((warning: long post ahead))
Maddie laughed slightly and said, "Of course I don't mind. Have a seat." Pulling out a knife, she carefully sliced the bread and then set a couple of slices of bread and some butter on the table in front of Jasper. Thomas declined any more food, and Maddie quickly got herself a bowl of stew and a slice of bread to eat for lunch. Her parents joined them a few minutes later and it seemed that the only ones who were talking were Jenny and Daniel. Once everyone was finished with the meal, Maddie cleaned up and then disappeared outside with Thomas and Jasper.
----
The rest of the day passed fairly quickly and was uneventful. Supper was just as quiet as lunch was and Maddie once again cleaned up before showing Thomas and Jasper to James' room later that evening. "I hope you two don't mind having to share, but it's the best we can offer at the moment. If you need anything, my room is right over there." she told them and motioned toward her room. She wished them a goodnight and then disappeared into her room and then pulled out her knapsack and set it onto her bed. “Hmm…what will I need to take with me?” she asked herself as she started to put some random items into her bag.
Jenny had been walking past at that moment and heard what Maddie had said. Opening Maddie’s door, Jenny just stood there with her arms crossed and watched as Maddie bustled around her room. “Madelyn Elizabeth Carter, just WHAT do you think you’re doing?!” Maddie whirled around at the sound of her mother’s voice and stammered incoherently for a few moments as she tried to think of something to say. Jenny only scowled at Maddie and then went forward and grabbed onto Maddie’s arm. “Come with me.” She said as she essentially dragged Maddie out of the room and downstairs.
Depositing Maddie onto the sofa in the main room, Jenny turned toward Daniel, who had been reading when they entered. “Do you have any idea what Madelyn has been up to?!” she demanded, hands still on her hip. Daniel raised an eyebrow at his daughter and said, “No, I don’t. What have you been up to, Madelyn?” Maddie just sat there with her arms crossed and just stared down at her lap. “Answer me, Madelyn.” Daniel said with a frown when Maddie refused to speak. Jenny had had enough of Maddie’s blatant disrespect by her refusal to answer and turned toward her husband and said, “I found her packing her knapsack, Daniel. When I asked what she was doing, she refused to answer.” Daniel turned toward Maddie again and asked gently, “Is that true, Maddie?” Maddie only nodded in reply.
“Well? Are you going to give us a reason on WHY you were packing?” Jenny demanded, scowling down at Maddie. Maddie took a deep breath and said, “I want to go looking for James. He’s alive, I just know that he is! Why won’t either of you EVER listen to me?!” Daniel loudly sighed and said, “He’s gone Madelyn. Why can’t you accept that?” Maddie scowled slightly and said, “Because I CAN’T. How many times do I have to try to convince you that James is alive? I WANT to go find my brother and you can’t stop me!” Maddie instantly knew that she said the wrong thing as she saw her father’s expression darken. Daniel angrily stood up and stood over his daughter as Maddie tried to disappear into the sofa to no avail. Jenny was already standing and moved over to stand next to her husband.
“You think we can’t make you?” Daniel asked angrily, reaching down and grabbing Maddie by the arm. “Why don’t you just come with me, young lady, and we’ll see about that attitude of yours.” Yanking Maddie to her feet, Daniel dragged her outside to the barn. They returned to the house several minutes later and entered the main room where Jenny was waiting for them. “Sit down and stay there, Madelyn.” Jenny told her with a frown as she gently pushed Maddie down onto the sofa. Jenny and Daniel then went into the kitchen. After a few minutes of quiet discussion, they returned to the main room and stood in front of Maddie and just looked down at her for a few moments but the girl refused to look up. “Madelyn Elizabeth Carter, you will look at us when we are speaking to you.” Daniel told her angrily. Maddie bit back a retort and looked up at her parents, trying to keep the scowl off of her face.
“Madelyn, your mother and I have had quite enough of your insolent behavior lately, and it has got to stop, especially after tonight’s claim that we have no control over you.” Maddie opened her mouth to speak, but Daniel cut her off with a glare before she could say anything. “From now on, you are forbidden to leave the house unless you are doing your chores or going to school. You are not allowed to roam around the countryside anymore until your behavior improves and we WILL be keeping close tabs on you.”
Maddie sat up straight at the news and started to protest. “But that’s not fair! I’m not some common criminal! Who gives you the right to treat me like one?!” Jenny reached out and slapped Maddie again as Daniel said, “We are your parents, Madelyn. We know what’s best for you and what you need when you get out of line.” Maddie started to protest again, but Daniel cut her off. “One more word, Madelyn, and you will be remaining inside indefinitely as well as being escorted to school.” Maddie only slumped back against the cushions with her arms crossed over her chest defiantly. Daniel growled angrily and yanked Maddie off of the couch and propelled her toward the stairs with a swat to her behind. “Go to bed, Madelyn. In bed and lights out. If I find you staying up, there’ll be hell to pay, understand?” Maddie only gave a brief nod and muttered, “Yes, sir.” She then ran up the stairs and slammed her door shut before changing into nightclothes and collapsing onto her bed. I’ll show them… she thought angrily as she pushed herself up and quickly finished packing her knapsack. Hiding it under her bed, she set out what she was going to wear and then climbed into bed to try to get a few hours of sleep.
When Maddie woke up, the moon was high in the sky and Maddie wondered what time it was as she pushed the covers off of her legs. Changing out of her nightclothes, she pulled her knapsack out from under the bed and dumped out its contents before quietly left her room. She debated on whether or not to leave a note and decided not to since she didn’t want her parents to know just where she was going as she quickly filled her knapsack with some food provisions. Pulling open the kitchen door, she stepped outside and pulled the door shut behind her before running down the road toward the Lancaster’s farm. Once she arrived, she dropped her knapsack at the base of a tree and then climbed it until she was even with Abby’s window. Tapping at the window, she looked around and hoped that no one would stop her. It took a few minutes, but finally Abby came to the window and opened it.
“Maddie?” she asked sleepily. “What are you doing here?” Maddie looked around again and said, “I’m going to go find my brother. Want to come with me?” Abby was instantly awake at that news and nodded. “Good. Go get dressed and meet me outside. I already have some food packed. Oh…and don’t wake Ben. I don’t want him tagging along.” Abby nodded again and said, “I’ll be right down.” She then shut her window as Maddie climbed back down to the ground and changed out of her nightgown and then quietly made her way downstairs and outside to where Maddie was pacing impatiently. “Okay, I’m ready.” Abby whispered as she came alongside Maddie. “Then let’s go!” Maddie exclaimed softly as she shouldered the knapsack again and headed down the road. “Let’s see how far we can get before daybreak.” Abby nodded and followed along, looking around as everything looked different at night. The two girls walked until dawn and then found a place under some underbrush to get some sleep for a few hours before continuing on their journey.
----
The morning dawned bright and clear and the rising sun woke up Ben. Squinting in the morning light, he got up and dressed before knocking on Abby’s door to wake her. He raised an eyebrow when he didn’t get a response and poked his head into her room, only to find her already gone. “She must’ve came to her senses and started to get up early.” He muttered as he headed downstairs to have his breakfast and do his chores. It was mid-morning by the time Ben realized that Abby was nowhere to be found, and in a panic, he ran over to the Carter farm to see if she was there.
----
Jenny and Daniel woke early and quickly got things ready for the day. Jenny noticed that the pantry looked a little barer than it normally did, but didn’t think anything of it as Thomas and Jasper came downstairs. After a hearty breakfast, the two Confederates went outside and Thomas checked on his horse, getting ready to leave. Once that was done, he went inside and bobbed his head toward Jenny and shook Daniel’s hand. “Thank you for your hospitality, but I must be on my way back home.” He said with a smile and then headed back outside. Jenny noticed that things were awfully quiet and headed upstairs to check on Maddie. Finding Maddie’s room empty, Jenny was furious and went back downstairs to tell Daniel that she was gone. “We’ll wait til this evening, Jen. If she’s not back by then, then we’ll go looking for her, and that girl will have hell to pay when we find her.”
----
Seeing Thomas and Jasper in the yard, Ben made a beeline for them and stopped in front of them, panting. “Have either of you seen my sister around here? She’s not at home…” Thomas had overheard what Jenny had said and turned toward Ben, “Perhaps she and Madelyn are together somewhere? Madelyn is missing as well…” Ben only shrugged, wondering what he should do.
