He has lost his left arm but I have lost my right

Virginia 1850

Samuel looked up at the stars carefully looking to the north one. It was not a difficult task as the heavens were lit up and it looked as if one could see across the galaxy. He had been following the path for three days, avoiding farms and houses, living off of what he could pillage from farms. He had heard about freedom. About those who had fled the plantations and made their way north. He had heard that there were those in the north who were sympathetic and who would help him. All of it had seemed like some crazy fantastic idea but he had gone with it. He had stored up enough courage and he ran. Anything, better then the life he had left behind. A life of cruelty, of beatings, of backbreaking labor from dusk til dawn. Samuel had not told anyone about his plans, it was too risky. There were always those among them who would turn him in. Those who would tell simply to curry favor with the master. Some of the others had spoken of escape but mainly it was in a theoretical kind of way. Something they might attempt if the consequences were not too dire. They called it crazy. For Samuel it was far more crazy to submit to a lifetime of toil with nothing to show for it except a few ragged pieces of clothing and bad lodging. That was insane. He knew that there was likely a party looking for him by now, dogs and a whole bunch of rednecks. Still he vowed he would rather die then go back.