Dani followed Sam's charge through the swamp, blind to her surroundings, ignoring the branches as they pulled and tugged at her clothes, dodging roots that threatened to trip her. Her breaths came as ragged bursts of air seemingly ripped from her lungs. She ached to stop but kept going out of fear, sheer terror.

As if in slow motion, Sam's forward motion stopped as he was whipped through the air, suspended upside down by his feet. Panic filled his eyes as he struggled to right himself, to free himself.

"Sam! Hold still. Let me figure this out," she begged.

Sam continued to fight even as she followed the cleverly disguised rope through the branches. She pushed through the underbrush, trying to find the release. She fumbled with the knots beneath a tangle of branches. Hurry. Hurry. Come on you stupid rope.

"Looky here. We got us a trap robber."

"Looks to me like some youngun' wants ta be dead."

Dani swung around, facing the new threat, her eyes wide with panic.

"What's ya doin', boy? Tryin' to thieve our slave?"

Dani whipped her head back and forth. "N-no, sir."

One man spit out the straw he held between his gapped teeth. "I think we done catched two slaves." He grabbed her jaw, moving her face back and forth. "This coloring isn't exactly white."

"Zippety do dah! Tis our lucky day, Frank. String him in with the others whilst I get this monster down."

Dani flailed around in terror as she was dragged through the branches. Thick metal shackles clanked around her arms, a chain secured around her waist. She heard Sam's angry bellow echoing around her. She took a step toward him but retreated as the man threatened her with a backhand.

"Stay put, sonny. We'll git that darkie, one way or t'other."

He disappeared the way they'd come. Dani winced at each sickening thud. She choked back a sob as a hobbling, bleeding Sam was shackled behind her in line.

"Missy Dani. I sorry."

"It's okay, Sam," she whispered.

Chains clanked together as the line moved, slowly. The slaves in front of them started a haunting chant, lamenting their capture, their fate. Dani's heart sank into a whirlpool of despair as they headed south, back the way she'd just come.

The procession came to a halt well past dark. She caught snatches of conversation through the darkness. "The sale is in two days. Unless we march non-stop from dawn til dark, we'll never make it."

"We should just cut out some of this dead weight."

"Nah. That one'll bring too much. We can't get rid of him."

"We'll jess whip 'em and get 'em movin' faster tomorrow."

The slaves zigzagged together, trying to keep warm against the winter wind. Sam pressed his bulk against her back. She shuddered, trying to hold back her sobs.

"S'all right. Doan cry. I's sorry."

She turned her face against his bare chest, her tears running in rivulets across his scarred, ebony skin.