ησятнєяη вσυη∂ {~} closed thread

[mationix]

He took a step back into the shadow, the darkness enveloping around him like a mother embracing her son. Though if someone looked hard enough, they could see his golden eyes following the train. "Of course, I can't just let a woman walk around without some assistance," he breathed, flashing his white teeth at her in a small smile. As the train chugged by, he waited for a couple seconds, before he sprang out from the shadows, yelling, "Now! We're headin' for that middle boxcar, the one whose door is open." As he sprinted, he pointed to the specific boxcar.

For as spidery as he looked, he sure ran fast. Leaping over the small hill, he clambered into the boxcar, tossing his pole to the side. He leaned out the opening of the boxcar, his hand outstretched for her to grab. "Over here ma'am, hurry up!"

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese took a deep breath and turned to run, her boots thudding against the dirt road. She saw him and headed toward the boxcar he held on to, her hand reaching out.

[mationix]

His fingers wrapped around hers and he leaned out further, wrapping his other hand around her waist to pull her up. Grunting, he hefted her up and leaned her against the wall. "Well, part one is completed," he said, chuckling softly to himself as he pulled his hands back from her. He grabbed his pole and settled on the wall opposite of her. "Are you alright, ma'am? Did I hurt you when I pulled you in?" He asked, leaning the pole against the wall.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese clutched the satchel to her chest, heart beating quickly, "N-No, I'm okay. You didn't hurt me."

[mationix]

The hobo nodded, giving her a relieved smile. "Good, because I'm no doctor, I wouldn't know what ta do if I had hurt you, ma'am," he said, giving a quiet chuckle, as if sharing a secret with himself. He was quiet for a moment, as he gazed around the boxcar. "We got lucky, looks like no one's here," he murmured, his honey eyes flickering to the shadows, believing that there was someone hiding in there.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annalise shuddered and sat down, wrapping her arms around her legs.

[mationix]

"Ma'am? Are you alright, ma'am?" The black man asked, his eyes flickering back to her, before looking away respectfully. "I have a tattered blanket, if you want to use it, it don't look like much, ma'am, I'll have to warn you."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Annaliese shook her head, taking a deep breath, "I'm fine, don't worry," she whispered.

[mationix]

"Yes ma'am, if you say so ma'am," he said, shifting where he sat. He licked his dry lips, swallowing his words down. Despite the want to keep talking, he knew his place, even if he was heading up north.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

"You don't have to call me ma'am," Her voice was quiet. Annaliese shifted so that her dress kept her legs covered, her fingers plucking at her satchel.

[mationix]

"Ma'am, I cannot call you by your first name or else I'll get killed by your kind. So, ma'am, followin' that line of thought, I can only call you one name: 'ma'am'," he said. His voice was smooth as always, as if he had memorized these sentences and had to spit them back up multiple times.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

"There's no one else around," She glanced at him for a quick second.

[mationix]

He gave her a quiet chuckle. "Ma'am, if only it were that easy," he said. He was quiet for a moment, before he hesitantly continued, "if it isn't a burden, ma'am, my name is Zachary, Zachary Tyler. Tante Emma, my aunt ma'am, is a bee keeper up north. If you need to have a place to stay, ma'am, I'm sure Tante Emma would be glad to give you some sleep." He was quiet for another moment, his honey eyes flickering to her then at the ground. "I...suggest this, ma'am, since you look like you're in trouble, I mean no disrespect ma'am."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

Her dark eyes widened in surprise. It was the most kindness she'd been shown for most of her life since her parents passed away- and from a black man, no less, "I wouldn't get her in trouble, would I?" That was the last thing she wanted, to cause trouble.

[mationix]

He gave her a crooked grin. "Ma'am, I have no idea. I can't tell the future, unfortunately. Though she's up north, people are more lenient towards people like myself. I doubt anybody will give us any trouble if you decide to stay with us." His grin fell into a serious frown as he continued, "though, I must warn you, ma'am, you'll be around blacks such as myself, it's just me and Tante Emma on that honey farm. My Tanta Emma has small masses she holds in her house to worship Lord God and Jesus every Sunday and she brings over some of her friends. You'll be the only white person there, ma'am."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

She blushed and picked at her satchel, "That's okay, as long as I have someone to stay for a while."

[mationix]

Zach gave her a small nod. "If that's what you want, ma'am. I just wanted to warn you, you were lookin' mighty scared when we met an hour ago," he commented slowly.

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

She looked away, a blush working it's way up her neck, "I know.."

[mationix]

He leaned his head against the wall of the train, looking respectfully away from her. "If you're alright with that, ma'am, we'll be jumping off in about two hours from now. Though the train'll get us close to the destination, we'll need to walk a couple miles towards Tante Emma's farm."

[нαℓƒ~мσση]

"We have to jump off?" Annaliese looked alarmed, "We'll die!"