James blocked the doorway and said, “follow the light out by the gate.”
The older ones made themselves responsible for the young ones, they ran towards the brightest light they had ever seen.
Helen stood on the porch yelling, “chil’ren git back in here.”
James said, “you can stay or be free, up to you.” He picked up a small child and left with the children. Helen ran back inside the cabin, James yelled, “lady it’s your choice.”
Helen yelled at the children, “y’all cain’t be goin’ wid’ dat’ man.”
James and the kids were close to the gate, Helen ran quickly after them. Sara grabbed a child and said, “come on.”
Helen saw Sara, she was shocked, it was confusing to her, Charles told his slaves that all coloreds were slaves. She was running confused, questions rumbled in her head, where did these slaves come from? Where was Massa? When they got to the front of the house, Theenda was coming out. James stopped running to inquire about Theenda’s wellbeing.[RL112]
She said, “I’m okay.”
Sara said as she put the child down that she was carrying, “follow them.”
Theenda spread the smaller bag content on the porch and down the step as the band of slave children ran past. Theenda laid the bag on the steps, she went to the car and leaned against it, she was worn-out. Sara went to her and said, “why don’t you get in the car, I’ll finish the job.”
Helen stopped running when she saw Theenda, she walked up to her and touched her arm, then ran to catch up with the others. Theenda said, “that was the weirdest thing, she rubbed my arm.”
Sara said, “be right back.” She had seen two small children trailing behind.
Looking at the big yellow loud thing in front of her, Helen refused to get on the bus. She backed away. Donovan said, “I don't have time for this,” he yelled, “mom help please.”
James had already put several children on the bus and fastened their seatbelts.
Sara stood next to the bus, she was out of breath from carrying the two toddlers that was behind. She pointed at the bus and said in her demanding mom voice, “git-on-the-bus!”
Before obeying, Helen touched Sara’s arm then bowed her head low, and got on the bus. Donovan ran to Theenda to see how she was doing. She told him that she was tired and wanted to sleep. Donovan noticed that her voice was sluggish and eyes droopy, he said, “we should have canceled this.”
“No, we did the right thing. I’m okay, just tired.” She kissed him on the cheek then continued, “let’s go.”
Donovan gave Theenda a hug.
Looking out the window Helen watched Donovan and Theenda, she could tell he loved her. She smiled and thought I want a man to love me and be kind to me.
James and Sara ran up to Donovan, James said, “let’s go.”
Donovan asked Theenda to get on the bus with him. His mother said, “she is too tired to ride on that thing.”
James said, “boy go.”
While they were arguing, Theenda lit a whole book of matches and threw it on the book bag, she lit the second book of matches and threw it on the porch. She ran and got in the back seat; the fire ignited quick. Donovan jumped in the back seat with Theenda, James pulled off. He let Donovan out when they got close to the bus. Donovan jumped on the bus and took off driving fast down the road. The children and Helen yelled.[RL113]
10:30
Timpkin shot off the second flair. Running through the woods the freedmen and women were in awe of the falling star. Donovan drove fast and parked behind the bus Haze had driven. His dad parked next to Timpkin.
Donovan got off the bus and went straight to Theenda who was asleep. James got out of the car. Sara sitting in the front seat said, “I knew you were coming. “Let her rest.”
He left.
Timpkin said, “I hear them coming.”
Lee, Cush, and Saul stumbled out the woods, first. Donovan said,” I think they left at nine.”
Donovan, Timpkin, Haze, and James greeted the men. Then Ben came out of the woods.
10:45
When all the slaves exited the woods, Haze said, “hold on, it’s like looking at the United Nations.”
James said, “how did Asian, whites, Latino’s.” He looked at Donovan and asked, “what’s going on?”
Donovan said, “when we get settled someplace, I’ll let you read all about Harry V. Brown.”
Donovan told the kids and Helen to get off the bus, he wanted their parents to collect their children. He was completely surprised when he learned that they had never seen the children before. It was Lillie that explained what happened to the babies. Donovan left it up to KayKay and Tess to figure it out. Timpkin asked all adults sixty and older to follow him, thirteen got in his van that held fifteen.
KayKay thought faster than Tess, she counted seventy-five adults from twenty to over fifty, twenty-six children ranging in the age of two to thirteen, and fifteen children between fourteen and seventeen, there was two eighteen-year-old and one nineteen. The older adults received the children eleven to sixteen, she worked her way down to match the youngest child with the youngest adult, teenagers seventeen and older sat together.
KayKay got in the van with Timpkin, Tess jumped in Donovan's bus, he said, “oh no you won't, when we drop Theenda's car at the junkyard my wife, mom, and dad are riding with me. You need to get on Haze bus.”
Tess folded her arms like a pouting child and didn't move. She said flirting, “I'll ride with you sugar,' what your wife doesn't know won't hurt her.” And then winked.[RL114]
Donovan was not having it, he opened the door, got up from the driver’s seat, picked Tess up and threw her off the bus, closed the door and drove off.
When KayKay saw Tess flying off the bus and bounce on the ground like an airless basketball, she said, “I need a phone.”
Sara saw a body fly in the air, she asked, “did someone fly off Don’s bus?”
“No,” James answered. “I believe Donovan threw Tess off the bus.”
“We raised him better than that. That’s no way to treat a lady.”
“Tess is not a lady, honey. Haven’t you noticed.” James replied.
When the bus took off, the slaves screamed, they tried to get off, the little children cried. In Timpkins van, the elderly yelled out for God and Jesus. Glaidous yelled, “dis’ be too fast, too fast, oh God save us.”
Donovan got on the walkie-talkie and said, “okay people settle down.”
When they didn’t get quiet even though they were not in Theenda’s car, Sara and James could hear them screaming. Sara got on the walkie-talkie and said, “stop the bus, Don.” She got out the car and, on the bus, Donovan was driving, she shouted on the walkie-talkie, “shut-up! if you don’t, I personally will yank you off the bus or van and leave you here!” Everyone got quiet. She said softer, “one more scream or cry I will throw you out and let you fend for yourself.” She handed Donovan his walkie-talkie, before leaving she asked, “why did you throw that woman off the bus? I didn’t raise you like that.”
Donovan whispered, “mom, she was trying to take Thee’s place.”
Sara said, “good job son,”
Haze stopped to let Tess get on the bus he was driving, before she could sit down, he whispered, “you’re my relief driver.”
They pulled off and no one made a sound, not even the drivers. Helen was sitting in the front seat by the door. When Helen saw James she was frightened, she thought that he was clean and smelt good, but did not understand what was going on. Then she saw Donovan, he was another handsome, clean, smelling good man, he talked differently, but very nice. Helen wanted to get to know Theenda better, she seemed nice.
“How you know I can drive a bus.” Tess whispered as she got on the bus, she looked at Helen and said hatefully just below a whisper, “git up, I’m sitting by the window.”
Haze looked around at Helen and winked. Her heart fluttered, finally, she got a good-looking man to notice her. She sheepishly sm
iled at Haze. Helen did not mind sitting on the end, it put her closer to the driver.
In the van was Glaidous, Lillie, Sophie, and ten others. Sophie said, as they were going down the road, “I’s miss home and Massa.”
Lillie said, “that was home, mean and hateful as it be that was our only home. We'll miss it but not for long.” She looked at Glaidous and asked, “What ja' doing with the Bible and books?”
“It's our history, our family, I’m giving dem to Mr. Bright.”
Timpkin said, “look the fire has spread in the woods.”
All was quiet on the van when Glaidous broke the silence, he said, “I won’t miss Massa, I won’t miss da’ hard work, beatings, threats. Hunger.”
Lillie chimed in and said, “being called an animal.”
Another woman asked, “Miss Kay, when da’ young girls gits’ marred’ and have a baby, can dey’ keep dey’ baby?”
“Yes,” KayKay replied with sorrow in her voice. She remembered her conversation with Timpkin when she said, they should be left where they were. And Timpkin telling her that they were not animals in a zoo. KayKay said with kindness in her voice, “yes, they will keep their children and raised them until they are grown.”
Everyone in the van was satisfied with Miss. Kay’s answer.
XL
Harry, It’s Over
Midnight
Inside the mansion Charles woke up, looked at the clock on his nightstand, he yelled, “that woman is gone.” He got out of bed, grabbed his robe, coughed unceasingly, his eyes burned from the smoke. He shook Barbara to wake her up when she sat up, he asked, “smell smoke?” he went to the door opened it, he heard a crackling noise, Charles looked at Barbara and said, “be back.” He went down the hall to the staircase, he saw fire rolling up the steps. He yelled to Barbara, “we have to get out of here, that woman set the house on fire.”
As she was getting out of bed, she accidentally flipped Charles pillow over and saw a gun. She grabbed it. The fire was at the top of the steps, Barbara entered the hallway and pointed the gun at Charles and asked, “were you going to shoot me.”
“Really, we are about to burn up with the house and you're asking if I was going to shoot you.” He looked down the hall the fire was easing towards them, Charles yelled, “no woman! I always sleep with a gun under my pillow. You know that.” He ran down the hall to the door that led out to the upstairs porch, it had not caught fire yet. He looked back and said, “come on, here's a way out.”
He exited onto the second-floor wrap around porch which was Harry V. Brown favorite spot. It was the porch Harry looked through his telescope to see newly built H. B. Metropolis, joy zipped through him, he had danced.
Standing in Harry’s spot, Charles looked towards the slave area and saw purple, red, and yellow flames, it was a beautiful site to see. He turned to Barbara and yelled, “we'll have to jump.”
Barbara tossed the gun behind her, it landed in the fire that was coming down the hall. As she ran to Charles the gun got hot and exploded, the bullet hit her in the back, it went through one of her lungs. Barbara fell against the door that led out to the porch. Charles pushed the door open, he pulled Barbara onto the porch. Her last breath she whispered, “it was Donovan.” She coughed several times before continuing, “the cook was his wife. Kill them for me.” She died, her feet caught fire first.
Had Charles stepped four paces over to his right or left, he would have landed in bushes and possibly saved himself. Charles panicked and jumped dead center, he bounced from one cement step to the next, he landed on the path of the outer gate. Though he should have died instantly, he lingered for sixty seconds, his body was situated so he faced the entranceway to the outer gate. The glow from the fire mingled with the moon, he could see clearly that the gate was opened. A few tears slowly slid on the ground, he said, “Harry, it's over. You didn't win.” He tried to move but could not.
Charles laid on the ground, his life unhurriedly deteriorated, he whispered, “my children, my brother, my wife, dear God, I'm sorry.” His voice was only a whisper, “please, forgive.” Staring at the bright flames, he cried hard and whispered, “I didn’t get to travel.” Charles fought to stay alive as-long-as he could, he tried to crawl but to no avail, he wanted to scream but his voice was gone, he tried to whisper loud with all his might, but only mouth, “young man, you won.” For Charles the fire began to fade from bright yellow and red to shades of gray, he opened his eyes wider, it was as though he watched himself slunk into the clutch of death. The gray faded to black, Charles was gone.
H.B. Metropolis gained much richness under Charles, as the commander and chief. However, due to Charles boredom and desire to travel, Harry’s endlessness of time plantation came to a halt, one hundred fifty-two years after Harry’s first meeting. The guilty person who, ordained by God, completely obliterated Harry Victor Brown plantation, was Harry’s archenemy, twenty-three-year-old Donovan Victor Bright.
*******
When Donovan and his crew arrived at the junkyard, he jumped off the bus and ran straight to Theenda, he helped her out the car, hugged her tight. All the slaves, Haze, Timpkin, Cole, his helper, and Tess watched the couple, while KayKay stared at Tess. It was as though Tess could feel someone piercing eyes on her back. She was startled when she turned around and saw KayKay’s look of evil as she said, “you ain't no friend,” she got closer to Tess and whispered, “Haze will one day kill you,” she smiled as she continued, “and I will applaud.”
Timpkin pulled KayKay back to his van and said, “Kay you have to learn when to speak and when to keep quiet. I am sorry that I did nothing for your eye.”
She said, “it’s okay, I understand, when we get in our hotel room, I got a lot to talk about, I saw a lot tonight,”
“Is it about the Days?” Timpkin asked.
“Yes.”
“Me too. Only when we're in our room.”
Kay smiled and nodded in agreement.
Donovan asked Timpkin to join him, Haze, and James, Cole was giving each vehicle a Motorola Professional two-way radio. Cole had his helper to hook the radio’s in the three vehicles, while he was working, Mrs. Paddleton said to Donovan, “you did it.”
The slaves watched the woman in wonder as she shook Donovan’s hand, he went to the bus and asked everyone to get off, they stood in one big cluster. Mrs. Paddleton said, “I am so happy to see you all free and off the plantation. May you have a blessed life, joyous life, peaceful life, a life filled with the Spirit of God.” She went around and shook each one’s hand, she gently pinched the babies cheeks, and hugged the little children. She continued, “I am overjoyed, I love you all.”
Donovan had the slaves to get back on the bus. Phillip and Phillipa brought their grandmother to the junkyard, Mrs. Paddleton said, “group hug, the Paddleton’s, Donovan, Theenda, and Haze joined in the group hug. James, Sara, Timpkin, KayKay, Tess, and the newly freed watched the small group cuddle and laugh. Lillie said from the van, “I’s neva thank white folk like us likes dat.”
Phillip drove his sister and grandmother home. Cole said, “mama I’ll be over when they leave.”
Cole’s employee taught Donovan, Timpkin, Haze, and James how to use the high-tech radios. Before leaving he had them to try contacting each other, after a few failures, they caught on, he also showed them how to repair the radio if it stopped working.
Donovan, Timpkin, and Haze thanked Cole and shook hands with his helper. Donovan said, “thank you, Mr. Cole. If it were not for you and Mrs. Paddleton, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Cole said, my pleasure young blood, with the plantation ablaze and the slaves free, my mother can finally rest, and I can go home.”
When they were ready to go, Donovan said on the radio, “let’s move out!”
Finally, Theenda was on Donovan’s bus sitting in the front seat by the door, with a bucket in front of her. His mother and father sat in the seat behind their son. Though his mother kept going to Theenda then back to James, he sa
id. “honey sit with Thee.”
He noticed that Lee was his son's, right-hand man. He looked around and said, “Lee come sit by me.”
Without telling Donovan, his dad had agreed to Sara’s question. Sara and James were in their son’s home sitting on the couch, holding hands. Sara asked James, “would you want to move out west with our son’s caravan? We could put our house up for sale and see if the boys want to move out there.”
James said, “yes.”
James let Lee sit by the window, being a professor, he wanted to talk to Theenda about the kids’ education, she told him that she was working on a curriculum. She said, “my plans are in the car we left behind.” They laughed.
Riding on Haze Bus, Tess was offended, she thought Donovan taking up for her pulled them closer together. Her pretense friendship with Theenda was a smokescreen to snatch Donovan away from Theenda’s tight grip. He never paid her any attention, after getting thrown off his bus, she decided to leave him alone and be a better wife to Haze. She smiled at Haze, he didn't see her because he and Helen were in a deep conversation about the plantation. The slaves on the bus noticed and whispered about the attention he was giving to one of their own. Tess watched Helen, she noticed that the woman was older but had the same childlike innocence of Theenda.
Tess had a flashback about an argument she had with Haze about Theenda, he said, “she has class, she’s beautiful, she has a figure that women dream of, she has a soft sing-song voice, she’s innocent.” Tess rolled her eyes at Helen and whispered, “she looks like a very poor Theenda.”
Tess was pretty but hard, smart but argumentative. Tess sat with her body and face forward, her eyes were cocked sideways at Helen. Tess wondered if Haze was flirting with Helen to make her jealous or was, he really interested. After all, he adored Theenda and was always gentle with her just like he was being with Helen. Instead of being kind and tender, Tess got harder. And then she chuckled, H & H, Haze and Helen, it was fate. She whispered to herself, “I don’t stand a chance.”
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