CHAPTER THREE

Eastern Maryland
Saturday, November 18, 1854
Midday

On Saturday, Ann noticed the field workers sneaking looks at her and Paul. Every time she looked at them, they looked away. They all had sad expressions on their faces. Everyone’s shoulders slumped a little bit more than usual.

The workers in the field sang a song about the Lord calling them by the thunder, and their voices carried the heaviness of their hearts. The sadness was heavier than any load of wood Ann had ever carried.

Ann wished that instead of singing everyone would tie up the overseer so she and her family could escape. The overseer nodded like he was satisfied with the singing. To him, it meant that all was well on the farm.

Across the row from Ann, Daddy bent over and pulled a cornstalk. Daniel worked next to him.

“John,” whispered Daniel, “what y’all gon’ do? Run?”

Ann waited for Daddy to answer, even though she already knew what he would say. Daddy shook his head. “Too dangerous,” he said. The two men never broke the bend-pull-toss rhythm of working the cornfield as they talked.

Ann waited for Daniel to try to talk Daddy into running, but he didn’t say another word. She wished there was a way to stop time right in the middle of that night. Then she and Paul could stay with their family where they belonged.

If time were stuck, a Saturday night would be the best time for it. Usually Ann loved Saturdays, because after the work was done they’d have a break. There was no work on Sundays.

On Saturday nights, most of the slaves snuck to the woods beyond the farm and brought food to share. They’d eat sweet potatoes, greens, hog jowls, and whatever else people had saved up. One of the old women would tell stories of Anansi the spider and how he tricked everyone.

After they ate, someone would play the drums, or even a mouth harp, and people would dance. The children ran all over the place chasing fireflies. Even though nobody ever forgot they weren’t free, they could pretend for just a little while.

That night, even though everything was about to change, they got ready for the gathering the same as always. Just before they headed for the woods, Mama said, “You all bundle up tonight. It’s cold.”

Ann and Paul put on extra layers, but Mama urged them to put on more.

“Mama, that’s all we have,” said Ann. She thought Mama must be trying to take extra good care of them for their last days together. Ann already had on two dresses. Paul wore his only pants and two shirts.

“It’s mighty cold,” said Daddy. “Wrap up your feet too.” Since they didn’t have shoes, this was how they kept their feet warm in the winter. Everyone wrapped up and bundled up. Mama even put extra cloth around Elizabeth.

Mama gathered what looked like all of their food, both rations from Master Adam and vegetables from the garden, and wrapped it up in a cloth. She tied the ends to make it easy to carry.

The Saturday party was just like it always was, but it didn’t feel the same to Ann. It was the last Saturday party she’d ever have.

She sat and watched everyone. She tried to memorize every face and the words to every story and every song. She studied the dancing. She left the food on her tongue longer than normal, so she would remember the taste.

Paul sat right up under Mama and ate his food. He listened to the stories and laughed at the men trying to get women to dance with them. Ann knew that her little brother had no idea that his life was about to change forever.

“Time to head back now,” said one of the older women.

Everyone collected their things and began heading back to the farm. Mama moved slower than usual. Daddy hugged Daniel tight and patted his back. By the time Mama was finished gathering their leftover food, everyone else was already out of sight.

Daddy bent down in front of Ann and Paul. “Listen,” he said. “We’re heading north. Right now.”

Ann’s eyes bulged. “We’re running away? On the Underground Railroad?”

“Shhh,” warned Mama. She looked around to make sure no one was there.

Daddy nodded. “I can’t bear to see you get sold. A family belongs together.”

“Sold?” asked Paul. “Who’s getting sold?”

Daddy took both of Paul’s hands. “Nobody.”

Ann wondered what had changed Daddy’s mind, but she didn’t ask. All that mattered was that they were leaving together.

They stood in a huddle as Daddy told them everything he knew about the Underground Railroad and the trip north. Ann listened to every word he said. She knew he might need her help.

“We don’t have a conductor to lead us north,” said Daddy. “We’ll have to find our own way.”

“What’s a conductor?” asked Paul. His voice was too loud as usual, and Mama shushed him.

Daddy said, “Those are the people who lead runaways to freedom and keep them safe.”

Ann was starting to worry. If they didn’t have a conductor, they might get lost.

Daddy continued. “I’m not sure exactly where to go, so we just have to keep heading north.”

Mama’s eyes got big. “John, you don’t know where the first station is?”

Daddy shook his head, and Paul asked, “What’s a station?”

“It’s a place where runaways can rest and get help,” answered Mama. Ann could tell from Mama’s voice that she was worried too.

Daddy said, “We have to travel at night. It’ll be scary, so you have to be brave.”

“Scary?” asked Paul.

“Yes. But you can be brave, right?” asked Daddy. Paul didn’t answer, so Daddy continued, “We’ll have to hide a lot and listen out for pattyrollers.”

“Pattyrollers?” asked Ann, looking back and forth between Mama and Daddy. “What are pattyrollers?” Neither one of her parents answered right away, so she knew pattyrollers must be bad.

Finally Daddy said, “Pattyrollers get paid to hunt escaped slaves and bring them back. They’ll hurt you if they have to.”

Ann swallowed. People who got paid to hunt other people were probably some of the meanest people there were. She hoped they wouldn’t hurt children… or babies.

As if Daddy could read her mind he said, “Just be quiet and stay close. I’ll keep you safe. But we have to go now.”

Ann threw her arms around her daddy. He hugged her tighter than he ever had. “Thank you, Daddy,” whispered Ann.

“There’s no way I’m letting you two get sold,” he said.

Ann smiled. Now Daddy stood tall and looked up into the night sky. Ann knew he was looking for the North Star. He put his finger over his lips to tell them to be quiet and pointed at the star. Then he motioned for them to follow him.

Ann’s family headed north. Inside her chest, her heart beat strong like a drum, but she took a breath and remembered to be brave.

An owl hooted and Paul grabbed onto Mama’s skirt. “Mama, are there ghosts out here?” he asked.

“Shhh,” said Mama. Then she shook her head.

A mosquito buzzed in Ann’s ear, and she swatted at it. Something scurried in the bushes off to her left, and something else screeched behind her. She thought maybe there were ghosts out in the woods. Just like she’d heard stories of Anansi, she’d heard stories of swamp ghosts who tried to lure people deep into the woods.

Be brave, Ann thought to herself.

As they walked through the black of night, Ann felt the ground get soggier. Every step made a sucking noise, and she cringed. Daddy had told them to be quiet, but there was nothing they could do about the ground.

Ann had to lift her feet higher, because the grass here was taller. The moisture soaked through the cloth around her feet, and she was glad Mama had made her bundle up. Even in the dark, she could see vines in the trees. Her questions about the world outside of the farm were getting answered, and she wasn’t sure she liked it.

Ahead of her, Daddy stopped. “We’re just about at Greenbriar Swamp,” he whispered. He looked up. “At the first light, we’ll have to hide.”

Ann looked at Mama. Mama was worried—it was all over her face. Still, Mama nodded and followed Daddy when he walked again. Paul was practically under Mama’s skirt.

Thorns scratched at Ann’s legs, and something much bigger than a mosquito buzzed past her face. She covered her mouth to hold in a yelp. Ann hoped it didn’t get worse than this.

Just when Ann was about to ask Daddy if they could rest, he stopped. “We’ll walk a ways in the swamp, so we don’t leave footprints,” he whispered. “Then we need to lie down in the grass all day and wait for night.”

Lying in the grass seemed like a good idea to Ann. It would give her a chance to build up her courage again.

“I’m hungry,” said Paul.

Daddy nodded at Mama, and she gave everyone a strip of pork to eat while they walked through the swamp. Ann felt something slither past her ankle in the muddy water and jumped. The splash scared Paul, and he squealed. Daddy glared at them and put his finger to his lips again.

picture

The trip north was going to be harder than Ann thought. Right now she was causing more trouble than Paul. She would have to do better.

Finally, just before sunrise, Daddy moved to the edge of the swamp and found a spot for each one of them to lay in the grass.

When Daddy pointed to the spot for Paul, the boy whispered, “I want to hide with Mama.”

Daddy pointed again, with a thrust of his arm, like he meant it. Paul sulked, but he lay down in his spot.

As the sun rose in the sky, Ann’s family rested in the muddy grass. Ann watched big white birds fly silently in the sky above her. She could hear the soft sound of Paul snoring several feet away. She hoped nobody passing by would hear it.

Then she realized nobody would be passing by. They were in the middle of nowhere. Her bravery returned, and she let herself doze off.

The sound of baby Elizabeth hollering woke Ann up. She opened her eyes and off to the left, she saw a man with a big hat standing over Daddy. The hat was so big Ann couldn’t see the man’s face. Paul crawled to Mama, who sat up in her spot. Mama nursed the baby to keep her quiet. Daddy slowly rose to his feet to face the man.