Love and Freedom (Book 1 in the Finding My Way Series)

The Question

The Question                      

Hallie had fallen asleep in my arms a while ago, and from the sounds of things, I might have to wake her. I caught some of what was being said, and I knew we were going to dock soon if we haven't already. I could feel the anticipation building in me to be out of this ship, the journey had been too long, and there was too much sorrow attached, even to the dark, dank walls themselves. I searched out Edans face across the sea of heads, he was watching, still. I longed to walk through the bars separating us and simply sit by his side so we could be together, and give each other strength for what was to come.

Not too long after mother passed away, the ship's master had us loaded in with the other females which in a way was good, because at least for the last half of the voyage I was able to see that Edan was doing alright. Despite the obvious weight loss, he didn't seem as though he was any worse off than we were. He kept his head down and stayed out of trouble. Edan was always a pillar of strength for our family the brother and son that was always there, and it was a shame he was taken down here earlier on in the voyage.

I saw Pa not too far away from Edan looking as though he might faint at any moment swaying from side to side as he was. I have no doubt he is suffering the same illness mother died from, and I don't think it will be long for him now. If only he kept his grief over losing Ma in check none of us would be down here especially Edan. But despite that, at least we were still being fed even if it were a little less, and we could see each other.

I stopped fretting about the reasons why we were sent into the cells weeks ago, they already had Edan and Pa as payment for Pa's folly. Maybe the ship's master thought we were too young to look after ourselves amongst the other families without them, and in truth, I was unsure how I was going to keep the men away from Cassie. Her head resting on my shoulder reminded me that even though we were locked up, down here amongst females we were safer than we were before.

The bottom of the ship was one large room separated by bars of steel into four sections two on each side and a walk way down the middle. All the men on one side, and women on the other. All the men wore chains still, and the women in the cell over had them on, but they were taken off them the day before last. I didn't know why the women we were in with had no chains, but I was grateful my sisters and I didn't have to suffer through that, because they looked extremely painful. And the crying at night had lessened since their removal.

No one spoke unless it was the most secretive of whispers or a hand gesture, because speaking led to being tied up in the middle of the bowels of the ship and whipped, for all to learn a lesson from. So no one spoke. I hadn't heard the sweet sound of my little sister's voice in so long, I wondered if Hallie would remember how to talk when we were allowed to again. I looked back over to Edan who was still watching us, knowing him, he was trying to think of a way out of this it would be thoughts wasted, as there was no hope really. Ma and Pa had such dreams of moving to a new colony and making a brand new life for us all. That dream died with Ma, and Pa, well I wasn't even going to put him into the equation he wasn't going to be around to help us. His betrayal of us children will never be forgotten by me, he put us in jeopardy with out blinking an eye. I used to think that he was so strong and capable, but I suppose the love he had for Ma was the only force that could bring him down. A sure reason never to let your heart be captured that way.

I could hear that new officers had arrived. The laughing and back patting could be heard through the silence of the many bodies, starring at the show, waiting for an announcement that we had finally reached land.

"Alright, scum bags get up, its time to feel dry land under those dirty feet again." The officer who just called out ran his batten along the steel bars making a sound which jarred my ears and woke Hallie.