Hope's Gift
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EnglishVoice Age
Young Adult (18-35)Accents
North American (General)Transcript
Note: Transcripts are generated using speech recognition software and may contain errors.
hopes give Bye, Kelly Starling Lions Christmas Night in our cabin, Papa kneeled and wiped the tears from my eyes. Saying goodbye, he whispered, is something you'd never get used to, even when you grow. Papa's eyes got watery as he gazed from me to my little brother Henry. Mama held our hands over her mouth and turned away. I knew she was hurting, too. One day we won't have to be a part, Papa said, hugging me and Henry close. One day we'll be free. Maybe this war will make that one day come a little faster. But what if I stopped scared to ask what would happen if Pablo got caught running away? Hush, he said, and pulled out a con shell crowned with spirals. Got this one master hiding out to work on the coast, he said, Just listen. Swoosh, swoosh! A song called out to me, That's the sound of freedom. Hope, he said. And nothing can keep it from coming. Nothing. I'll be back as soon as I can, Papa said, kissing Mama and looking at us one last time. Then he slipped into the night. Me and Henry watched through our cabin window until Papa disappeared. All I saw were Woods looking as lonesome as I felt. As I lay down and close my eyes, I listened to the shell swoosh, swoosh! And Papa's words rang in my ears. Nothing can keep freedom from coming, I whispered nothing. Master hollered something awful when the holiday times ended and he learned Papa got away. Said when he finds him, Papa gonna wish he never got that fool notion to run week after week. Henry hardly see the other thing. He carried the clay marbles. Papa made him everywhere he went. It was like the outside part of him was there. But something deep inside was gone. Papa is going to come for us. I whispered to him. Papa is going to come. We're going to be a family again. But some nights cannons roared and Papa felt farther away than ever. On those nights, me, mama and Henry huddled together and prayed Extra holiday that he was okay On those nights I listened to my shell swoosh, swoosh and let it song of freedom Take me away. Sometimes Mama got a piece of news about the war in the cotton field. Sometimes we got it together at prayer meetings deep in the woods, slaves running, swimming, trying to get to the union lines. Anyway, they can, said Ivy Masters, carriage driver. People say the war worse than anything you ever seen both sides suffering? May God help us all. I looked up at the stars and wondered if Papa was looking at them, too. Was he scared? Was he safe? Could he feel is missing him? As the war pushed in the summer and fall, Times Guy, Lena and Master needed more hands for picking. Instead of helping mind Henry and the other little ones, I started working alongside Mama from pink light to purple dark. I picked cotton at night. Mama nursed my pricks from the birds and told me to hold on. We prayed for Papa and freedom each night before sleep one fall morning. I've his wife, Bonnie, Lean, close President Lincoln said. He's going to free the slaves on New Year's, she whispered with a smile. My heart jumped as I whispered it to Mama. She grinned and passed it on down the line. I knew she was thinking about Papa just like me. That afternoon, Master called everyone to the big house. He said he was joining the fight. That scoundrel Lincoln has to be stopped. His girl, Little Miss, cried and hung onto his neck as tight as she could. As I looked at her, I thought about how I miss papa smell kind of like pine, kind of like sweet hurt. I thought about how I missed his big smile that made everything seem brighter. I knew how bad she hurt at Christmas, when we sing carols at the big house, I remember Papa is rumbling voice that carried clean across the field. Sadness swept over me as I thought about the year that passed with him being gone. Mama wrapped me and Henry in her arms and said to have faith. Important news was coming. I wondered if the day Papa talked about was finally here. What President Lincoln set us free. Later on New Year's Eve, we gathered in the woods to pray that President Lincoln would keep his promise just after midnight. I haven't rushed into the clearing. The hour is here, he shouted. Today, Lincoln gonna set freedom into motion won't be long before we free as any man, the pet of hands clapping and feet stumping echoed through the woods finally started singing, Now let me fly as I danced and sing along. I thought about Papa coming for us and felt like I had wings. But after new years, it was right back to work. Before I left the quarters, Henry tugged at my arm, crying. I thought we was free, he said. I wanted to cry, too, but I remembered Papa's words. Hush, I say it and wipe Henry's tears. You want to hear something? I held my shell to his ear. Swoosh, Swoosh! That's the sound of freedom, Henry, I said. And nothing can keep it from coming. Nothing days awaiting turned into weeks and months planting season. Still no Papa. When worries hurt my stomach, I listened to my shell and heard Papa's voice in the solution. Picking time came and another lonely Christmas paste. Then, on a spring morning, I looked to the road and saw a troop of colored soldiers wearing union blue. One broke into a grin that could outshine the sun. He held his head a bit higher than I remembered, but his eyes were salt and full of tears. Papa, papa hollered, re race to each other. Papa kissed my cheeks and spun me all around. Then he grabbed onto Mama and kept on holding like he'd never let go. We are free, Papa shouted free! Go on and get your brother girl, as many as you want to come along. News spread in a flash. Ivy and vines raised our hands to heaven. Everywhere, people hugged and tears streaming down their faces. When Henry saw Papa, he grinned and hailed out his marbles. Papa rubbed Henry's head and then clutched him tight in the cabin. As we gathered our things, I thought about all the other people still waiting to be free. I knew that day would come to As we left, I took one last look at our past. Then the wind kissed my cheeks. Swoosh, swoosh! And this song in my heart made me smile. Nothing can keep freedom from coming. I sing nothing. Well, the and