Things to Think About

            As Emma entered the kitchen, a fire was burning in the wood stove, and a kettle of water was boiling, but neither Izzy nor Lucy was tending it. That's odd, Emma thought to herself. Usually, both of them spent the early morning hours in the kitchen, cooking or baking for the day.

            Emma walked to the front of the house and out the main door unto the veranda. She saw the four workers standing in a huddle at the barn. Izzy had her eyes on the house, but she didn't move when Emma came out the door.

            "What is the matter?" she called when she was still twenty feet away.

            Saul and Izzy shook their heads, but the two youngsters kept their eyes on the frozen ground.

            "What is going on?" Emma stopped next to them and placed a hand on Izzy's shoulder.

            "Well, finally, a human bein'," a voice came from just beyond the worried group.

            Emma dropped her hand and watched two men emerge from the darkness of the barn.

            "Might you be the mistress of the house?" the taller man asked. Both of them were disheveled and smelled to the point that Emma instantly felt dirty in the presence of these strangers. 

            "Who are you?" She thought she could guess as she struggled to keep her voice even, pleasant but not friendly.

            "We’s lookin' for some runaway slaves, and these four fit the description."

            "These four people have been working here for several years; they work for Mr. Cook, who runs the mercantile in town. Surely, you've heard of him."

            "Can't say we have, but we ain't from 'round here. We're from Tennessee, huntin' runaway slaves."       

            Emma's worst fears were realized. She broke out in a sweat despite the cold outside. What could she say or do to make these men leave peaceably? And if she did say or do the wrong thing, would they find out about all the slaves who had been helped to freedom through Mr. Cook’s house?

            One of the men shifted, and Emma noticed for the first time that a rifle hung from his right hand. She glanced at the other man and saw his weapon as well. She fought the feeling of panic, which was lurching into her chest.

 

    It’s been a long time since I’ve shared any excerpts from my recent books. This one is from Chapter 23 of “Prior to Now”. 

    Emma is the town’s young school teacher, rooming in the large house of Mr. Cook, the founder of the town of Prior Gulch. Izzy, Saul, Lucy, and Oscar work for him and live with him as well. At the time, Emma didn’t even know if they had once been slaves and if so had they gained their freedom? Or were they runaways as these men claimed?

    If it were you, what would you do? Risk your life for these people who had become your only friends in town? What could you possibly do against two men with loaded guns?

     Hopefully you are never faced with that situation. But have there been times when you have been asked to do something incredibly uncomfortable? Defend a friend against bullies? Stand up for yourself when you’re being picked on? Write your opinion on someone’s Facebook page when they’ve posted something disrespectful? Support the least popular candidate, the one who shares the same values you do?

     A few things to think about. Maybe 2023 isn’t so different from the 1860s.