Chapter four  

Sam ran. Her legs felt weak and useless after running so far, but she had to keep going. They were after her. She didn’t know who they were, but they chased her relentlessly. Her breath was coming in great ragged gasps; her chest was drawn tight. Her lungs! She could barely breath, but in her mind she some how knew that if she stopped her life would be cut short. A chant formed in her mind, just one more step, just one more step. Her pursuing enemy was getting closer. They ran with inhuman speed, soon they would catch her. Sam didn’t want to give up but at the same time she did. An overwhelming sense of dread and fear overtook her. Her will to live and her desire to obey Erik’s words to join the Northerners kept Sam running. After what seemed like forever her legs collapsed from under her. She struggled to get up, to flee; she couldn’t stand so she crawled. She knew that it was hopeless but she had to go on.
When Sam awoke she was tied up and gagged. Her hands and feet tingled and her legs still felt like rubber from running so she couldn’t have been there to long, just long enough for hands and feet to fall asleep. Her mouth was sore from the gag. From behind her there was a thump and a grunt of pain. The first thing that came into her tired mind was the word “Slave traders”. Sam struggled to get free. Northerners were often taken for slavery; Sam had never opposed this as much as she did now. A hard blow hit her in the back of the head and she almost fell over. A new thought now entered her mind. She realized that not only could her captors run amazingly fast but that they also hit very hard. Sam’s head was pulled back and she squeezed her eyes shut half out of pain and half out of desperation to hide them. If her eyes were seen then they would know that she wasn’t a northerner.” A worthless northerner, what did you grab him for?” the voice came from behind her now. “They’re good workers, he won’t ever be missed the only reason he was over there was because he’s a deserter.” The thing in front of Sam now responded with a defiant, “how can you tell?” “His’ clothing.” The man thing holding her head back hissed. Sam tried to get out of the firm grasp holding her and was rewarded with kick that sent her head over heals. Her head hit something soft, and it let out a groan. “Sorry” Sam whispered, to the best of her ability, because of the gag and to not let her captors hear. They heard anyway.” Sorry are you? You worthless scum, I don’t want to ever hear your voice again, is that clear?” Sam nodded, so as to not upset the man before her. “ He yelled at her anyway.” You think that it’s funny to not answer me with proper respect?” Sam then got a hard kick in the gut, and another followed hitting her in the chin. The other taller man intervened, “ you don’t want to damage the goods now do you? Then leave them be.” A chill went down Sam’s spine. She heard the men leave and someone reached up and pulled down her gag. “Sorry it’s the best I can do.” A voice said from behind her, and Sam finally opened her eyes.