II.
Farewell, vain world! I'm going home!
My savior smiles and bids me come,
And I don't care to stay here long!
They made haste like runaways do—no looking back, and barely any looking ahead. Their eyes were up instead, following the pulsing star of the north like Jesus carried his cross. They did not even know where they were, yet they were driven by some inner force within to git git git git git away. During the day, they slept in tall patches of grass and behind rocks, and at night they sprinted towards what they thought was freedom.
They found that they could follow the river, too. It headed in the same direction as the star. Isum, of course, kept it private that he had no idea where in the name of the Lord they were going. Jovy, too, kept her thoughts unspoken and silent. On the fourth day of their running, however, a smile broke over Isum's face. They were going to make it. He could feel it in his bones.
Sweet angels beckon me away,
To sing God's praise in endless day,
And I don't care to stay here long!
He started chuckling to himself as they hid in a thicket and he listened to the silence behind them and ahead of them.
"What're yew laughin' at?" asked Jovy softly, cocking her head.
"We gon' make it, Jovy, can' yew see?" Isum replied, turning his head. He gestured out behind him. "Ain't no-one followin' us. I knows it." He was almost giddy, and quite unreasonably so. The sun was bright, though they were covered by the shadows of the bushes.
"Ah-ite, y'crazie," she muttered in return. "I be too tired fer yer ravin's." She curled up next to him, conveniently using his shoulder as a pillow.
Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,
O, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long.
I'm glad that I am born to die,
From grief and woe my soul shall fly,
And I don't care to stay here long!
It was the ninth day, and they were out of stale bread to nibble upon. And by now, Isum was cheerful no more. They'd seen no settlements, no houses, not a single solitary person since climbing out of that big river. And it wasn't half as hot as it should be. Fact of the matter was…the nights were starting to get cold. There was no sense in it. None at all.
They went on. The tenth day came. The tenth day went. The eleventh day came. The eleventh day went. So it went.
The thirteenth day.
The few berries they scavenged felt hard and beady in their stomachs. They kept running at night, but they were running blind. And they both knew it.
It was early on the thirteenth day, and the sun was just beginning to rise. Jovy refused to stop until they got somewhere, and Isum reluctantly agreed. So they went on.
Bright angels shall convey me home,
Away to New Jerusalem,
And I don't care to stay here long!
As they stopped to rest a moment by the river, Isum's ears heard a sound. Quiet clopping of horse feet. Hooves on grass. Coming fast. Coming near.
Coming for them.
His head jerked up, and not far away at all he saw several white men on tall horses. He yanked Jovy to her feet; she saw them and took off, Isum close behind. But they weren't too much of a match for the big horses, and they were upon them swiftly. One of the white men jumped deftly from his steed to firmly tackle Isum into the ground—Isum knocked him off, but the white man would not relent. A brutal fight of hands ensued—the white man's face bled; Isum was not any better.
A cry from the distance signaled that they'd gotten Jovy, though somehow he could hear her kicking and screaming out.
"Ain't never goin' back!" he heard her scream. The slave twisted under the white to see them slip a black bag over her head and sling her up on a horse. He was filled with something black-hot, a rage that consumed him. He threw off the white man and leapt back upon him, making his face a distinct swirl of red.
So absorbed was he that he did not even hear the other white men behind him as they slipped a bag over his head, put their hands around his neck and suddenly Isum was falling, falling, falling…
Running…
Right up yonder, Christians, away up yonder,
O, yes my Lord, for I don't care to stay here long.
A/N: Thanks for all of your reviews! They mean so much to me. Please continue reviewing, criticism or praise--I don't care. :) Oh, and please pay attention to the song usage. They often hold parallels and such to the story line and events that are happenin' in the chappie. Peace out. :)