The Journey

It seemed like an eternity ago, as the sunset over the marshland darkness stealthy descended, tightening its grip upon the land as the creatures of the deep along with the other demons of darkness stirred crawling from their cavernous dens in hunt of unsuspecting prey. The night’s air grew cold and damp as the moon slowly shed its silver rays over the land breaking the darkness only on the higher levels while the brumes gathered swirling like serpents sneaking into the voids and hollows between the rocks and bracken.

The news had come to us from our friends, it was time to act, all arrangements had been made and by the light of the moon we would be transported over land under the cover of darkness to the port where we would board a ship to set sail for the new world. Hastily we collected our possessions and began placing them by the door, peering out of the small porch window I could see the outline of the stranger making his way down the frost encrusted pathway with his horse and cart, it creaked and rattled to its own rhythm then as the noise grew in intensity it suddenly stopped. 

‘Hurry now’ John snapped the fear building in his voice.

‘We have to leave, things will be better, you’ll see,’ he said.

‘I hope for all our sakes’ I replied.

‘It will be a fresh beginning, no one there knows about what has happened, so make haste,’ he replied.

No sooner had he finished his statement and there was a banging on the door.

‘Are you ready?’ Whispered the voice.

Opening the door John said. ‘Indeed we are.’

‘Make hast now’ he mumbled.

As his horse stood patiently waiting in the dampness by the open gate, slowly raising its head, ears twitching, he snorted, he was not the only one to hear the low walling cry over the mists.

John along with the stranger started collecting our things and swiftly began placing them on the cart. I climbed onto the cart, then came the children Jacob and Ann. As I gathered the children beside me I wrapped them in my wool shawl to shelter them from the cold air. John climbed up front and sat with the stranger as we moved off. Looking back I clutched my small satchel and gazed at the old place. It looked so isolated standing dark and empty now on the crossroads a hauntingly broken silhouette of a structure framed against the evening sky with only the light from the setting sun casting its final glow upon the rooftop. 

We traveled by night, the children wrapped in my shawl huddled together and slept as we entered the forest filled with it’s woodland creatures and the night shadows which darted alongside the cart as we traveled in silence. Sleep did not come for me. I remember well how sad I felt between the coldness of the night, the hunger and dread of being caught by the townspeople's sleep was the last thing from my mind.

It was just before first light as we exited that dark world, then at last sunrise came as we crossed the stone bridge into the outskirts of the port city. Winding our way between the narrow streets we traveled along the bumpy cobblestone streets to the, there was so much smoke billowing from the chimneys of the buildings in the harbour that the smoke hung over the ship like some black cape emitting a foreboding of things to come. The noise coming from around us was deafening compared to the still countryside that we were used to and the hustle and bustle of people with their possessions hurrying aboard became dizzying. 

No sooner had we stopped the children and I dismounted from the cart where I could just about make out the name on the bow of the ship; it was Francis Spaight. The stranger, John and two men from the ship, collected our things and rushed us aboard. John hurriedly climbed the gangplank behind us and we were directed to an open door beyond lay a steep stairwell leading downward to the lower deck. As we cautiously descend my eyes adjusted to the dim light of the ship's hold and I could feel the children fearfully clinging to me as we shuffled along while John attempted to find the set of bunk beds we had been assigned at the rear of the galley, finding them I settled the children into the upper bunks and I laid my shawl on the lower bunk.

‘I will find some food for us’ said John

Moving over to a large table he found a barrel of water where he filled our flask with water then from a platter he gathered bread and cheese bringing them back to us.

‘The ship will be casting off soon, it will be a long journey’ said John

‘Is this breakfast.’ I asked

‘It will have to do for now’ replied John

We consumed what was given to us and settled down for what was to be a turbulent journey to our new life.

The weather was cold but sunny as we set sail and we were soon allowed to go up on deck with the children, but that evening the weather turned a storm came down from the northeast and we had to remain under deck for the next three days as the ship rolled and heaved constantly a number of the children and adults became sick while John managed to take it in his stride suddenly one of the children from another family just two bunks from ours started running a fever, two days later he took a turn for the worse and died, he was not to be the last. 

Before long another child then a third child started running the fever, then it was Ann and for twenty-four hours she slid in and out of consciousness, there was no way I could stand by and not do anything. On the morning of the eighth day the weather broke, and likewise Ann’s fever, by midday the sun came out and we were allowed back on deck which was a blessing as the fresh air benefited us all but it was cold, a cutting cold we had never experienced before. 

On the afternoon of the tenth day there was so much commotion between everyone, news had come to us that land was spotted off the starport side. Soon the sea turned calm and the ship headed into thick fog, then as the tide turned the fog cleared and we were in what appeared to be a large bay. For the next few hours there was much excitement, word spread that an island was in sight and just beyond a city, someone said it was the Port City and people were rushing below deck collecting up their belongings, no one paid any heed to the body of the small girl who had died just days before, further no one would be aware or be looking for the small cut at the base of her spine, not many would know about the inferior mesenteric artery that brings oxygen-rich blood to the large intestine the same oxygen-rich blood Ann needed to survive, they would presume she had died of the fever just like the others.

As we stepped from that dark dingy hole into the sunlight where we had been confined for so long you could feel the joy radiating from all around, disembarking was like stepping out of a nightmare and as we walked down the gangway the sunshine warmed us with the hope of a new beginning. I remembered how John had promised it would be different now.