Hope and Tokala

Hope rushed to her mother. She had a medium height, black hair, and brown eyes. Hope’s skin was pale like fresh milk. She was thin and had a bounce in her step. “Mother, has Daddy written yet?” Hope asked with a hopeful voice. Her mother faced the wall, a tear a one tear dripped off her chin. “No Hope, there is no letter. There never will be. We have not heard from him in over a year.” Another tear fells down her cheek.“ I wished he had never left for that stupid War , no matter h ow much we needed the money. The Red Coats probably killed him.” Hope’s heart sank. “But, maybe he can’t write or he was cut off by the Red Coats or, or...” Hope’s voice trailed off. Her mother was crying harder. Hope felt her blood boil. How could her mother give up? Hope still believed that her father was alive, She did not know how she know, she just knew. Hope stormed out of the house. If only, one letter could get through, she thought wishfully. She walked out into the woods. Hope came from a poor, but good loving family. She clearly remembered the day her father had left to fight in the war against the British. to help make their country independent. This war would later would later be called the Revolutionary War. Hope remembered a saying of her father’s. “If nothing happens to your fortune, go out and get it. “ Hope suddenly know what she had to do. She was going the war to find her father! “But how do I join the war? Girls are not welcome!” Hope yelled to the sky, starling a flock of birds, causing them to take flight in a cloud of wings and feathers. That night Hope slipped through the dark of the house. It was so quiet that she could her the thud, thud of her heartbeat. Hope opened her father’s old, weather beaten oak wood chest. She winced as the hinges creaked in protest after long months of rest. Glancing around fearfully, Hope pulled out the old solder’s uniform. Dust flew everywhere as she shook the faded blue uniform. It was in tatters, but it would have to do. Next Hope pulled out a flintlock musket. She sat for hours cleaning it just like her father had taught her. The night began to grow lighter as Hope dressed as a boy, stole into a nearby farm “Shhh, calm yourselves. Hussshh.” Hope whispered as she entered the horse barn, to quite the restless mounts. She selected a mare as black as the night. Hope quickly saddled her and mounted before her owners could find their missing mare. Hope spurred the horse out into the night. They ran into the day. The sun cast its rays down on Hope and the black mare. But because of the winter season, they brought no warmth. Hope was colder than she had ever been i n her whole life, she felt like she was made of ice. Her hands shook, as did the rest of her as she held on tightly to the reins, her face turned a reddish color. She clutched the musket closer and wrapped the uniform around her, to try and use what little warmth it gave her. Hope’s breath looked like steam from her mother’s tea kettle. But all she thought of was finding her father, she did not even notice the British patrol coming up behind her. All she could hear was he steady clop, clop of the mare’s hooves. “Boom!” Musket fire was the last thing she heard. “Another one? I can’t wait to get out of this mud hole.” said a Red Coat to his companion who was holding the smoking firearm. Hope felt suddenly warm. She found her self being pulled to a nicer place, a warm place...
Or so she thought.