The Runaway

***This is an Antebellum story***

The cold air whipped through the cracks of the door and small openings in the tiny cabin. The fire was going dead and adding more wood to it seemed futile as Abigail knew it was her last moments in the cabin she had called home. It was the only cabin she knew in her life other than her mother's cabin, and now it would soon be a memory as would Waite Plantation.

Abigail grabbed her burlap bag and began shoving the few clothes she knew she could not live without. The dress she made last winter and the few head scarves she liked. She adjusted it and then began to pack the food she had saved up. It wasn't as easy as she thought as the length of journey was unknown to her as was the journey itself.

Freedom was something she never put much thought in as it seemed like a concept you could not fathom as it was so obscure. The idea of leaving the plantation was scaring her more than exciting her. The notion of going north to freedom was making her body tremble with fear as getting caught was not only the whip but being sold off from her sister and her two nieces. It was something that needed to happen though as she knew what would happen if she stayed.

Although the fear trembled in her body like nerves on an important day, she managed to tie her bag with all of her meager possessions. With her face mostly covered with cloth, she figured she was ready for the blistering winter that lay just outside the cabin door.

Her sister Mary and her two twin nieces were in the larger cabin next to her that their mother previously occupied. Abigail knew that they must be going through the same fears and emotions as their escape was mere minutes away.

She knew Mary had managed to keep her twins alive through early sickness, but were now waiting for the auction block as Master Waite needed money more than he needed two twin girls. Like their father, Ruth and Rose were at a good age for being sold off and both Mary and Abigail knew that keeping them together was impossible.

Abigail knew that her older sister Mary was right in agreeing to go with the two white folk who came talking freedom. She remembered listening to them for a short while before her sister agreed to go with them, making sure her nieces were to make it to freedom.

The overseer was away, and the master was out for a week. It was the perfect time to run. The only problem was the cold winter that kept the other hands indoors or only doing small tasks during this time.

The plantation was almost idle during the cold winter month of January. It seemed like a perfect time as Abigail knew the plantation hands were only doing repairs during this time and most of the hands were tending to their own cabins and animals. If a storm hit, then spending time in-doors was the only option.

Even though the overseer and master were not at the plantation, danger still presented itself with John. John was a hand just like them and then not like them. He was allowed to sleep in the big house and allowed to leave the plantation whenever he wanted. He was the Master's friend growing up and he was in charge when the overseer was not around. Abigail knew he was quick with the lash too, but tonight he was stone drunk.

The night was colder than she expected as Abigail made it out of her cabin. Her small petite frame was strong for chopping cotton but the winter winds seemed to freeze her bones making them feel brittle. Mary was there with her two girls as Abigail knew they needed to meet the white northerners at the edge of the woods past the fields and off the plantation's property.

The snow was just beginning to fall and the moon was now being blocked as the night truly be-came a dark abyss of cold winds. The snow was not piling up fast, but the winds were making it seem like there was a blizzard as the snowflakes blew fast. Her dress and coat had a few holes and when the wind blew her body felt it

The two northerners were there waiting just as they promised they would be. Although Abigail did not expect there would be more, the man and women team had managed to have over a dozen other slaves with them. She quickly looked at all of their cold faces and knew they were all trying to do the same thing.

Abigail stuck close to her sister and nieces as they traveled. The man leading the group said it would be about two days before they would reach the edge of Virginia and then another day or two to get into Pennsylvania. Although with the storm hitting, those times were now in question. All she could focus on was not freezing to death.

The first night they travelled the storm seemed to get worse. The sun came up and they were still talking as the white lady said the safe place was past the river. They had to make it over the river to get to safety.

The storm went from bad to worse within the hour and the snow began piling up faster than they realized. The tracks they were leaving was hard to cover up and going fast was not happening. The boat waiting for them was there and Abigail was more pleased that the river was not frozen over.

It took two trips with the boat as Abigail waited more cold then scared as the boat came back for them. She was on the second load as they crossed the river as all she could do was watch in horror as the snow came down faster and thicker. The freezing air seemed to be like knifes hit-ting her as the coat she wore was not enough for what they were dealing with.

It was three days since they left the plantation and not once did the white man leading the group say they were out of Virginia. The only thing they said was to bundle up and conserve food. The snow was making walking harder and slower as Abigail wondered if it was the right choice to leave right before the storm.

The following day began with them sleeping during the day and it was then that the sound of horses made her jump up to see the sun was out. The cold air hit her face but her adrenaline warmed her body up. She was now on her feet as she heard more horses coming and then the gun shots.

Abigail looked to see her sister in a panic. Mary had her daughters in her arms as she looked for a place to run. Abigail waited to see which way she was going to run in an effort to follow them. The sound of horses got louder and louder and then the bushes next to them were trampled as she saw a man on horse push through them.

"Don't move! Move and I will shoot ya!" the man shouted. In that moment Abigail felt that her life was in danger if she moved just an inch.

Abigail froze as did her sister. Two other slaves made a run for it. They ran past the man causing his horse to rear up. Abigail gave a look to her sister and then saw her run. Not wanting to be left behind she followed grabbing her bag.

The sounds of horses galloping and shouts filled the cold morning as Abigail was running in lock step with her sister. Mary had her twins in each arm as she followed the two other slaves who were now distancing themselves forth away as they were faster.

The man on horse was close behind them and was gaining. Abigail turned to see how far he was and then felt it. It was a hard shove that was strong enough to knock her clear off her feet. Landing in the snow, she felt the ground shake as the horse plowed past her.

She lifted her head up to see her sister fall to the horse too as the man seemed to be trying to get to the two slaves in front, making sure they did not get away. Mary was already on her feet when Abigail brushed the snow from her eyes.

As Mary moved she watched her tumble down the embankment that led to the river. With her heart pounding, she got to her feet to see Rose trying to help her mother.

"Noooo...stopppp!" Abigail screamed as she saw Rose slip on her back. The snow was dense and the hill leading towards the river was steep.

The sound of horses moving in the distant faded from her brain as she saw Rose slide on her back towards the river and then disappear from sight as she fell off the embankment into the cold depths of the river water.

Mary got to her feet just as Abigail got to the edge to see Rose struggling in the water. "Nooooo...noooooo!" Mary screamed loud adding to the fear that Abigail had, knowingboth of them did not know how to swim.

The man on horse came up to them and Abigail turned to him in fear. He was young with a wide brimmed hat that was covered in snow. His face had a scowl on it and his short beard was nicely trimmed.

"Don't move," he stated as he spurred his horse down the side of the embankment heading to-wards Rose.

Abigail looked at her sister as she picked up her other daughter to head towards the river. Abigail did then the same as her feet kicked up the snow to head towards Rose who was screaming as she struggled to stay afloat.

The man reached the river and dismounted from his horse. With a lasso in his hand he began to swing it around his head. The sense that a rescue might happen was now fighting the fear that she was going to drown or freeze to death. Mary made it to the river and dropped to her knees crying. Abigail knew she felt helpless and figured her sister felt the same.

Just as the man began to swing the lasso she watched one of the slaves run up to him with a branch. Rose was still screaming and struggling to stay afloat in the cold water and the slave catcher was about to let go of the rope when she watched him fall into the river himself from be-ing hit alongside the head by the slave with the branch.

"Noooo," Abigail screamed again at the slave who was now grabbing the reins of the horse.

"Git going! The others will be by soon," the slave said to her as he was moving away from them.

The slave catcher was in the water and Mary stood up looking around to see if any of the other slave catchers were going to come and help. Rose was holding onto a piece of ice and looked like she was about to go under at any moment.

The white slave catcher then swam to the shore. His head was covered in blood and bleeding heavily. Rose looked at him and then began to cry as Abigail felt it was a lost cause for him to go back in as he was shivering already.

Abigail looked at the white man and he then looked at Rose who now had stopped screaming. "Please...please help her. I won't run if you help her."

She knew she was not lying and felt her life in bondage was nothing compared to her niece's life. If he went in she knew that she would keep the promise and that there still might be hope as her heart was already starting to hurt just watching her niece slowly freeze to death.

The white man did not say a word as he threw his hat down and jumped back in the icy water. He swam towards Rose and Abigail felt a twinge of hope return as Rose was now being swam back to the riverbank. The man was bleeding profusely and put Rose in Mary's arms as he dropped to the ground.

"We got to get moving. Abby...we got to get out of her before they come back!" Mary screamed as the man lay on the ground almost lifeless.

There were three other slaves on top of the embankment where Rose fell and the were waving for them to get up there. Mary then looked at her again. "Come...we got to git going."

"What about him?"

"Leave him be. If he wakes, he will bring us back," Mary stated with a firm tone.

"We can't. He saved Rose," Abigail answered as she felt guilty leaving the man there after sav-ing a life.

"Let's, go. There's no savin' him. He is just going to bring us back."

Abigail dropped to her knees near him to see if he was still alive. He stirred awake and opened his eyes. "Don't...don't kill me," he weakly plead, almost struggling to talk as he was shivering bad and his head was bleeding still.

"If I helps you...promise me you will let me go. Promise me you will be not huntin' me," she asked wanting to help herself but still thinking about saving the man who just saved her niece's life.

"Anything," he answered with his deep purple lips trembling.

"I can't help you Abby...I got to go. Please...don't help him. He will take you back or kill you," Mary said as she was in almost tears. She was holding Rose close to her trying to warm her.

"I got to help him. I can't let him die," she answered back quickly, knowing that she would go to Hell if she let him die like this.

Mary walked over giving her a big hug and then turned her back. Abigail watched her sister walk off into the snow with the four other slaves who seemed to elude the other slave catchers. Her worry now was trying to get this man somewhere safe and to tend to his wounds.

"Come on...let's be getting you to yer feet," she said as her arms struggled to get this man to his feet.

He was on his feet but barely. Abigail then walked up the hill struggling to keep him close and struggling again to walk in the snow as it began to fall again. The cold wind was picking up and holding the slave catcher up with her small body was extremely tough. His body weight was more than double hers and he was freezing wet too. Frost had covered his clothes and face from his time in the river.

She saw a cabin close by and knew it was abandoned too. There was no smoke coming from it and there were absolutely no tracks either. It looked like a perfect spot to take shelter as the storm that hit before was coming back. Walking had now become an almost impossible chore as the snow was almost to her knees.

The door to the cabin was difficult to open as the snow was blocking it. Abigail reached down and shoved the snow with her hands to clear a path for the door to open and then entered not knowing what awaited her.

The single floor cabin was about twenty feet wide by about twelve feet long. It had a bed and a stove that was not lit. There was firewood and cabinets around the one window of the cabin too. The bed had sheets and it looked like someone lived there too. She knew it did not make a dif-ference as it was now going to be shelter for a day or two.

She dropped the man on the bed and then went to the stove knowing that fire was going to save their lives. The wood was dry and there was even matches for her to light the stove with. It seemed like this place was just used a few days ago too. The recent pot even had the smell of old cooked food in the pot.

Once the fire was lit and growing, she turned her attention to the white slave catcher laying in the bed unconscious. He stopped bleeding but his face was still covered in blood. His clothes were frozen and his body looked purple. The cabin had yet to heat up and Abigail felt just that she needed to warm him up fast.

Her memory of her sister falling in the lake as kids came back to her. It was winter time and she was trying to use the boat that was stuck on the log. She had slipped in and was able to make it home but was freezing. Her mother had her strip and lay in bed. Abigail remembered her mother telling her to get in bed with her naked to warm her up.

It was more of a lifesaving issue than a sexual one as she knew that he needed to be stripped down and put in bed. He was already sleeping and keeping him warm should not be an issue as she doubted a white slave catcher would want a slave. With a small petite body and no fat on her ass or big breasts to attract men, she figured he wouldn't be bothered with her being naked next to her.

She reached for his gun belt and removed it first. She decided to put it under her clothes just in case things went wrong and it might be needed. His boots were next followed by his pants and shirt. His undergarments were last. She saw his nude form before her very eyes. It was the first time she laid eyes on a naked white man before too. His thing was normal sized as she did not give it a second thought after noting that his manhood was just like the few others she saw, just white.

The fire was warming up the cabin, but it would be an hour before it would really keep the place warm. There was enough wood in the cabin to keep the fire sustained for a day or two and after that she could gather more. She knew the main focus was warming him up.

Abigail stripped out of her own cold, ragged clothes until she was completely nude. The only thing she kept on was the head wrap as it was not wet and did not need to come off. Her breasts hung down a little as they did have some shape to them, but not as much as any of the others she saw. The rest of her body was small and petite as she knew she did not have any excess weight some of the other slave girls had, but Abigail attributed that to them having children.

The blanket was moved and she slipped in next to him instantly feeling his frigid body. She pulled the blanket over her as she rolled him over on his side and then wrapped her arms around him to hold him. She felt her nipples harden to sharpened points as his cold body chilled her. His back was towards her and she began to rub his arms feeling his strength in his arms as she rubbed his flesh.

The day seemed to pass slowly as Abigail continued to try to warm his body up as quick as possible. Her own body felt cold as he was directly against her. Although he was cold still, he was not near as cold as he was. The daylight faded and she finally got up to light the lantern and find some food. She put on her dress, only to put it down as it was still damp and very cold.

The warm stove was going and the cabin was a bit warmer, but the clothes she had on were still not wearable for the purposes of warmth. Deciding to walk around the cabin nude was an easy choice as he was still sleeping. She looked in the few cabinets to see that the previous occupant left food behind and it was enough for a few days too.

With the pot filled with melted snow on the stove, she poured in some canned food in. She had her bag and added a few other ingredients to make a nice stew. It would be an hour before it was done and with it going, she decided to take on the cut on the side of his head.

With a rag and another pot of boiling water, Abigail turned the man over to see the damage that was done with the branch. The temple of his head was both cut and bruised but nothing serious. The lump on his head looked bad but the dire blood made it seem worse than it was.

She cleaned his face of dried blood and then put the rag outside to get it cold. He was stirring and about to wake, but his eyes never opened. She put the cold rag on his temple to ease the bruise just as the stew looked ready to eat. His eyes then began to flutter and then she realized that she needed to finally put on some clothes.

Her dress was still damp, but it would have to do. She put it on just as his eyes opened up. "How long was I out?"

"All day. I reckon at least five, six hours. Took a hard hit, and then the cold water did the rest."

"Let me get up," he stated as he lifted his torso up.

Abigail knew he was still hurt and did not want him getting up to only fall down again. She then pushed him down on the bed. "Best you rest. Can't have you fallen over in here. Can't be liftins you up if you do."

He did not resist and fell back on the bed. "Did she live? The little girl...did she live?"

Memory of Rose falling in the water and her freezing came to her. The last thing she did know was that she was alive and that he did save her life. "I think she will make. Thank you for that."

"You know the bounty hunters will catch them though."

"Let's hope the snow stops them from finding them," she replied as she looked around for two bowls so she could serve the stew.

"They will find us too."

"You promised though," Abigail answered as she stopped her search and looked him dead in the eyes as she knew he did promise her.

She hated broken promises more than anything else in life. A broken promise was the worst thing in the world to her and if he was going to back out then she knew that the gun under her coat was now an option.