![]() ![]() She reheated the nail twice, holding it with a folded potholder, and finished the brand. The hiss startled her, then she remembered. The first burn felt clean, purifying, and smelled like his burning palm. She chose the inside of her right thigh a few inches above her knee. She had to be able to work like nothing had happened, like she hadn’t burned herself. ![]() Three separate, straight marks, if she could hold steady. The idea came to her one night, sitting in her room, staring at a candle flame. If they were still alive, and she’d never know. And what could freedom mean for her when her babies were scattered all over the South. What could be sweeter than freedom? Helping others achieve it? Or vexing, infuriating the slavers? Killing? Burning? Branding, even? Now there was something sweet to think on. Why else were captured slaves branded R and white men branded A? The desire for Mexico or Canada had left her. Northern seditionists.Īll those years, the word had meant white people who wanted to end slavery, including those willing to help and hide runaway slaves. She’d never seen it spelled out, but recently she’d heard it whispered about town. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |