The Sky Never Ends

Preface

   Selah has found herself in trouble way too often in her life, but never like this. Her parents have always been protective of their children. They were sheltered from most of the evils of the world. It was rather easy where they lived in Watertown, New York. Not much happened there, the town population was well under 500 people and the houses were so far apart it was difficult to know your neighbors. There was a church and a few shops about a mile up the road from where they lived. There was a school house even farther, but their mother homeschooled them. Finding away to use her teaching skill while still being able to care for her children. All of Selah's time was spent with family. Her sister Sadie and Selah are a year a part, with Selah being 10 months behind her oldest sister, they were also best friends. Their parents often joked they should glue them together so they would never have to be apart. Although, they like it much better when the girls are not together, because they aren't quite as troublesome when separate. That doesn't mean they don't get in trouble when alone, They are able get in many unfortunate predicaments all by themselves, but whenever Selah found herself in a mishap she would always figure her way out with barely a scratch; or a swift hit to her behind with a twig.

Not this time, this time she was positive that her life would forever be changed.

July 20, 1864

"Sadie, we have to keep going, hurry!" Selah looked behind her to see that Sadie wasn't as close behind as she'd hoped. She was lying down next to a tree clutching her ankle.

"I don't hear anyone right now Selah, I tripped over a stump, I need to st--"

"We can't! They'll find us, we have to find somewhere else, a hiding spot... I see some light through those trees, maybe someone will help us." Selah whispered harshly towards her sister.

"Maybe they won't, they could be the same guys chasing us, or just as unwelcoming. I need to rest I'm so tired." she huffed trying to catch her breath as she rested her head against the tree.

Selah was panicking, she knew they couldn't be too far behind, and they likely have tracking dogs with their scents on their noses. It would only be a matter of time before they found them. That thought made her heart beat even harder and her breath shorten. She was almost hyperventilating.

"Selah!" Sadie shouted from below her, "Stop! Go find something to cover us for the night. We don't even know why they are chasing us. You'll end up dying of your dramatics before you help us out of here."

She couldn't understand how her sister could be so at ease, even with her ankle hurt she didn't seem to think the situation was quite as dire as Selah did. She knew that if there were a group of men with horses and dogs chasing after them it was for a reason. She tried to think back to what could have caused this. Pacing back and forth on the damp grass assessing the events of the day.