I remember when the incident happened. It was cool that Sunday in June, but looking back, it all happened so fast. That day it started like any other Delaware kids Sunday would go, me waking up and getting dressed, I wore a pale blue dress going down to my ankles with several petticoats underneath and a small apron around that momma stitched just the other winter. Momma always said that dresses looked beautiful with my pale skin and my long, brown locks. I also put a small sapphire necklace that my father got me when I was only 1, momma told me it matched my hazel eyes, and that's why he got it for me.

“Abigail! Get dressed and come downstairs .” Aunt Judice called towards my room.

My Aunt was a tall woman she is older than my momma her dark brown hair was always pulled to the back of her head in a bun, her face was harsh and never held a smile but my Momma said to always be kind to her for she was my father's sister.

“Coming!”

My room was shared by my older brother of 13, Edmund. My momma and my aunt slept in the room to the right. we slept on two cots on either side of the room, other than our beds a small washing bucket and an old, rickety table sat in our small room. I don't have as many siblings as a regular family would, my momma never wanted to remarry when father passed.

I walked down the stairs rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

“ Good Morning Ms,” I said as I started on my porridge that was already cool.

“Don't morning me. It's almost ten, wake up bright and early like the rest of us young lady. Once that that brother of yours comes back we are going to church.”

I nodded my head with my mouth full of porridge. Our small house sat on the edge of town in a small neighborhood. I lived with my momma, brother an aunt who moved in when I was just 3 when my Father died.

“Mornin’ little lady,” Edmund said as he walked inside. I leaped from my chair and gave him a big hug. He smelt of tobacco smoke and hay, his butterscotch hair in disarray from the humidity.  

“I’m not little. I’m only 8.” I raise my head to make me look taller.

“Of course.” He gave me a grin and patted my head than headed over to the table and ate his porridge.

“Edmund, sweety what did I tell you about working on Sunday,” Momma says as she walks into the kitchen. My mother was a beautiful woman unlike me she has many freckles going around her face and beautiful brown eyes.

I run from my brother to give my momma a hug. “Momma do we have to go to church.”

“Of course honey. Our Lord is what’s helping us through this war.”  she nods her head towards the King Charles III painting above our fireplace.

“Clean up Edmund. We have to get to church.” Aunt Judice said cleaning our dishes.

“Yes’m,” Edmund said as he ran up to our room.

He came down wearing his long breeches and a waistcoat. “Okay, I’m ready,”

“ Come now before we’re late” momma grabbed my hand and out the door, we went.

We saw some of our neighbors. The Millers, leave at the same time, they seemed to be giving momma the dirty look and I could tell Judice didn’t like it. Aunt Judice always tells me to not pay any mind to them, however this time she does not seem like she wants to put up with them. She always is mumbling something about how we should have never gone to war. From the little of what I have heard about the war, maybe Aunt Judice was right about the war. Maybe this whole thing would not happen if the war just didn’t start.

We walked for a couple of blocks before getting to our church. The priest started as he usually did. That day seemed odd, the neighbors we saw out of there house weren’t in church.

I put my focus on the priest and watched his words that were said so quickly most of them I did not understand but with a blink of an eye church was over.

My momma told me as we walked outside “we should grab some veggies for dinner”

As we walked down to the market the town seemed to be as alive as always.

“Momma, what we having for dinner?” I asked already enthused with the stands of food.

“We are having a steak with fresh vegetables Mr. Peter has for us.”

Peter is Aunt Judice’s friend, we usually buy from him when looking for our veggies for that night's dinner.

“Hello, sir!” I wave as I see peters stand in view

He gives me a nod and we buy our veggies and get on our way.

“The war is affecting the market, the prices have skyrocketed. Not only that but everyone seems more on their feet also, I can feel it. Can't you Jenny.” Aunt Judice inquires as we are walking home. Referring to my mother whose maiden name is Jennifer, however, I would never dream of calling my mother that.

“It's fine don't worry about it,” Momma replies.

“I’m worried about it. Things do seem off, Aunt Judice what do you think is causing it.” Edmund says trying not to make me worried. Though It didn’t work.

Momma told me when there were appropriate times to speak my mind, and when there isn’t. I knew she wasn’t going to be happy I butted in during this time but I couldn’t help it.

“The Millers were giving momma a nasty look and they never even showed up to church. They always go to church momma. I don't know what is going to happen but it doesn’t sit right in me.” I look to my brother “Right Eddy.”

He nods but just as I expected momma was not very happy.

“Abigail Smith. You have no right in assuming others life.” she emphasized “Look Abi. The Millers have a different opinion about the war than we do. They hold that opinion very close. We don't have the same opinion, so it seems to them we are not on the same side.”

“Momma. What do we believe.” But before she could respond we smelt the burning ashes, we felt the warmth and then we saw it. A flaming building. The house that I loved the one I thought I would grow up in. The house that my father died in. Momma was already in tears, Aunty was furious barely holding back only what I think could be me, Edmund seemed locked in his place emotions seemed drained from his face. I was right there with momma the only emotion I could feel was scared. Tears were the only thing shown on my face,

Where will we go?

What about our stuff?

Who would do this?

Why us?

“Oi!” A tall man walked over to us.

“ This was on you” he spat “ You and that feeble-minded king's fault.”

“Why you. You have no need to push your opinions this far.” Aunt Judice snapped.

“No need for that lady. The deeds are done ” he grinned “you’ll see in time who’s correct.”

“Aunty.” She turned to me and stepped back.

There was not much else said that day. Mostly just crying and praying that we’d find a place to stay.

That night we ended up staying with a neighbor, Mrs. Davis, she was neutral on the whole situation from what I was told. She was an old widow whose only two sons moved out.

She was a kind, old woman. Though I never spoke to her directly. I was so distraught that night.

This story was no happy ending. The only good part is that we were able to sleep that night.  

That night I went to bed hungry but with no appetite.