As Jessie climbed down into the rowboat, Lana scooted over on the bench to make room for her."We have to pick up Martin now," Lana said, handing Jessie one of the oars. "And we should hurry so we can be long gone before the patrol barge comes byLana hadn't told Mom where she was going. Her mother had been smoothing a washcloth over Damon's forehead as Lana had headed out.
When her mother had asked where she was off to, Lana had tossed out some vague explanation. It was better for Mom not to worry. She had enough to worry about these days. They all did
Jessie looked at Lana with a mixture of admiration and concern. Lana had always been the brave one, the one who never hesitated to take risks and face challenges head-on. But right now, with their brother Damon sick and their family struggling to make ends meet, Lana's boldness was starting to worry Jessie.
As they rowed across the calm river, the sun setting in the distance, Jessie couldn't shake the feeling of unease. What if something went wrong? What if they got caught? But she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand – they needed to pick up Martin and then head back to the safety of their makeshift home on the riverbank.
When they reached Martin's hiding spot, he scrambled into the boat, his eyes wide with fear. He didn't say much, but Jessie could tell he was grateful for their help. They quickly rowed back, the patrol barge nowhere in sight.
As they neared their home, Lana let out a sigh of relief. They had made it back safely. But as they helped Martin out of the boat and carried him to their small hideout, Jessie knew that their troubles were far from over.
But for now, in the quiet of the evening, as they sat around a flickering lantern, Jessie felt a sense of unity and strength. Together, they would face whatever challenges came their way. And with Lana leading the way, Jessie knew they would make it through – no matter what.