Joan Read got 5 votes a clear winner.
Didn't
Move
He
threw himself into the ditch he was so tired he had been running for
hours but he had to keep going they couldn't catch him he knew if
they did he would be chained and beaten like Joey. But he was smarter
than Joey he made for the town but he would head for the mountains.
He would just rest for a while. He came to with a start he must move
he got up and looked around all was quite no men or dogs. He took off
across the field and reached the base of the hill he started to climb
that's when he heard the dogs. His heart pumping he kept on going
higher and higher over boulders through dense woods he had to find
somewhere for the night and he was so thirsty. He listened he could
hear water he made for the sound then stopped he didn't move because
there was a clearing with a cabin smoke coming out of the chimney and
an old man pointing a shot gun at him "What do you want"
but Thaddeus could not answer he fell to the ground like a sack of
potatoes.
When
he opened his eyes he was lying on the floor of the cabin covered
with a course blanket but oh he was warm he looked around, the old
man was stirring something in a pot on the stove. "You hungry"
Thaddeus nodded "Get to table then" the old man gave him a
bowl of stew full of meat and a great hunk of bread and a drink which
he later found out was called coffee. "What you running from"
so Thaddeus told him everything how when he was seven his ma and pa
died no one to look after him he was sent to the farm. Here they were
up by five in the morning and worked until nine or ten at night if
you fell behind you were beaten all they had to eat was bread, cheese
and on a rare occasion meat in soup only water to drink. The old man
said "So you are not running from the law well if you want to
stay here you will have to earn your keep". Over the next few
months Thaddeus was introduced to Bess the donkey Mary, Kate and Ben
the goats plus the chickens so they always had goats milk and fresh
eggs. The old man taught him how to trap a beaver and preserve the
skin snare rabbits and squirrels and also how to shoot a gun for meat
to see them through the winter months which would soon be upon them
and what trees to chop down for wood. One morning the old man said
"Time to take our pelts into town" Thaddeus was not to keen
but they loaded everything onto Bess and made there way down the
mountain. They went into the general store where the old man greeted
the storekeeper whose name was Tom who said "Good day Ethan"
this was the first time Thaddeus had heard the old mans name."
Looks like you've had a good season"" Aye" Ethan
replied "all down to my nephew here Clay meet Tom". They
bought feed and grain for Bess and the goats flour, fat.coffee and
some new work clothes. The old man said as they had extra to spend
they would go to the washhouse for a bath something Thaddeus had
never done before.
As
they were making there way back to the cabin Bess loaded with goods
Thaddeus saw one of the men from the farm it was a shock the old man
knew something was wrong he grabbed his arm "don't forget you
are not that skinny kid that turned up months ago you have another
life now." Thaddeus took a deep breath and thanked the Lord
above that he guided him into the arms of Ethan not that he could
every call him that he always called him sir. Over the following
years they would make many trips to the store some years were very
good so they always had money when supplies were low. He would stay
at the cabin for the rest of his life and when the old man passed
away Thaddeus engraved on his cross here lies Ethan who saved my life
and soul Thaddeus.
