Edward had been working in the fields that night, and just came in to settle down for the night. He quaffed down a glass of water Ellis had fetched for him, and told tales of his day at work.
“There are rumors,” he began, “of the things that happen to those who harbor the runaways. I fear Fred and Emily are no more.” Frowning, I soon objected: “They would never…could never…” Yet we both knew the awful truth. They most certainly could, and probably did. Edward and I have had a constant inner battle due to slavery. Could you blame us? Slavery was wrong, and all Quakers knew it. That explains why Fred and Emily had done what they did. Of course it was against the law to harbor runaways, but secretly, she envied the pair for their bravery and devotion. Edward cleared his throat, announcing, “Tomorrow I will work in the fields instead of the factory. I have already notified the boss.” I sighed. Sometimes I had horrible thoughts within. Slaves would make life so much easier, and we certainly could afford it. However, I knew it would never be, and I didn't want them anyway. They were people, no less than Edward or Ellis. My thoughts were soon interrupted by a knock at the door. Edwards eyebrows rose. “Company so late, Rose? Why didn’t you tell me?” My mind raced frantically, “I have no plans for tonight.” “Oh?” Edward questioned. It may have been less alarming if we lived in the town, but the only neighbors we ever had were Fred and Emily. They were the only people to ever come around, much less at this hour. I glanced nervously at the door, shuffling towards the soft, almost frantic knocks. As soon as I cracked the door, I heard, “A friend with a friend.” I’d heard whispers of these words, but there was no way. Yet, it was. Peeking through the door, I caught a glimpse of a black woman accompanied by a young girl, probably around the age of 8, the same as Ellis. They came immediately, they always did. I saw them when I closed my eyes, when I thought of them, when I heard the whispers. The memory came so suddenly, I didn’t stand a chance. The noise started faint, an itching in my ears. Gradually, I sat up in bed as the sounds of snarling and cries grew. Instinctively, I grabbed Edward as the first gunshot sounded. They were so close. How …show more content…
Edward and I had recently bought the home, and soon after realized there was a secret room behind the bookshelf. Of course we had no use for it before, so we made it into a library. I sighed. It would have to do. I didn’t know how I was going to face Edward tomorrow. Alas, they would need to stay for at least an extra night. Their clothes were tattered, their bodies weak. I needed at least a day to make them a new set of clothes, feed them, and let them regain their strength. Edward would without a doubt be furious. Maybe Ruth could take a break from school tomorrow to help me.
After helping the two into their room, I crawled into bed, thinking the day over. What we were doing could very well get us killed. Any sane person would clearly be incredibly worried at this point. Yet somehow, I went to sleep that night with a smile on my face, and whenever I thought of Charlotte and Ruth, I felt a warmth spread through my entire body. The next morning, I woke with the small smile still glued to my face. I try to hide it from Edward but clearly fail. I saw the hint of a smile on his face as he whispers, “Psychopath.” Of course this only makes my smile