Tennessee, 1862. Fifteen-year-old Elizabeth Edwards hates her personal slave, Anna. Elizabeth has never given much thought to the plight of the slaves on her father's plantation; instead, she focuses on pretty dresses and horses, and dreams of the young man she wants to marry. But Elizabeth's world collapses when she is told she must marry her cousin to keep the plantation in the family. Elizabeth takes out her anger on Anna, who finally snaps and reveals that Elizabeth and she have the same father. Anna is brutally whipped the next day, and Elizabeth is horrified. When she tries to confide in her mother, she finds her secretly kissing Elizabeth's tutor. Elizabeth now feels she has nothing and nobody. She changes her attitude about Anna and asks her to run away with her. They are overheard by two stable hands, Fred and Sam, who have heard of a safe house on the Underground Railroad. The four of them set off, planning to reach Canada. Will they all make it to Canada alive? Does Anna truly forgive Elizabeth, or is she just using her? Is it possible to find love on the run?

Plantation Children

Now Fred rises,tears streaming down his face.“You killed my…you killed my friend!”


The world has stopped.It seems like our journey ends here.How can we go on without Sam?


“Let’s get him out of here and see how he looks,”Anna says.Her body is shaking,but her voice is calm.


Anna takes Sam by the legs and Fred takes the torso.With much difficulty,they tear their way through the brambles and lay him on the ground.He’s not moving,not breathing,much as we want him to be.The shot hit him on the left side of his chest.


Anna and I both kneel by his body,sobbing.Fred paces back and forth,carrying the rifle.


“I didn’t mean to,”the boy says again,voice quavering.“Let’s take him to my Pa.He can help us bury him.”


Bury him.His body is not yet cold,and this boy is already talking about putting him in the ground.


“We can’t go to your pa and you know it,”Anna says dully.


Chapter 30