Chapter 401

Rose was changing, too. Once upon a time, she’d been a bright energetic girl with strong opinions and midwestern work ethic. Her husband had started to crush her spirit and then slavery had taken away what she had left. Free and encouraged, she found herself again.

I watched with admiration as my friend took on the task of being a free woman. She was unstoppable when a job needed to be completed. When the men around us were tired and frustrated Rose became their cheerleader. Everyone appreciated having her around.

Time came and went and I timed it by my menses. They seemed to follow the cycle of the main moon, which I found odd. It took three cycles before things started to change in the way the camp’s men felt about the “slavers.”

During the day Rose and I talked nonstop to the men around us. We made every argument we could in favor of our families and it started to work. Actually the argument Rose chanced upon started to work. She had asked me innocently if all m