Another Time, Another Place Ch. 1

Susan Green wasn't your typical lady. For one thing she was sixteen years old but acted like a little child. Another thing, she wasn't afraid of anyone or anything, or so she told everyone. She loved everyone: her schoolmates, her parents, her friends, her grandparents, even the slaves on her father's plantation. She never wanted to hurt anyone. In fact, unlike most Southerners, she believed that all men should be free. But she never told anyone that in fear that she would be judged by her parents and her peers.

The most peculiar thing about Susan was her crush on one of the slave boys: Willy. This, she knew, wasn't something even the Northerners who supported abolition would approve of. She was so worried about people finding out she didn't even write it in her diary.

Despite her fear of people disproving of her thoughts she made no effort to hide her friendship with all her father's slaves. No body cared though or criticized her for socializing with the slaves. One reason was that she would talk with anyone, she was incredibly friendly. Another reason was because her father was known for his high tolerance for his slaves. He treated his slaves a lot better then a lot of his neighbors did their slaves.

"I've heard rumors if that black-loving, awful man Lincoln gets elected president then us Southerners will declare our independence just like when our ancestors declared independence towards Britain," Mr. Wilhite said to Mr. Green.

"Really? Interesting," Mr. Green responded.

"Mr. Wilhite, do you really have such little faith in the loyalty of our country that you think we would just leave if we didn't like the president?" Susan asked.

Both men frowned at Susan who was standing at the door of men's parlor. "Can we help you, Susan?" Mr. Green asked her.

"No, Sir, I was just on my way outside when I overheard what you were speaking about," Susan said.

"It's almost sunset, you're going out now?" Mr. Wilhite asked.

"Yes, sir. Now is the best time, right before the stars come out. I'm going to make a wish on the first star I see tonight," she said.

"Very well then, Susan. Go ahead," Mr. Green said.

"Thank you, Sir. Goodbye," she said as she turned and left.

"You need to control that girl, she should know better then to interrupt like that," Mr. Wilhite said.

"Don't tell me how to raise my daughter. Besides Susan is like a fire, if you try to control her she'll burn you. If you let her be she'll give you light and warmth. Susan is a smart young lady, she knows what's important and what she wants. I couldn't say that for most of the girls in this city," Mr. Green said.

Susan bounded out of the door her thick dark brown hair bouncing behind her. She paused as she observed her father's plantation. Mostly all the slaves were still out working. That's when she picked him out. She immediately started running towards him.

"Evenin' Miss Green," one of the slave ladies yelled as she ran past.

"Evenin' Charlotte," she yelled back. She paused for a few seconds and decided to go back to talk to her. "How's Davie?"

Charlotte mouth turned into a frown. "I'm afraid Davie's sick," she said.

"Oh, no. What does he have? I'll get medicine for him. I will," Susan said.

"Oh, thank you, Miss Green, but I think the best thing for Davie right now is to get some rest and that's impossible," she said with a sigh, "This is a busy season and Mr. Green needs all of us working."

"That's ridiculous. Davie's six, how much help can he be? Listen, I'll talk my father. I'll get him to let Davie take some time off," Susan said.

"I don't think . . . thank you, Miss Green," Charlotte said.

Susan probably would have stayed longer but she noticed that her target was leaving. She started to run away, "I'll talk to him, Charlotte. I will." She ran until she was close to him "Willy!" she yelled.

"Evenin' Miss Green," he said taking off his hat.

"Are you done with your work, Willy?" she asked, smiling.

"Just barely finished, Miss Green," he said.

"I want to go to my favorite spot on this whole plantation, Willy. Will you come with me to go see it?" she asked innocently. Inside, though, she was burning up. This was the bravest thing she had ever done, she had been planning this for weeks though.

"'Course I will, Miss Green," he said.

And with that Susan took off again only pausing a few seconds to turn around and say, "C'mon Willy, this way." She led him through cotton plants over to what she called the star watching wall. It was a stone wall, no more then three feet high. She jumped up on it and patted the spot next to her.

Willy thought Susan Green was the most peculiar girl he knew. He didn't really understand her, but then again neither did anyone else. He'd been to the conversations where his fellow slaves would talk about her. They all loved her, of course, it was impossible to hate someone as sweet as Susan. But all of them agreed that Susan was quite odd and impossible to predict.

What the slaves said about Susan was a lot better then what the whites had to say about Susan. Every slave had heard what they had to say about her. They used every insult they could think of. But, then again, most whites couldn't handle anything different and Susan was the very definition of different.

Willy jumped onto the wall with her. Susan smiled at him and said, "This is the perfect spot to watch the stars. Do you ever make a wish on the stars?"

"No, Miss Green, I don't reckon I have," he said.

"Do you want to make a wish? It's real simple. All you have to do is when we see the first star we close our eyes and wish for anything, anything in the world, nothing is too ridiculous," she said.

Willy wasn't taking this seriously but he said anyway, "Will it come true?"

"Don't be silly, everyone knows that stars can't actually grant wishes. We make wishes on stars because it gives us hope. And hope is such a good feeling," she said. "Oh, look, there it is. The first star in the night sky."

She closed her eyes and silently thought her wish, I wish that Willy and I were somewhere that we could be together.

Willy thought this whole thing was quite stupid but Susan eyes were glued shut and he couldn't see the harm so he too closed his eyes and made his wish. I wish that I was a free man.

After a few seconds, Susan opened her eyes and sighed. Making wishes always made her happy. She scooted over a few inches to the right and fell off the wall. The reason why: besides the part Willy and she had been sitting on the entire wall had disappeared. And that's not all that had disappeared. The entire plantation was gone.

Chapter 2