing north. But moss grew on all sides of these decaying trees. No sign pointed north. Something wanted to keep them lost and forever turning around and around. They were running in circles, running from voices without bodies and bodies without shape. The voices had the white name of fear.

At long last, darkness fell. They were deep inside the swamp by then. The barking faded away. The voices dimmed.

Hide us now, they all chanted silently.

"Stop!" whispered Liney.

They linked hands and paused. Not an animal stirred. Silence. The slavecatchers had given up their search. They carried no light with them. No stars shone the way to anyone. The swamp folded its arms around them. We are lost, they realized, locked like a secret inside this swamp. Phoebe looked in all directions.

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