Act 2 Day by Day

Josiah Creech just stood there. "What do I want?" he thought, "Well Fannie Mae and that other woman for starters..." Instead, he gazed down at the whiskey bottle West held and gruffly said, "How 'bout some whiskey?"

West shook his head in disgust. "Josiah, you still owe me from last time! Way I see things," he continued while nodding to the run-away slave, "You're doing quite well!"

The slave stood defiantely before these two men. His jaw was set and his cold, lifeless eyes were fixed straight ahead. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw one white woman approach. Samuel's body automatically tightened as she came near but he refused to look at her. He was so used to bracing himself for cruel punishment. He expected the worst, but, this woman caught him by surprise.

Ingrid stood by the slave's side and silently placed a hard peice of bread into his chained hand.

Her little son David ran up behind her and said, "But Mommy, that's the only bread you have!"

Samuel slowly turned his eyes toward this woman. She had fair, compassionate eyes. He mouthed "Thank you" as Ingrid squeezed his hand and quickly made her way back to the stagecoach.

"Get moovin'!" Creech screamed as he pulled on Samuel's chains. "I should just kill you right now for even lookin' at that white woman, 'cept your master wants you back!"

West knew how enraged Creech could get. He had seen him, in a drunken stupor, blow a man's head off for nothing more than smiling at him. West shuddered at the thought of what that poor slave would face if Creech ever got a hold of some booze.

Ingrid couldn't watch any longer as the slave hunter and his prey walked away. Her heart was breaking. She knew that this colored man would have to have been kidnapped again and was now being held against his will. Apparently for a hefty ransom. If only she had had more money she thought, "I would buy 'free papers' for all those in bondage."



***

"Amanda," Lee said tenderly, "I can't imagine what that would have been like."

Amanda snuggled closer to the bars between herself and Lee in an effort to cuddle. "We only have a little more daylight. Do you mind if I read a little more? I'd really like to know what happens.."

Lee looked at his wife and marveled at her tender demeanor. Her empathy with Samuel and Ingrid was written all over her lovely face. He gently lifted his hand and caressed Amanda's cheek. "If you only knew what I'd really like to be doing right now..."

"I know....I know," Amanda replied softly. Although she knew exactly what Lee meant, there was one slight hindrance there..."Kinda funny though, that we're in this position on our honeymoon, isn't it Lee?"

Lee replied "I'm not laughing! And I guess it's all my fault..."

"Oh no, let's not go there", Amanda softly chided. "Let's read some more, I'd really like to.."

Lee begrudgingly said, "Okay...."



****



West looked over the young flames of the campfire and marveled at Ingrid. She was quite brave for a newly widowed woman. He had never before seen anyone so boldly help a slave. Yes, he thought she was quite unlike any other woman he had ever met, even his wife.

Ingrid could feel the heat of West's stare but chose to focus her attention on her two little boys. They were exhausted after traveling across rough country for more than a full day. Ingrid embraced little Bruce and David to her bossom and softly hummed a German lullabye.



Fannie smirked in disgust. "Oh, please shut up! No one wants to hear German songs around here! I know a catchy little tune from the saloon..."

A not so distant shriek peirced the darkness. West stood up abruptly and turned to face that noise. He knew Creech must have gotten some whiskey. He turned back and yelled, "What did you do!" at Fannie.

"Oh, c'mon now West, Creech and I were just having a little fun...he wanted a little whiskey and I needed a little bit of money..."Fannie replied, unmoved by what she had done. "That slave deserves whatever comes his way anyway! He broke the law by running away ...."

Ingrid did not find Fannie's ignorance amusing. As the sounds of a whip cracking echoed nearby, Ingrid's humming became louder. She could still hear Creech in the meadow below, howling in amusement at Samuel's torture.



Whack!



Thwack!



Ingrid couldn't take it anymore, the confused look of her son's faces, the endless cracking of the whip, she trembled and shook as she held her boys closer and started to sing, "Day by day....."

Thwack!



"each passing moment..."



Crack!



"Strength I find for trials here....."



Whack!



"trusting in my Father's wisdom..."



West sat there awed by Ingrid, a woman of great virtue and calm. He knew that she was singing to prevent her sons from hearing the sounds of the whip. That was one noise that would be branded on his mind forever.

No more cries or screams rang out from the man receiving those blows. In fact, West didn't hear one more shriek, other than the first one. That first blow must have surely caught Samuel off guard.



West admired Samuel and knew he would make a great warrior. One who was able to endure great pain yet persevere. His eyes began to water so he tipped his hat over his eyes and, in an attempt to appear to be sleeping, leaned against the wagon wheel. Nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

Everyone around the campfire became still. They could now hear, amid Creech's obscenities, that brave man singing in the distance the rest of Ingrid's song...

"I've no cause to worry or fear.....He whose heart is kind beyond all measure..."

Thwack!



"gives unto each what He deems best....."



Crack!



"Lovingly, it's pain and pleasure..."

Fannie shot up from her seat and bluntly stated "I'm going to bed!" then wasted no time in making her exit.



Whack!



"Mingling toil with peace and rest..."

Ingrid couldn't sing anymore. Weeping, she hastily swept her children up in her arms and took off for the stagecoach.

West followed her.

As he watched her settle her boys into bed, he came up and stood close behind her.

Ingrid could feel the heat of West's body but did not dare turn around. This was the last thing she needed! A drunk Indian looking for love. She fought every urge to turn around and slap him!

"Woman!" he said as he grabbed her arms and spun her around. He looked down in her fiery hazel eyes.

"Mr. West! You forget yourself! You are married and have sons also!" she uttered as she struggled to free herself from his grip.

Why did he have to be so attractive?, she thought. His towering figure and strength overwhelmed her. It was all she could do to not lose herself in those deep brown eyes. "Lord", she prayed, "I wish I didn't feel this way! Protect me and deliver me from temptation!"

For reasons he couldn't understand, West immediately released Ingrid from his grip and mumbled "I'm sorry." In a daze, he returned to the campfire and began devising a plan to set Samuel free.



*****



Ruff, rararauff, rolf! Ruff!

Blue, an old Hopi Indian, sat on a small wooden chair in his hogan. He didn't take his eyes off the computer screen to look down at his dog but simply said "Snow!"

Snow panted his way over and obediently sat by his master's side.

Still without looking at his Alaskan Husky, Blue asked "Company?"

Ruff, ruff!

"Mmm. They will keep till tomorrow", Blue said as his gnarled hands turned off his computer and he shuffled off to bed.

******

Lee sat there in the dark, affectionately stroking Amanda's hair through the bars that seperated them.

What could he say? With a tender kiss to her forehead, Lee closed his eyes and did his best to hold Amanda as she cried.

She was beginning to understand that she was reading about one of her very own...



tbc