Dawn of Rebellion (Dawn of Rebellion Series Book 1) Page 8

  The story is taking a toll on Ma. She has tears running down her face as she looks at all of us.

  “Do you need to stop Ma?” Lee asks; eyes full of concern. In the short time I’ve been here, I haven’t seen him actually be kind until now.

  “I’m almost done dear,” she responds. “And when it was over, when the cities of the east and south were destroyed, and the people were gone from the sickness, and God had lifted his hand, the nations moved in to pick over the carcass. Only a few of us remained, hidden. The French were first. They came from the north. Then the British came across the sea and settled in the south so that they could feed their people. And the land came to life once more on the backs of the slaves they sent here. Those damn camps!”

  My ears perk up when she mentions the camps, hoping she’ll tell us more.

  “Can I ask you about the English slave camps?” I ask.

  “Most of them camps are down in old Floridaland.” At my confusion she elaborates. “It’s as far south as you can go. Surrounded by ocean. They emptied out their prisons and slums to send people down there.”

  “What happens to them?”

  “They probably be picking fruit and vegetables. Hard work that is. Hot in Floridaland. You go there and you don’t come back.” I can tell she’s finished talking when she leans her head back on her chair and shuts her eyes.

  Sam whispers to me, “So why are you so curious about those slave camps in Floridaland?” Up until now I hadn’t felt comfortable telling Sam or anyone else the truth about why we’re here. I don’t have a lie handy so I just go ahead and tell him.

  “My sister is in one, and I’m going to get her out.”

  Chapter 23

  Gabby

  Claire has been drifting in an out of consciousness for days now. She is strong and is holding on. There are times when we think she might even beat this. There’s a problem with too much hope, though. It is so much harder to live when that hope fails than if you never had it to begin with. Hope prolongs pain. It torments the soul.

  Life has returned to normal in the aftermath of the storm. We are back to work in the groves. Well, most people are. Apparently, they’ve found a foolproof way to cover for me and Jeremy. I don’t know what it is though, and I really don’t care as long as it lets me stay here with Claire. Jeremy and I only leave her side to go to the lav. People have been bringing us our meals but it is hard to eat. Claire can barely choke anything down and is wasting away in front of us. She has trouble getting the water down her throat and can barely talk because her mouth is so dry. She shivers in the 90 degree heat. I feel helpless because there is nothing I can do to help her. This sweet girl does not deserve to go like this.

  I’ve taken up root in Claire and Jeremy’s hut but neither seem to mind. I think Jeremy appreciates the company. We take turns sleeping so that someone is always awake with Claire. I’m sure both of us smell pretty grotty in this heat because we haven’t been to the pond, but we don’t notice. Jeremy doesn’t say much but occasionally he’ll grab my hand, making sure I’m still there. I feel for him. He feels like Claire is the last good thing he has in the world. Claire represents a better life. I know this because it is exactly how I’ve always felt about Dawn. The worst part about this place is losing her. Family never means as much as it does when times are hard. In the short time I’ve been here, Claire has become like family to me. She has been the only bright spot in an otherwise dark place. As I look into her angelic face, tears begin rolling down my face. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to stop them.

  I feel a light pressure on my hand and Claire’s eyelids flutter open slowly. “Gabby?” she whispers.

  “I’m here,” I respond.

  “Am I going to die?”

  The tears are flowing freely now. “Oh honey, you’re going to be just fine.” It’s almost as if I’m willing myself to believe it instead of Claire.

  “Gabby?” Even quieter this time.

  “Yeah?” I am trying not to let her hear the break in my voice.

  “I’m scared.” It’s like a stab to the heart. Not knowing what to say, I just tell her the truth.

  “Me too Claire.” Claire’s eyelids slide shut once again and she falls back into unconsciousness. “Me too,” I whisper once more. I sit staring into her face and reach up and brush the hair out of her eyes. Unable to control myself any longer, my chest heaves with sobs and my shirt is now soaked with tears as well as sweat. After a while I notice that Jeremy has woken and is sitting next to me, his arm around my shoulders. I lean in to him and bury my face in his shoulder.

  “You should get some sleep,” he says. I don’t want to close my eyes for fear that Claire will be gone when I wake but I know he’s right.

  “Maybe just a short kip. Wake me if anything changes?” I ask.

  “Yeah.” He has removed his arm from my shoulders and taken his sister’s hands in his. Wanting to give him his time with her, I move to the other side of the room and try to get some shut eye.

  “Gabby … Gabby.” I wake up and look around. Jeremy is bent over me trying to get my attention. His face looks urgent. Oh no, did something happen while I was asleep? I knew I shouldn’t have closed my eyes.

  “Claire?” I’m beginning to panic.

  “She’s still hanging on.” I let out the breath I was holding and look at Jeremy, confused.

  “Amanda brought us some food.” I don’t know why he seems excited by this. It’s not like the two of us have really been eating the past few days. I think he can tell that I still don’t get it because he explains, “They caught a gator.” That doesn’t help my confusion.

  “Gator? What’s that?” I ask.

  “It’s meat for one thing.” We don’t get meat around here; well, besides fish. Eating the same thing every day gets really old so I’m all up for trying something new. My lips crack as I smile for the first time in days and I move over to sit by Claire’s bed with Jeremy. I pick up the peace of meat to examine it. It smells pretty much like fish. It is thick and charred from the grill our cooks have rigged up. I take a bite and it is heaven. It still has that fishy quality to it, but it is different enough that the flavors explode in my mouth. When you eat the same food every day it becomes practically flavorless. The gator is chewy and tough but I manage to scarf it down quickly, still wanting more.

  “So, what’s a gator look like?” I ask Jeremy.

  “It’s basically a giant lizard.” I almost gag as soon as he says this. I’ve never had the luxury of being picky with my food but I’ve never eaten lizard. He chuckles at the look on my face and I forget all about what we’ve just eaten. We’ve had our brief bit of joy at new food but it’s time to get back to the reality of what’s going on here.

  Claire is getting worse. She’s waking up less and less and can barely speak when she does. This time it is a coughing fit that wakes her. She smiles slightly when she sees the two of us and we each take a hand. She tries to say something but it doesn’t come out so she stops. We both lean down to try to catch what she wants to say so she tries again.

  “Guys I have to go now.” It’s barely audible but we hear every word.

  “Claire, it’s OK, just go back to sleep.” Jeremy’s voice is pleading.

  “Did you have gator? I love gator.” She smiles lazily.

  “I’ll go get you some, you should eat something.” I move to get up and leave but Claire squeezes my hand.

  “No no, none for me.” She looks sideways at her brother, “I love you Jer.”

  “And I love you sis, let’s get you some water.” I’m starting to realize what’s going on here. Claire is saying goodbye. She looks at me and says,

  “Don’t you let him die in here. You need to get out. Escape.” If I wasn’t a sobbing mess, I would almost laugh at the stubbornness in her voice. Not letting Jeremy hear me, I lean down and whisper in Claire’s ear.

  “I will.” Once she has my agreement, Claire leans her head back on her pillow with a smile on her lips. She b
reathes in once more and then lets out a long sigh and her whole body relaxes. I feel her little hand slide out of mine and I set it on her chest. Jeremy does the same. Without saying anything to me, he stands and walks out of the room. I follow him.

  “Someone find me Mandy,” he barks out.

  “I’m right here Jeremy.” Amanda steps forward and walks towards us.

  “It’s done.” With that he walks away. I think about going after him. He shouldn’t be alone, but everyone grieves in their own way. I am left standing in front of the hut Claire and Jeremy shared, completely unsure of what I should do. My tears have finally dried up but I can’t take any more of this heartache. The camp is busy with everyone returning from a day in the Groves but I don’t want to be around anyone else right now. I walk away, unable to look back.

  Chapter 24

  Dawn

  You are? Cool! I can’t believe you came all this way for your sister! You got a plan?

  Sam’s response last night confounded me. Most people who learn of our intentions would think we’re nutters or something. Nope, not crazy, at least I don’t think so. He asked about a plan. I hadn’t even gotten that far. My main focus so far has been actually getting there. I have no idea what we’ll do once we’re far enough south. To be honest, I’m afraid I’ve gotten a little too comfortable over the past week or so. I haven’t really been thinking about Gabby as much as I should. I know I should have pushed myself harder to get back on the road. We shouldn’t be here; not while my sister needs our help.

  I also feel kind of guilty about the state of things between Drew and me. This trip is not about us. We shouldn’t be blocking each other out. We need to talk and plan and work together. That’s the only way this is ever going to work; we need to trust each other. Gabby needs us. It’s time to go get her.

  I get up and decide to see what the world looks like today, after that storm. It’s still early so everyone else is sleeping as I silently make my way to the stairs. I reach the door and push it open. A blast of fresh morning air rushes in at me and I have never been more thankful to be outside. I don’t think I could live down in those caves. Most of the people here only sleep there when the weather turns bad, choosing instead to sleep under the stars. The temperature this morning is perfect; warm, but not hot, with a cool breeze. I love mornings, when the world is just waking up. The sun streams through the trees, illuminating the leaves. The birds are all up and singing to welcome the new day. It really is beautiful here.

  We must have been wrong about the storm last night. It doesn’t look like there was anything more than a light rain shower. The ground is damp but not soaked through, all of the trees are still intact, and not a single piece of the cabins thatched roof seems to have fallen off. I walk the short distance to sit in my favorite spot one more time. The pond looks as inviting as ever. There are even a few turtles today.

  I take a seat and enjoy a few minutes of silence. No one knows we’re leaving today. Not even Drew. It’s something I decided last night after Ma’s story. We’ve been here long enough and my ankle feels a lot better. It’s still a little stiff but that’s nothing that a few days on the road won’t cure. I don’t think Drew will mind leaving but its bittersweet for me.

  Back in London, life was hard. Every day was a fight to survive. Since we’ve been in the colonies we’ve had to deal with a lot of hardships as well, until we came here to stay with these people. If I didn’t believe that Gabby was off fighting for her life, I could even be happy here. It’s peaceful and simple. I have grown attached to many of the people as well. I’ve never had a friend like Sam before. I don’t want to leave him but family comes first, forever and always.

  I hear a twig snap behind me and turn to see Lee walking towards me.

  “Morning Lee,” I say, still partially trapped in my own thoughts. He doesn’t say anything as he lowers himself to sit beside me. The silence between us is slightly uncomfortable but I don’t know what to say. Lee will be glad to see us go. He didn’t want us here in the first place and has made no effort since.

  “I heard about your sister,” he says, taking me by surprise. I don’t respond so he keeps going. “Must be hard, not knowing what’s happening to her.” I still don’t know what to say. I just nod. “I loved a girl once.” At this I tilt my head up to look at him. “She was beautiful and so full of joy. Kind too. ” His voice is wistful as he looks off in the distance.

  “What happened to her?” I suddenly feel for this man that has been nothing but an arse to me.

  “She was caught and taken to one of your camps.” I wince as he still refers to the captors as my people. “I went after her.” He stops for a moment, thinking.

  “Where is she now?” I ask.

  “Dead.” His voice is no longer wistful. It has turned to venom. “They put her in this small box, in the hot Floridaland sun. She died before I was able to get there. That’s where I met Sam. He was down there on a scouting mission. He forced me to come back here with him, rather than try to kill every last one of those bastards.” I am openly staring at Lee now and, for the first time since he began speaking, his eyes meet mine.

  “I’m sorry.” That’s all I can manage. He breaks his eyes away from mine and says,

  “Yeah, well everyone is sorry aren’t they? The point is that everyone in this saga has lost people they love. We need to prevent it when we can and get over it when we can’t. Let me ask you this. Is your sister strong? Is she a survivor?

  “She’s the strongest person I know.”

  “Well okay then. Let’s go and get her.” This is the first time I have seen Lee truly smile.

  “Let’s do it.” I answer his grin with one of my own. I never expected this from Lee of all people. He stands and reaches his hand down to me. I grab it and pull myself up.

  By the time we’ve returned to the cabin, everyone has come out of the caves to enjoy the beautiful morning. I spot Drew and walk towards him. He looks at me, confused. I realize I’m still wearing my grin and that’s a little strange being that Drew and I aren’t speaking at the moment. I had totally forgotten about it. That needs to be fixed. I open my mouth to speak but the words don’t come. The only thing I can think to say is “We’re leaving today.” With that, I walk away to go find Ma.

  I find her outside the cabin, at the fire, preparing breakfast. She doesn’t look up as I approach. “They’re good boys,” she says, “don’t let them do anything stupid.”

  “I won’t let Lee risk his life for my sister. I just need him to get me there.”

  “Sam’s going too.” At my startled expression she continues. “You don’t think he’d let Lee go without him do you? He doesn’t know it yet, but he will be there.” Lee must not have told Sam he’s coming yet. “Like I said, they’re good boys. They may not be my own, but I love ‘em like sons.” She stops talking, ending the conversation the way she does; always having the final word. I grab a plate of the food she has prepared and go off to distribute it.

  After breakfast I look around and realized that it’s time to hit the road. Ma must have decided the same thing because she walks up to me and drops four rucksacks in front of me. She eyes me as I open one. It is filled with supplies; Meats, berries, bread, and first aid supplies. Just by being here, I know that these are valuable commodities, especially the first aid supplies. Tears well up in my eyes as I look up at this tough as nails woman who has kept a community of people alive when the odds were stacked against them. I stand and reach my hand out to shake Ma’s but she pulls me into a hug instead.

  “God speed,” she says. I keep my mouth shut because I feel that if I told her God doesn’t exist so he has nothing to do with this, it would ruin the moment. To my surprise, Ma moves along to give Drew a hug. He responds to her saying,

  “God Bless.”

  Drew then shakes a few hands, picks up a pack and stands at the ready, waiting for me. I get hugs from most of the people before joining Drew. I am stunned when Shay walks up and plants a kiss
right on Drew’s lips. She walks away laughing and I realize Drew was not expecting that either. He looks at me and shrugs and I want to slap that smirk right off his face. He is way too pleased with himself. Drew turns to leave but I hold him back whispering,

  “Wait.”

  Shockwaves are sent throughout the group when Lee steps forwards to retrieve his pack. He says his goodbyes to Ma but no one else.

  “What the hell Lee?” Sam has caught Lee’s arm and is holding him back from joining us.

  “You can’t stop me this time.” Lee yanks his arm out of Sam’s grasp and heads towards us.

  “Well, then, I guess I’m coming too.” The way Sam makes such a huge decision in a matter of seconds amazes me.

  “I know you are,” Ma says as she grabs the last pack and hands it to Sam. “Go with God my son, and please come back to me. Both of you.”

  “We got this Ma.” Sam winks at her and then we are on our way.

  Chapter 25

  Dawn

  We walk all day without saying much. Well, besides Sam that is. He won’t stop his yakking. He’s ventured through this part of the country many times and has stories for each. There was the time he had to outrun soldiers, then the time he was followed by a dog, and the time he came across another group of Americans moving west. This brings up all the stories he has about the Western peoples. On and on he goes until none of us are really listening to him. The constant chatter does give me a brief respite from my own thoughts. I have more time to figure out how to fix things with Drew.

  When the sun begins to set, we are walking along some old railroad tracks. We are in a part of the country that Sam tells us was once called Appalachia. Walking through the mountains, trees are everywhere. I guess when a country stops developing most of their land this is what happens. It becomes overgrown. The only places where vegetation has not taken over are where the train tracks still sit. Sam says these used to be used for coal mining. I don’t know how he knows all of this but it’s terribly sad to think about. The people whose lives took place right here are gone.