Cy in Chains Read Free Page A

everything this time? Would a new owner take over the place? Would Travis have to leave?
    Hatred stirred in Cy’s belly. John Strong had so much, and Cy and his daddy had so little. Black folks tried to hold tight to what little they
did
have, while a sorry man like Strong went and threw away everything. Travis said everyone had told his daddy not to buy that horse. Yeah, he was fast, fastest ever seen in those parts. But there was something devilish about him, something no man could trust. And now see how it had turned out.
    The fire burnt low in the hearth, and Cy went to bed.

Two
    A LIGHT BUT URGENT TOUCH ON HIS SHOULDER woke him out of sad dreams. He flinched, but then he recognized Uncle Daniel’s voice, whispering close to his ear.
    Cy sat up, wondering what the old man wanted. It had to be something important for him to come into the cabin in the dark of night. “Uncle Daniel?”
    â€œI tapped on the door, but I didn’t see no light, so I figured y’all was asleep. When they warn’t no answer, I stuck my head inside the door and heard him snorin’ the way he do when he been drinkin’.”
    â€œI put him to bed.”
    â€œIt’s a shame. But you the one I got to talk to. Can you come with me fo’ a moment? We needs yo’ help.”
    Cy followed Uncle Daniel outside. The air was colder than inside the cabin.
    â€œWhat is it?”
    â€œTravis gone! Took Teufel with him.”
    â€œNaw! He promised me he warn’t gon’ do nothin’ like that.”
    â€œY’all talked about it?”
    â€œAfter Mist’ John whipped Teufel so bad, Travis said he was gon’ run away. I made him promise he wouldn’t.”
    â€œWell, he ain’t kept his word. He took off, him and that damned horse. I was done with my work up at the big house and was headed home when I heard noises in the barn.”
    â€œAin’t it real late?”
    â€œNaw. I stayed ’round tonight to finish puttin’ fresh mortar between them bricks in the kitchen fireplace. Had to wait for the hearth to cool down enough fo’ me to work. Like I said, I heard these noises, and when I went to check up on things, Travis come bustin’ outta the barn, ridin’ bareback on that black devil! I shouted at him, but he didn’t pay me no mind, just kept goin’, headin’ for the road.”
    â€œTravis was
ridin’
on
Teufel? He ain’t never been on that horse’s back! He ain’t big enough to get up there.”
    â€œI’d of said the same thing if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes. But that ain’t the point. We got to go after him, bring him back ’fore Mist’ John wake up and find him gone. If he catch him, they’s gon’ be hell to pay.”
    â€œWhat can I do?”
    â€œSon, I hates to ask you this, but I wants you to go look for him. I’s too old to come with you. I just slow you down. Them young legs o’ yours can carry you fast.”
    Uncle Daniel’s request was crazy, impossible. “I can’t! He on a horse—fastest one around. Travis bound to be long gone by now.”
    â€œGone where? Don’t you see? He ain’t really runnin’ away. Boy that age got nowhere
to
run. I reckon he just gone off somewhere close, somewhere to calm down. In the mornin’, I bet he come home by hisself, but we can’t take the chance of his daddy findin’ out he left and took that horse.”
    â€œI can’t, Uncle Daniel! Where I even begin to look for him?”
    The old man put his hand on Cy’s shoulder. “I know you boys got you a secret hideout somewhere not too far off. Ain’t I right?”
    How did Uncle Daniel know? Cy and Travis did have a place of their own, down on the river, but they’d sworn a blood oath not to tell anyone about it.
    â€œI’s right, ain’t I?” Uncle Daniel asked again.
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œI bet