For Equality

Prologue

Prologue:

Southeastern countryside farm land of North Carolina

20:47, January 6th, 1786

"Americans fought for their freedom!" is what the chubby child shouted with a distinct French accent at the dinner table. Jeane Baptiste, the father of the cherub-looking child, patted on the kid's head smiling proudly for what he has just said. I was, of course, firmly against what the ignorant fool said.

"Don't you agree, Davy?" The little fool asked me in front of his whole family at a humble dinner table. The whole French folk looked at me with caution.

Don't get me wrong; I love these people and I am thankful for their hospitality here. In fact, I would probably be in the streets if it wasn't for this caring family.

I hesitated, then smiled, "We, Americans, fought to protect the freedom we all rightfully own."

The faces in the room were filled with relief as I exaggerated with my words.

"You've been here with us for a week now," Jeane said as he popped the cork of a wine bottle. "But you still have not told us what you do. Mister Hooke said that you are working for an intriguing company- "

"Davy hunts, father!" Little Jordan, the cherub-looking child, shouted as he was taking on a chunk of pork of a monstrous size. I was in awe of how much the kid was able to eat. "I saw them axes of his! I did!"

I coughed out of the jug of water I was drinking out of. Why that little... I thought to myself. Missus Baptiste smiled and handed me a kitchen towel.

"Thank you." I was cleaning myself up. Missus Baptiste nodded.

"Vraiment (really)?" Jeane took another sip of his favorite wine. "You didn't tell us anything about hunting, David. Aren't you only 16 of age?"

I wanted to punch Jordan in the guts so much that I wished he threw up a newborn pig after eating that mountain of pork that was on the table not too long ago.

"Yes, sir." I had to come clean. If I didn't, I wouldn't be surprised if he kicked me out. "I learned how to hunt when I was 5 from Mr. Hooke after he took me in when my parents died in the war..."

"I see.." Jeane placed the cork back into the wine bottle. "Would you mind hunting us an animal of any sort? I would like to see what kind of game you hunt."

I was surprised by his answer. "No, sir, I don't mind. In fact, I am happy to do so..."

Burp~!

"Alright, Jordan." Missus Baptiste helped the child clean his side of the table. "Let's clean up and go to sleep. Right, Jeane?"

"Of course, love." Jeane wiped his mouth with a hand towel. "We'll talk more, David, yes?"

"Absolutely, sir."

02:28, January 7th, 1786

It was past midnight as I jumped out of my room from the second floor into the snow. I wore only thin clothes that covered much of my skin because I needed to be able to move comfortably. I ran into the forest frontier with two Iroquois axes in my hands.

I hate to brag, but I ran faster than wolves and quieter than rabbits. I jumped over the fence and ran into the woods where my hunting game was at.

When I found a trail of footprints of at least a dozen men and 2 horses, I knew exactly whose footprints they were.

I ran as fast as I could to find the owners of the footprints. A few minutes later, I saw smoke in the air.

I am close.

I held my axes up to my shoulders. I took careful steps into the deep parts of the wood.

After the long walk, I finally found them.

Ten Africans were tied up in chains. Two slave traders, who were in furry coats, slept in comfort as the Africans, who wore little clothes, were freezing.

Monsters... I was disgusted enough so I took my chance. I sneaked around the bushes and then threw one ax into one of the trader's head.

CHUCK!

The sound of the penetration filled the atmosphere around the campfire. The whole group woke up surprised to see the ax in one of the trader's head.

The other skinny trader pulled out his rifle screaming, "Show yourself!" I smelled the fear in him. I threw my other ax to the rifle the trader was holding. The rifle bent into a useless piece of junk.

The trader dropped his gun, fell to his knees, and begged, "Take whatever you want! Just spare my life, please!"

I walked into the light toward the dead trader. I pulled the ax out of the bleeding corpse. The shivering trader gulped.

"Take the slaves," he offered me. "Take anything, but my life!"

"You and all the other slave drivers disgust me.." I sneered at the face of a coward. I commanded him, "Free the slaves, then you can get out of my sight."

He did just that. He ran like a coward he was.

"Thank you for freeing us, kind sir.." The one who seemed to be the leader of the Africans said with a weak voice, "How can we repay-"

"You deserve freedom like anyone else.." I paused him. "The war for freedom is still ongoing... Do you have places to go to?"

The folks nodded. I dashed back into the woods without saying farewell. I traveled to the forest to find an animal worth hunting to fulfill the task Jeane Baptiste gave me.

To be continued...