Aunt Ruth's Quilt
N. M. Bronson
Published by N. M. Bronson at Smashwords.
Copyright 2012 N. M. Bronson
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Aunt Ruth's Quilt
I was born an abolitionist. Well, that's what Aunt Ruth always said. She would know, she helped slaves escape to freedom for as long as I could remember. We lived at the border between Pennsylvania and Virginia, commonly known as the Mason Dixon line. Nearly every night runaways appeared at our door. They would eat, rest then leave. I would watch the go, a candle burning in my window and a quilt blowing on the clothes line. I always wished to go with them, way north to Canada on an adventure. I never believed that I would actually go until that night.
It was a night like any other. Two runaway slaves appeared, a boy and girl. The boy Charley looked about 15 to my 12. His sister, Rose was probably a few years younger than myself. They started eating the instant Aunt Ruth placed their plates of biscuits and potatoes on the table. I sat at a chair in the corner, fiddling with the hem of my skirt. I looked up and met Charley's eyes, his hand paused in the middle of grabbing a biscuit. His face looked sad and older than it should. I blushed and looked down at my lap.
I was watching Charley again, when there was a knock at the door. Aunt Ruth nodded for me to answer it. I stepped up and turned the knob. All I remember is opening the door and feeling something hard hit my head, then nothing.
I awoke to Aunt Ruth smiling over me, relieved. She explained that Rose and Charley had been followed by a bounty hunter. Aunt Ruth had thrown a candle at him when she realized I was knocked out. The house had burned down but she said it was for the best anyway. At that moment we were in the middle of the woods a few miles from what had been home. Now we would take Charley and Rose all the way to Canada. I would have been thrilled if my head hadn't hurt so much. Charley had carried me this far and offered to carry me farther. He was very strong.
We kept a steady pace and withing a few days made it halfway through Pennsylvania. We traveled in the woods not daring to use roads. Aunt Ruth was a resourceful woman so finding food was never hard. We were doing exceptionally well until we decided to travel into town.
We figured we were safe at the border of Pennsylvania and New York. We only planned to stay one day, to eat some good food and rest. We never saw the reward signs until it was too late. Someone yelled runaway slaves. A group of men chased us down the street till we could see the edge of town. Just as I thought we were going to make it I heard a shot. Just like that Aunt Ruth collapsed mid-run. I started to scream when a hand covered my mouth and forced me to move on. When we finally made it to the middle of a forest and stopped running, I confronted Charley. “Why didn't you stop?” My voice choked as I spoke. Surprisingly Charley wasn't angry. “I've seen them shoot slaves before. They go for the heart, no chance of surviving.” I just stood there feeling ashamed, sad and angry. “Well” I said with a fake smile. “were still alive and we have a long way to go.” Charley gave me a weak smile back. We laughed at Rose as she chased butterflies. It was good to laugh.
Over the next nights of walking I learned more about Charley and Rose. They had been born on a plantation in Georgia. They had only recently been sold to a plantation owner in Virginia. “Our master in Virginia didn't like me.” “He had me whipped all the time and his wife would say awful things to me sister.” I watched as Charleys fists clenched in anger. I placed a reassuring hand on his arm. “That's the past, your going to freedom.” I smiled and shook his arm comfortingly. He breathed deep. “Thanks...I-” He didn't finish the sentence but pushed Rose and I to the ground. “Stay down I heard something.” I held Rose tight and tried to calm my racing heart. I listened closely and I heard it too. A deep drumming in the distance that I couldn't put my finger on but felt I had heard before. All of a sudden I felt a raindrop. The noise in the distance was thunder. I looked up at Charley. “Its..Its a raindrop.” I made my voice shocked with sarcasm. Charley looked at me and made a face. “Very funny, You can't blame me for being cautious.” I rolled my eyes and stood up.
We thought it would never stop raining. It finally did though but left Rose with a terrible cold. As a result we were much slower as we made our way through New York. One day we found a cave to rest in. The cave was dark and Rose clutched Charley and I as if her life depended on it. I froze.
“I just saw something move.” Charley searched around. “Where? I don't see anything.” I pointed to a shape in the dark. “Right there.” “Hello.” Charley said to the figure. “Who are you?” The figure revealed itself. It was a colored man carrying a bundle of cloth. “I'm Jacob.” Charley moved forward.
“I'm Charley and this is my sister Rose.” He pointed to Rose who shifted uncomfortably. “This is our guide Annabelle.” Charley continued. I didn't know what to do so I smiled. The gesture was not returned. Jacob showed a disbelieving smirk and said “Your guide is a young girl?” “Obviously.” I muttered. Rose giggled while Charley shot me a look. I presumed Jacob didn't hear me because he didn't say anything. Instead Charley spoke “Yes, she's an abolitionist.” Charley paused slightly to let that sink in. “She and her Aunt were leading us to freedom but her Aunt was killed.” I expected Jacob to offer condolences. He didn't. “Your going North?” Jacob asked. I couldn't keep my mouth shut. “No I'm taking them south!”
I knew it was rude but I could tell Jacob didn't like me and so far Charley sighed. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a tree. “He has a baby.” I was shocked. Charley went on. “The cloth holds a baby.” Charley walked back to Jacob, looking back only to give me a disapproving look. I slumped down the tree to stare at the ground with a knot in my stomach.
It was decided(without me) that Jacob and the baby, whose name was Bethany, would join us. Jacob and I were still not on speaking terms so we kept our distance. Charley kept telling me to talk to Jacob.
“He's really nice once you get to know him.” He often said.
“Well”, I replied. “I guess I'll never find out then will I?” That was my regular response and after I would answer Charley would walk a way to talk to Jacob.
If I had known what was to happen I would have talked to Jacob. We never saw it coming. We were practically to Canada then Jacob left. Charley confessed late that he and known but promised Jacob he wouldn't tell. He explained that Jacob was going back south for his wife. Jacob apparently now felt comfortable leaving because he believed we would take care of his chil. He left baby Bethany in my care because (hard to believe) he trusted and respected me.
Five days after Jacob left, we reached Canada. The first thing we did was run through the grass, the free grass as Charley put it. When we finished I laid out Aunt Ruths quilt of the underground railroad. I then took out the quilt patches that told out story of going North. Charley and Rose sat down next to me with baby Bethany and watched me sew our quilt.
The End
About The Author:
N.
M. or Nightmare Bronson is a 16 year old gothic girl living in
upstate New York.
She is the author of the Tales of the
Enchanted Forest, a ten book series beginning with the novella Ashes,
Ashes available on smashwords February 29th
2012. In her spare time she enjoys reading and adding books to her
ever growing personal library. A self proclaimed misfit and strange
girl, Nightmare believes in being yourself no matter what anyone else
thinks. She loves to hear from her readers so stop be her facebook
page and say hi!