A Haunting Escape Into Birds

The cold fall night makes me shiver and tremble. It is 1952 and I start to regret my decision to go along with my family. I never wanted to risk being a baggage but yet Mama manages to convince me. I hold Mama’s hand tightly as she drags me through the forest. After all, I am only 8 years old. We are escaping. Escaping from the unbearable terror. Papa were to be sold to another white man. Another white man as horrible as our master. Our home was a prison. That is when, we all agreed as a family, to escape. To escape to Canada. We went forth with hope and fear into the forest of our life. We escape along with another family and they have their own reasons that they wouldn’t say. Either way though, we are all parcels. Each blade of grass was a tiny bayonet pointed firmly at our feet.
“Mama, my arms hurt. Can we rest?” I ask.
“No, not now! We are still far away from Canaan! We’ll rest when we reach the promised land!” Mama replies.
“Shh! Do you hear that?” our conductor asks.
We all stop in mid-track. We put our ears out. Sure enough there is growling. Growling from beyond. Fierce as if hell has been unleashed upon us. Our conductor quickly points to a bush that we could hide behind. We quickly scramble to the bush.
“What is th-”
Papa puts his hand over my mouth. From that moment on, I know it was trouble. Our conductor peaks from the bushes.
“Hounds,” she says, “Bloodhounds.”
I became frighten. What if they find us? These dogs can smell anything. I knew this was a bad idea! Now we’ll get whipped and beaten! Help us God! Please don’t send us to pain!
The bloodhounds stops at their tracks the moment they’ve touched our previous spot. The growling got even louder than it was before. I can smell the stinky saliva drooling from within...

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...ach the docks. The captain was walking back and forth in front of the ship. He seems impatient and concerned.
“Hey cap!” Harriet shouts panting.
We are all panting.
“Just the right bundles of woods I was looking for!” the captain waves his right arm as us, smiling, “To be honest I thought you were caught or else you wouldn’t be so late here Harriet!”
Harriet makes a frustrated face, “Don’t you doubt me there Cap!”
“Haha! Alright! I promise I won’t doubt you again Harriet!” the captain replies, “Come on kiddos, you’re already late!”
We quickly run up the ramp and into the ship. Harriet stands right behind the ramp and waves us goodbye. Hope shines-a pebble in the gloom.
“Thank you so much!” Adams’s family and my family shouts and the ship begins to leave the docks.
“Canaan, here we come!” I say excitedly because I know that the wheels of justice is turning around.