If the Fire Comes by Tracy Daley

Author:Tracy Daley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: JUVENILE FICTION / Historical / United States / 19th Century / People & Places / United States / African American / Social Themes / Prejudice & Racism
Publisher: North Star Editions
Published: 2019-09-02T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

With Mr. Healey’s outburst, the joy Joseph had felt that morning changed to sadness. He felt heavy inside. He carried Simon to the other side of Elsinore. He needed to put his conversation with Mr. Healey out of his mind. He had a mission to accomplish.

It was time to test the pigeon.

“It’s only one mile, Simon. Not far at all, as long as you go the right way.”

Pigeons didn’t understand humans, but Joseph wanted Simon to make it. He wanted to tell George that not only had he found some pigeons but he had also trained them. He wanted to earn money for his family. He wanted Maya to be able to be free like a bird, not trapped in the shop all the time.

Joseph pulled the cloth off of his shoeshine box. Before he could grab Simon, the bird flew out of the box like his wings had already been flapping.

And worse, Simon was headed in the wrong direction!

“No, Simon!” Joseph yelled, motioning wildly with his arms. “That way. Fly that way.”

There was no way for Simon to hear him, but Simon flew in a wide arch, adjusting his direction like a Great War plane coming in for a bombing. Mr. Healey had been right—pigeons flew fast and high. Before Joseph was sure Simon was going the right way, the small gray dot was out of sight.

Was the bird gone forever? Joseph stared at the blank sky for another moment before picking up the cloth and shoeshine box and running as fast as he could back home.

Joseph lost the race.

Simon was already there, sitting in the cage in Maya’s lap.

But that wasn’t even the most amazing thing. Maya was outside in the yard, holding the cage like she was about to present it to the First Lady herself, wearing a plaid dress she hadn’t put on since before she was sick and sitting in Momma’s old rocking chair.

Except the chair had wheels.

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