She's right. Bein' here, a taste of wind of my arms, ain't doin' nothin' fo' them. They could die either way, they could live either way. Cecile 'as her own fate, an' no matter if I watchin' or not God'll make what he wants to happen. I jus' have to hope that the Lord will keep 'er alive.
"You're right," I say, chokin' on them words. I don't never compliment Mary, an' I don't never admit she's righ'.
"I know I am," she whispers, "But it still hard to leave."
She's righ' again. I kno' stayin' near the door ain't gonna do nothin', but it gives me some comfort. I dunno if I can jus' walk away, an' not find out if she dead or alive.
I jus' 'bout to respon', when the biggest gust a wind, I seen all day swirls up near the house. The frames shudder, an' tears start to fall from my eyes. I ain't safe here, Mary neither, but we can't leave. They outside, where it even more dangerous.
"If they was here Corinne," Mary says, "They'd tell us to go fin' daddy."
"You're righ'."
I start to cry harder, picturin' Cecile dead on the sidewalk. They gotta hurry, they gotta make it back 'ere in time. The storms jus' gettin' worse an' worse. As I thinkin' that, the house shakes again, Mary lettin' outta a scream.
"Corinne we gotta go."
I nod, lookin' out in the dark for one more time, hopin' to see them slaves alive an' runnin' toward us but there ain't nothin' there. Nothin' but darkness.
"You think they gonna make it back here?"
Mary pauses, her own face wet with tears, "I dunno. But all we can do 'is hope I guess."
I nod one more time, then cross the room to find her hand. It slik with sweat, an' cold all at the same time. But it don't matter cause she still my sister. We walk 'way from the door, neither of us lookin' back though we both want to. It'll jus' torture us more, not knowin. I sigh as we reach the stairs takin' us to the cellar, daddy an' the Mistress waitin' below. I wish Cecile woulda never gone after Samuel, then she could be here with us an' safe.
"Daddy," I call, goin' down them stairs, into the candle lit light, "Daddy we back."
"Over 'ere."
I let Mary lead the way, cause she got her head on 'er more than me. Cause righ' now- she smarter.
"You're right," I say, chokin' on them words. I don't never compliment Mary, an' I don't never admit she's righ'.
"I know I am," she whispers, "But it still hard to leave."
She's righ' again. I kno' stayin' near the door ain't gonna do nothin', but it gives me some comfort. I dunno if I can jus' walk away, an' not find out if she dead or alive.
I jus' 'bout to respon', when the biggest gust a wind, I seen all day swirls up near the house. The frames shudder, an' tears start to fall from my eyes. I ain't safe here, Mary neither, but we can't leave. They outside, where it even more dangerous.
"If they was here Corinne," Mary says, "They'd tell us to go fin' daddy."
"You're righ'."
I start to cry harder, picturin' Cecile dead on the sidewalk. They gotta hurry, they gotta make it back 'ere in time. The storms jus' gettin' worse an' worse. As I thinkin' that, the house shakes again, Mary lettin' outta a scream.
"Corinne we gotta go."
I nod, lookin' out in the dark for one more time, hopin' to see them slaves alive an' runnin' toward us but there ain't nothin' there. Nothin' but darkness.
"You think they gonna make it back here?"
Mary pauses, her own face wet with tears, "I dunno. But all we can do 'is hope I guess."
I nod one more time, then cross the room to find her hand. It slik with sweat, an' cold all at the same time. But it don't matter cause she still my sister. We walk 'way from the door, neither of us lookin' back though we both want to. It'll jus' torture us more, not knowin. I sigh as we reach the stairs takin' us to the cellar, daddy an' the Mistress waitin' below. I wish Cecile woulda never gone after Samuel, then she could be here with us an' safe.
"Daddy," I call, goin' down them stairs, into the candle lit light, "Daddy we back."
"Over 'ere."
I let Mary lead the way, cause she got her head on 'er more than me. Cause righ' now- she smarter.
