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Running through thet trees,
with the sound of men and dogs fast
approaching, Ella had a decision to make. Should she cross the river
and head deep into the swamp,
or follow the river
downstream
into the town, where her scent
would be difficult for the
dogs to find? Which way was best?
After a few seconds hesitating,
she slid
carefully
into the water, trying not to think about the alligators
that she saw everyday, resting motionless
in the sunshine on the muddy
banks
with their mouths wide open. The river was cool and green like a giant
snake meandering
slowly down to the gulf
some fifty miles to the south. Insects buzzed about her head as she
swam across.
Two minutes later, slipping and
sliding in the thick mud, Ella pulled herself out of the water and into
the
thick green
vegetation of the opposite bank. She couldn't bear to look out across
the river, but she could hear their voices. They had reached the place
where she had entered the water. The dogs were confused, splashing in
the shallow water trying to pick up her scent. She heard Mr Parkin
giving commands to the men,'Take John and Marty and head north. We'll
head south. She can't be far.'
'But, what if she swam across?' questioned one of the group.
'That's unlikely. The river is full of gators.
She'd never have the courage to try it.'
The voices and sounds of dogs gradually faded away,
and Ella was left
listening to the sound of her heavy breathing, and the sounds of the
swamp. Familiar sounds, comforting sounds. But she knew the men would
soon realise their mistake, return, and try to cross the
river.
The river water, and thick mud coating her skin might help hide her
smell; at
least for a while.
Staring up through the trees to the heavy grey sky, Ella thought about
her mother, and brothers and sisters. Would she ever see them again?
She had brought shame on her family, and so perhaps that chapter
in her life was now
finished. Perhaps she could never return home, and the changing
seasons, year upon year would slowly erase
the shame and the
memory of her, until her
family no longer even pictured
her face or remembered her name. Ella
cried; her tears causing streaks in the mud on her face. She was so
ashamed and so alone.
Mr Parkin struggled to keep control of his dogs on the muddy river bank. They kept running in circles. But he forced them south. Sweating and panting, he headed downstream with three other men, hoping to God that Ella had crossed the river. If she had managed to swim across then perhaps he could persuade the townsfolk that she had, in fact, perished in the jaws of an alligator. Then, this whole sorry saga would be over. He had lost contol, you see. Any man can lose control in the heat of the summer. And she was the one who had tempted him. He was a God-fearing man, and she was the devil in the shape of a pretty young girl. And the thing that now grew inside her was as much the child of the devil, as it was his child. Of course, he couldn't alllow the child into his life and ruin all that he had taken years to build, so he found a solution to his problem.
It was the summer of 1931; particularly hot and humid, dropping like a blanket across the southern states. Mrs Adams was standing on the steps leading up to her door, peering out across the fields. There was no sign of her sons who had gone in search of Ella. Perhaps it would be best if they didn't find her. What could they do? Hand her over to the local police? She couldn't believe why the foolish girl had stolen Mrs Parkin's jewellery! What was she thinking? She had always been such an honest girl, and it was difficult to believe she had done what Mr Parkin said she did. Of course, as a young girl becomes a woman she gets all kinds of strange notions, but stealing? God forgive her. Now she was in serious trouble. Mr Parkin was the town minister and judge, and Mrs Parkin's brother was the sheriff. For Heaven's sake! Shame had been brought upon the family, and the whole town was gossiping about it, spreading lies and rumours.
Summer turned to fall. Winters were always mercifully short in the Deep South. A year passed, and then another, and another. In the fall of 1934, on a cool and windy morning, a letter arrived for Mrs Franklin from Chicago. She recognised the writing on the envelope at once, but placed it on the kitchen table, staring at it, unable to find the courage to open it. It was still there at sundown. She had waited three years for news, she could wait a little longer. Finally, after dinner was prepared, eaten, and the dishes done, she settled down on the chair out front of the house, and taking a pair of sewing scissors, she carefully opened the envelope and took out the hand-written letter. Hands trembling. In the dim light from the porch, her daughter's words came to her.
Dear Mama,
There ain't no way to make up for what I did. And the Lord knows, I've punished myself more than any court can punish me. But, it's time to come home and tell the truth. I'm getting on a bus in an hour, and hope this letter reaches you before I do. Mama, If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I'm coming home. The bus leaves Chicago tonight, and I'll be home some time in the evening two days later. That'll be Friday night. God bless you.
Your loving daughter,
Ella
Mrs Franklin checked the date on the envelope. It had been posted two days before. 'It's Friday today. Oh my!' she thought to herself, 'My daughter is coming tonight!' She looked down the long road that led into town, and in the distance she could see movement. Five minutes passed as the figure came slowly closer. Then Mrs Franklin started hurrying towards her, her old heart beating like it was going to explode. Then she saw that Ella was not alone. In her daughter's left hand was a heavy suitcase, banging against her leg as she struggled along the dark and dusty road; but in her right arm, held tightly to her, was her little son.
Adjectives
downstream:
In the direction that a river flows. Usually towards the sea or a lake.
motionless:
Not moving.
God-fearing:
Believing in God very strongly. Especially in the power of God.
dim:
Not bright.
Adverbs
mercifully:
Kindly, or with thankfulness, or forgiveness.
Verbs
hesitate:
To pause before doing something because you are not sure what is best,
or you are nervous.
slide:
Here meaning 'to move along the ground without using your legs'.
meander:
To move in a way that is not straight, but instead, has many curves.
fade
away:
To become less and less bright or strong, until finally it is gone.
erase:
To slowly be made less until it is gone. Similar to a pencil and eraser.
picture:
To see an image of something or somebody in your mind.
pant:
To breathe quickly and noisily because you have been exercising hard.
perish:
To die. Especially in an accident or in a bad way.
peer:
To look at something that is difficult to see.
be
no sign of: When you cannot see something, nor can you see
any evidence of that thing.
gossip: To talk about other people's
private lives. Especially in an unkind way. And, it
might not be true
tremble: When your body or hands
shake because of fear or cold.
make
up for:
To try to do something good, because you did
something bad before.
struggle:
To have great diffulty doing something.
Nouns
a
swamp:
The capital city of Somalia.
a
(river)
bank:The
goods that a train, boat, plane transports to another place.
a
gulf:
An area of sea with land on three sides. Similar to a large bay.
a
gator:
An alligator.
a
chapter:
Here meaning ' a special period in a person's life, that has
a clear beginning and end'.
townsfolk:
The people who live in a particular town.
a
jaw:
The bone or bones of the mouth.
a
sorry saga:
A sad and complicated story
a
notion:
An idea or belief.
a
minister:
Here meaning 'a type of priest'.
a
sheriff:
In the US, an
official whose job is to make sure that the laws are obeyed within a
particular area.
a
rumour:
A story about somebody or something that might or might not be true,
but people tell each other.
the
Deep South:
Southeast
US,
including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississipp,i and the Carolinas.
sundown: Sunset.
the
Lord:
God.
a
figure:
Here meaning 'the shape of a person'.
Expressions
at
least:
Here used to say that something is good in a bad situation.
as
much:
Here used to mean 'equally'.
For
Heaven's sake!:
After describing
some bad things, you tell somebody something even worse.
Ain't
no way:
= Is not any way