Slaves in a Land of Plenty

After a long day of uphills and switchbacks at camp, they sat on logs facing each other. Craig reminded Nicki that she was still in hiding and that the trail provided plenty of time and space to get lost and allow The Prelate and his thugs to forget about her. But Craig would occasionally insert," I think it is somebody more potent after you. I am not sure you are up to whatever you are supposed to accomplish."

Nicki froze at his words. She spun around and faced the opposite direction, her back to him. Heat rushed to her cheeks. Her fiery eyes gazed down at her open backpack, revealing the white and red cover of her Greatest Salesman in the World book.

Words rushed into her mind, along with an angry force. She stood straight up, twisted to face Ranger Craig, and took two decisive steps toward him as he sat on his log.

In a loud tenor voice and pursed lips, she broadcast, "I was not delivered into this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my blood." She took two more aggressive steps toward Craig, stunned by the outburst. She drew her knife, laid the blade's flat side on his chest, and said, "I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a lion and refuse to talk, walk, and sleep with the sheep. I will persist until I succeed." Then she shouted again, "I will persist until I succeed. You got that, Ranger Craig?"

The camp fell back to silence, and then Craig unfolded his three-foot-long trail map, which showed they were only one-third of the way to Harpers Ferry.