The Fireflies of Freedom

“Heads up, everyone! As I have told you every day since your arrival on my plantation, the woods are off limits. Don’t even think about escaping through these woods because it will only end up in death. There are alligators, water moccasins, pariah fish in those waters and if they don’t get you MY DOGS will. We will find you and drag you back here.So, as I have told you on many, many occasions, DON’T TRY IT!” the tyrant plantation owner shouted from the back of the cotton wagon. And he had to punctuate it with a crack of his whip.

I am sure we all felt the fear go through our bodies every morning when he blasted the orders for the day. Today’s orders were for each of us to pick 100 pounds of cotton each. The bags would be loaded in the wagon and Mr. Tucker would go unload the cotton and come back for more. Most of the slaves would be beat down by the end of the day as they were either older, female or weaker humans. At 15 years of age and a girl, I held my own. I was determined. I had a stubborn streak that could match the masters, I swear.

“Miss Amarilla!” he shouted. “Come up to my castle after the picking is done. I want to see you personally,” he snarled and grinned that evil looking grin of his. His gray, stringy beard that hung to his chest blew in the wind.

I looked at my mother. She was 30 years old but looked 50. Most of her teeth had fallen out and her hair was unkept. That was the look of most of us Negras of the year of our Lord 1859 in the south of Carolina. Our cream-colored skin set us apart and others made fun of us all the time. My hair was smooth, and my eyes were light, and I was as strong as an ox.

Mother jerked her head around when he called my name. She knew what Mr. Cole had up his sleeve and she did not like it.

Under the hot sun of the day, I moseyed to mother’s side. "Ma, what is out in the woods? Is the boss-man lying about the boogers out there?”

Talking in a very low tone, she said, “No. He is not lying. And like he said, if the boogers don’t get you he will send his dogs out. He will search as long as it takes to bring the runner back. And it is not a pretty picture for them upon their return. What are you thinking, my child?”

“I refuse to go up to his castle. There cannot be anything good of it. I am going to run for it. Tell me all you know about the forest, ma.”

Mama raised her voice a little higher and said, “Child, I refuse to let you go. Now you shet your mouth about such nonsense.”

Mr. Tucker walked up next to us. “Ya’ll be quiet. Others are listening to your talk. Someone will run to the boss-man.” His voice had a deep serious tone to it.

Just before the sun set in the western sky, Mr. Tucker drove the wagon to the back of our one room cabin. I heard the horses stomp to a stop followed by a whoa.

“Amarilla,” he whispered through the cracks in the wall. “Come outside.”

Holding my jar of lightning bugs in my hands, the door creaked open.

“Climb aboard, sweetheart. And cover yoself with the cotton. You are not going to the big boss-man’s castle on that hill yonder. Don’t you worry. Just do as I say. I be taking you to the woods where you will be safe,” he said.

My heart was beating wildly as I listened to his instructions. “Be extra cautious passing through that thick jungle. You will come upon that swamp befoe you know it. I will pull into the woods just a-ways and you bail out. You run like you are running for your life, because you will be. You are strong and fast. All you have to do is stay alert. Go to the other side of the swamp. There are safe places for you over there. Whatever you do, do NOT come back here,” he whispered.

Holding tight to my jar of fireflies I stepped quietly into the woods. I stopped many times checking behind and between tree trunks. My fireflies lit up the dusky evening as I trekked through.I looked back to see if I could see Mr. Tucker and the wagon but they had vanished. The floor of the forest was soft and crunchy as I stepped one foot out and then the other. Then I heard it. They were baying behind me somewhere. The DOGS!It was time to put my winged feet to the air. Like lightning I started running. I dodged between these huge tree trunks, in and out, in and out, in and out. But the DOGS were coming for me. I tripped over a root and my fireflies and jar went flying. I did not have to search for it as the light inside was shining brightly. Grabbing it, I tore up the forest floor with my bare feet throwing leaves and dirt behind me as I ran. I could hear the quick twirping of the forest birds and the buzzing bugs as I dug in. The cool air brushed my hair back behind my ears and I blinked, blinked, blinked my eyes and ran forward.

I hadn’t really noticed that the ground was wetter and creeping up to my ankles. I was as scared as I had ever been. I did not know what to do. Gone on or go back? Gone on or go back? Gone on or go back? I tore on forward holding onto my jar of fireflies. My heart beat quick, quick, quick to my steps.

I realized I was in the swamp. I slowed my run as my sides were beginning to pain me and I had to be more cautious. The nasty swampy water swirled around me. My feet made sucking sounds in the mud as I moved forward. The low-lying vines and listless leaves dangled in my face. I saw big, long dark images just above the water moving all around me. I took a deep breath and I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest. I turned quickly at the sound of the barking dogs. I heard boss-man yelling for me. Forgetting about the pain in my side, I ran faster. Suddenly, I was forced to slow down. The murky swamp water was hugging at my waist. I saw a huge dark mound that looked like a rock in front of me. I jumped on top. It moved! It came up out of the water and slowly turned its head back towards me. Glaring at me from its slanted eyes, I swore it winked at me. And then it spoke.

“Sit down on my back and hold on, sweetie. We are going for a ride!” the thing said in a high pitch voice.

My eyes about popped out of my head. What could I do? Holding to my jar of fireflies, I sat down and clamped my legs as tight as I could on the slimy, bumpy scaly skin. We were gliding through the swamp, going in and around the trees further out into the night. I could see yellow evil eyes staring at me in the darkness. I remembered I was to find the biggest tree in the swamp that was about a million feet around. We traveled on and my ride began slowing down. I held the fireflies out in front of me trying to see before us.

My taxi driver turned its head once again. “Put that light away, sweetie. It hurts my eyes and it is blinding me. By the way, I am Gorgeous, Gretta Gator.”

I stuck the jar inside the bib of my pants. It made my heart look like it was on fire.

“My name is Amarilla, Miss Gator.”

As soon as I had her name out of my mouth, a big dog stood in front of us. His teeth were bared and foam was dripping from its angry mouth. His snarl was low and mean. And as quick as that I heard splash, splash, splash all around me. Miss Gator’s tail whipped around and batted the mutt out into the dark into the swamp. We were off again. Another dog stood in our way, but Miss Gator was ready. She ducked and dodged and swam around the animal and like the wind we flew over the top of that wild beast. I could see the other dogs coming towards us. Their evil eyes and sharp white teeth glowed in the night. That didn’t stop Miss Gator.

It was another hour before we began slowing down. Finally, we stopped. Pointing my fireflies in front of my eyes, I spied the largest tree in the world. My eyes traveled from its exposed roots all the way up the trunk where the branches disappeared into the night sky. Unexpectedly, Miss Gator bumped her back up and pitched me onto the round, rutty roots. And she was gone.

“Wait, Miss Gator. What do I do now?” My voice trailed off into the dark. I started crying from fear and sat back against the rough bark of the tree. Using my fireflies for light, I looked around my premises. I then saw the snakes crawling upon the roots near me. I scooted back and placed my hand behind me for support. Suddenly, I had my hand wrapped around what felt like a steel door knob. A snake slithered towards me liking his lips with a forked tongue. I grasped the knob and twisted with all my might. I heard it squeak and I quickly plopped down inside the tree. I sat down on a step and tried to control my deep breathing. Using the light of the fireflies once again, I saw the wooden steps up the inside of the tree. I had my chest lighting the way with my fireflies inside the bib again. I began climbing. At one window, I looked out. From the moonlight, I could see the mean boss-man with about 20 others in small canoes slithering like serpents through the dark, murky swamp water.

I quickly began climbing and counting each step.20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 steps. 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40. I kept climbing. 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70. 75! And then there was a small hobbit type of door in front of me. I slowly pushed it open. It made no sound. From a squatting position, I slipped out. I leaned against the door for fear of stepping out and falling all the way back down to the swampy swamp.

A soft, flowing voice came to me. “Come inside. Don’t be afraid.”

I hesitated a moment. She reached out for my hand and led me through a curtain of willow like leaves and vines out onto a giant limb.

"You don’t have to be afraid. You are safe here,” the motherly voice said.

Thin yellow, flowing silky streams of nylon draped from her head to her toes. A white veil flowed from the bun on her head and was lightly touching her shoulders. Her pink lips spread into a smile. Her arms were gently and slowly moving about the air like she was floating in water. Fireflies began swarming around her. They were fliting in and out lighting the inside of our surroundings.

“I am Heavenly Bee, Amarilla.” She blew steam from her mouth in three puffs and a bee sat on her shoulder.

“You know who I am?” I asked.

“Yes, of course I do. You have been sent to me special by Mr. Tucker. He was afraid for you.”

“Yes. Mr. Tucker is a wonderful friend and mentor. He tries his best to protect everybody even though the boss-man beats him for it. We are warned not to come into the woods.”

“Of course you were,” she softly said. “Listen to me. You will be here a few days then you must leave. I will help you.”

“Thank you, Miss Heavenly Bee. But I am afraid for my mother, little sister and little brother,” I said pleadingly.

“One thing at a time, my little bug,” she said lovingly. Are those fireflies lighting up your chest?”

“Yes,” I said as I pulled the jar from my pants.

“Give me the jar.”

“Do I have to?”

“Yes. Listen to me or you will not succeed.”

I handed her the jar.

“Where am I going, Miss Heavenly?”

A bee flew by my ear and in a small, tiny, shrill, wispy voice said, “You are going to Texas.”

“Texas? I am going to Texas?”

Laughing, Miss Heavenly said, “Texas Bee go about your business. Get Miss Amarilla something to eat. No, you are not going to Texas.”

“She would be safe in Texas,” Texas Bee said in her squeaky voice.

“That’s the last place she needs to go. Now go on. We have work to do,” Miss Heavenly said.

For the next two days, Miss Heavenly Bee taught me how to twirl and twirl and twirl in a tight circle like a ballerina. I had no idea why, but twirl I did.

On the morning of the third day. She had me twirl even more tight like a straight pin. I was twirling so tight I was getting dizzy.

I could hear the chanting:

Twirl tight near and far

Twirl tighter reach the star

Twirl tightly, twirl inside the jar

I opened my eyes and felt I was in a very tight window of sorts. I placed my hands out to the side and realized I was inside the jar. Scared out of my wits, I was having trouble breathing. One of the fireflies I had carried from the cotton fields placed their wing on me and stroked my head. It was a calming stroke and my breathing slowed to normal. I counted four fireflies and me, that made five inside this tiny glass enclosure.

That night, a dozen of Heavenly Bee’s lightning bugs picked up my jar of fireflies with me inside and flew us from the talented, talismanic, tender tree. The tiny wings fluttered as we flew. I could see the swamp below as we rhythmically floated in the air lighting the night sky.

We started down and down and down. And then THUMP, we were on the ground. I screamed when the lid of the jar popped open. The captured fireflies flew out and I flew out with them. When I was brave enough to open my eyes, standing before me was my mother, sister, brother and Mr. Tucker. I glanced down my firefly body and shouted with extreme happiness. I stood tall in my bare feet dressed in my blue bibbed jeans. I touched my hair. It was MY hair. We were all back together again. We gathered together in a great big hug. We cried and laughed. We lifted our heads up towards the sky to thank the dear Lord. Above us the lightning bugs flew. Letters began to take shape and we read the word:

FR E ED U M

Then a firefly that formed the letter “u” flew out and a firefly replaced it with the letter “O”.

Holding onto each other, we continued our trek as we were