Virginia Hamilton Read Online Free PDF Page A

old.
    Slight sounds almost hidden in the noise of insects led him beyond the row.
    All at once he stopped dead in the dark. Waiting, listening. Somebody was coming. A mighty strength rushed by him, never seeing Anthony so small, hugging a cabin front for safety.
    Trembling, Anthony made himself move on to the place where the row ended. Here began the forest surrounding all of he Mars John Suttle’s place. Here was the forbidden land of terrifying sounds and pungent smells of piney wood. Pine-tar fumes made Anthony’s eyes tear. This was where the wind lived. It stole forth, Mamaw said, making the cabins shrink close in icy winter daylight.
    In the deep, dark forest dwelled wild animals and giant creatures that fed upon slaves who would run. So he and all the children were warned by she Missy. And they believed it.
    Never run away. Hear tell of running, tell she Missy. Never enter the forest, else you will get eated up. Wolves will sink teeth in your insides, and shake and swallow them. Your guts will steam out on the cold ground.
    Tell, tell Missy.
    In front of Anthony, up against the forest on slightly higher ground, was Big Walker’s cabin. It was away from the row, as if Walker’s back was against the forest. As if he was to guard the winding path from one place to another, guard against the cabin folk.
    Anthony couldn’t believe he had come so far all by himself in the dark. It had to be Big Walker’s creaking door he’d heard opening and closing. Big Walker, rushing by Anthony on his way to home, late from hard labor in he Mars’s stone quarry.
    Somebody walkin’ right in Walker’s place, Anthony thought. A lot of somebodys.
    He saw light, movement. There. Door opening, creaking its sound, and closing again. Anthony moved, more afraid standing still than moving. Just see the light in Walker’s place, he thought. Go on up there. Stay low. Chinks there to see.
    He saw through a chink. He eyes grew big. So many folks there, sitting close. Some swayed in the light of a tallow candle. They hummed such a soft sound. Comfort in humming together.
    â€œ And din’t it rain? ” Mumbly sounds in a rush of whispers. He knew that sound of sorrow meant trouble was near.
    Candlelight flickered. Pale yellow, tallow light. Nobody had such light except in she Missy’s good house. Mamaw must’ve got it. Walker couldn’t get such tallow by himself. There—Mamaw!
    Mamaw, in Walker’s house?
    Big Walker, moving around. Touching everybody—a shoulder here, bowed head there. Walker, bending over them like he cared about everybody.
    Anthony looked on in awe. Big Walker! Actin’ like he some all right. He some the same as we be.
    Walker made his way over to the fire. He crouched low beside Mamaw. She laid her head on his shoulder, and Anthony went cold inside. Big Walker held Mamaw’s hand and put his arm around her. They rocked together, back and forth.
    Mamaw? Big Walker? Folks going to them and holding both them.
    â€œMamaaaw!” Anthony cried in agony at what he was seeing. Before he knew what was happening, the cabin door creaked and somebody got him. Lifted him and carried him inside. “It’s Anthony.” He was put down.
    â€œAnthony!” Mamaw called. She held out her arms to him. He rushed to her. “Oh, Anthony.”
    â€œBetter that he do hear. That he know everything now,” Big Walker said.
    Anthony began to cry, he was so confused. He could feel the sadness all around the room. “Hush, hush, now,” Mamaw told him.
    Mamaw began talking. She held his head against her, had his ears in her palms. He buried his face in her neck.
    â€œSay she gone do it,” Mamaw said, low in her throat. “She say she gone sell him away far away.”
    â€œ And din’t it rain, my Jesus! ” somebody moaned.
    Another simply started to cry,softly.
    â€œMamaaaw,” Anthony cried again.
    â€œI say to her, ‘Oh,