Away From Home by Whitney Shaw (top 100 books to read .txt) 📖

well.

 

"I don't see anything son, I think were alright," said Rancho.

 

"Okay," said Running Toad putting his gun up.

 

"Now its safe now, do you want to go to town with me?" asked Martha.

 

"Sure, at least I got some of the wood chopped up," smiled Running Toad.

 

Rancho stayed on the farm to finish the fence around the farm. Martha and Running Toad went to the barn and saddled up two horses and put them on the wagon and rode to town.  As they arrived to the store, three men watched Running Toad and Martha go inside the store.

 

"Hello Martha, Running Toad, what can I do for you?" asked the Storekeeper.

 

"I need a bag of flour please?" asked Martha.

 

"Alright," the Storekeeper walked to the back of the store to get the flour.

 

As he went back the three men walked inside.

 

"Hey pretty lady, what's your name?" asked the man.

 

Then Running Toad stood tall beside Martha.

 

"Martha, and this is my son Running Toad," said  Martha proudly.

 

"Your son, he's an Indian, I never thought I would see a white woman have an Indian for a son," said the man.

 

"What is wrong with that?" asked Martha.

 

"Well ma'am, there killers, you just don't see an Indian dressed up like a white man, and talking like us," said the man.

 

"I am not a killer," said Running Toad.

 

"I am impressed, " said man two.

 

"Lets go," said the man.

 

So they left, and the storekeeper came back with the bag of flour.

 

"Here you go, twenty five cents?" asked the Storekeeper.

 

"Here you go, thank you," said Martha.

 

"Your welcome, and you both have a blessed day," said the Storekeeper.

 

"You also," smiled Martha leaving the store.

 

"Mother why was it a shock to them that I was your son?" asked Running Toad in confusion.

 

"A lot has changed with the White Americans and the Native American Indians, both sides did a lot of damage to each other, children as well," said Martha.

 

"Well I am not like that, I am different," said Running Toad.

 

"Yes I know dear," said Martha.

So they rode away back to the farm. As they arrived they saw a wagon.

 

"I didn't know we were having company?" asked Martha.

 

So they pulled up to the house and walked inside. They saw two men with papers sitting at the table.

 

"What is going on?" asked Martha.

 

"Sit down, they need to talk to us," said Rancho.

Ch 5Farm

"I bet your wandering what we are doing here?" asked Ronald.

 

"Yes we are," said Rancho.

 

"Were here on behalf of Running Toad and his safety and needs," said Ronald.

 

"Oh," said Rancho.

 

"Its time to take him to the reservation, where his people are," said Ronald.

 

"Your not taking him anywhere, we've had people try to take him from us, this is Brandon and Michael's doing," said Rancho.

 

"No its not, were doing it for the best interest for Running Toad," said Ronald.

 

"Unless you want the blue coats to take him by force to a boarding school," said Light Water.

 

"I am not going no where, these are my parents, my home, I go to school here, I made friends here," said Running Toad crossing his arms.

 

"Don't you want to know who you are, and your people," said Light Water.

 

"I know who I am," said Running Toad.

 

"Really, who are you then, who are your people?" asked Light Water.

 

"I am a human being just like my parents and yourself," said Running Toad.

 

"Your a proud people, of the Oglala Sioux tribe," said Light Water.

 

"I don't care, I am still not going, this is my home," said Running Toad getting angry.

 

"Just sign these papers and we'll take him before the blue coats take him," said Ronald.

 

"If he does go, you make sure he gets good food and make sure he has a blanket with no holes in it," said Rancho.

 

"We'll make sure of that," said Light Water.

 

"No father!" yelled Running Toad.

 

"I'll be right back," said Martha leaving the kitchen.

 

She went to her bed room and pulled out a box from under her bed and grabbed three photos that were inside and brought them to the kitchen.

 

"This is where you came from, this is your home," said Martha.

 

"This is a photo of your parents, and you when you were a baby," said Rancho.

 

"Learn all you can sweet heart," said Martha.

 

"But," said Running Toad.

 

"No buts, go pack your things, its time," said Rancho.

He was angry, so he threw his clothes in a bag and walked out of the house and into the wagon.

 

"We will come and visit you soon, be good," said Martha.

 

"Yes ma'am," said Running Toad.

 

They said there goodbyes and they rode away.

Ch 6Reservation

"So how old are you?" asked Ronald.

 

"I am eighteen years of age," said Running Toad.

 

"Wow," said Ronald.

 

"So where are we now, I see a town a head," said Running Toad.

 

"That town is the reservation, we are in North Dakota, you'll be staying with an Indian woman and her two children," said Light Water.

 

"North Dakota, my parents aren't going to visit me, its to far," said Running Toad.

 

"They will sonny," said Ronald.

 

"This Indian woman, does she speak English?" asked Running Toad.

 

"Yes very well," said Light Water.

 

"Good, cause I don't speak Indian," said Running Toad.

 

"Your learn over the years," said Light Water.

As they arrived they pulled up to the supply store and walked inside.

 

"I need a good blanket with no holes in it?" asked Ronald.

 

"Ha, your funny mister, very funny," said the boy handing him a blanket.

 

Then Ronald and Light Water took Running Toad to the woman's house he was going to stay in.

 

"Hello, this is Running Toad, he is going to be staying with you, he is eighteen years of age," said Ronald.

 

"Hello Running Toad, this is my son Lone Walker and my daughter Yellow Star," said Sky Woman.

 

"Hello," said Running Toad.

 

"Hello," said Lone Walker and Yellow Star.

 

"Well we must be going now," said Ronald.

 

"Your leaving?" asked Running Toad.

 

"Yes, we have more business to do," said Ronald.

 

"You'll be alright, I promise," said Light Water.

 

So they left, Sky Woman invited Running Toad into her home.

 

"Please sit, we are about to eat, would you like to join us?" asked Sky Woman.

 

"Yes, thank you," said Running Toad with polite manners.

 

So they ate, it was getting late, they cleaned up and went to bed. Running Toad couldn't sleep very well, because he was not in his own bed, he was no longer what he called home.

 

Ch 7 Reservation

The years have come and gone, Running Toad was now in his twenty's. He never did forget his parents that took care of him, all he wants to do is leave and go back home.

 

It was a nice sunny day on the reservation, in the store there was a well dressed woman in the store, she was asking everybody in there if they knew a boy named Running Toad. They all said no politely of course. But this one man was being rude, saying, "why is a white woman looking for an Indian boy, he is probably burning homes or killing right now." Running Toad heard all the ruckus and walked inside.

 

"Leave her alone," said Running Toad.

 

"Why, she is looking for an Indian kid, a white lady, looking for an Indian, said the man. "I was only  helping her out."

 

"No, you were being rude, and not respecting her," said Running Toad.

 

"What do you know about respect injun?" asked the man.

 

"My mother told me," said Running Toad.

 

"I didn't know an Indian woman knew about respect," laughed the man.

 

"Running Toad lets go," said Yellow Star firmly.

So he walked out, Martha quickly ran out of the store and yelled.

 

"Son!" shouted Martha.

 

"Mom," whispered Running Toad.

Yellow Star looked at Running Toad and nodded her head and walked home.

 

"Son, I am glad to see, you have grown," said Martha.

 

"Yeah, when can I come back home?" asked Running Toad. "I know everything now."

 

"When your ready to come home, we'll be waiting," said Martha getting on her horse and riding away.

Running Toad walked back to Sky Woman's house and went in.

 

"Did you fight that man?" asked Lone Walker.

 

"No, your sister came inside," said Running Toad.

 

"Oh," said Lone Walker.

 

They started eating, it was late and they cleaned up and went to bed.

As they were sleeping the door on the house started to open and walked in a stranger, he was trying to be quiet but Running Toad heard him. So he got up and grabbed an object and hit the man over the head and fell down making a noise. It woke Sky Woman.

 

"What happened, are everyone alright?" asked Sky Woman frantically.

 

"Yes I am fine, he tried to steal from you?" asked Running Toad. "Do you know who he is?"

 

"No, I don't," said Sky Woman.

 

"I'll get the Sheriff, here take this, if he wakes up, hit him over the head," said Running Toad.

 

He ran out of the house and knocked on the Sheriff's door.

 

"Sheriff, somebody broke into Sky Woman's, he is on the floor, I knocked him out," said Running Toad.

 

So the Sheriff went with Running Toad to arrest the man that broke into Sky Woman's house.

 

"Alright up you go, your going to jail tonight," said the Sheriff.

 

"Thank you Sheriff," said Running Toad.

 

"Your welcome sonny, and goodnight," said the Sheriff.

 

"Goodnight," said Running Toad.

Ch 8 Reservation