Rocks and Feathers

The lantern swung lazily on the porch as Reverend Elijah Gray surveyed the land around his small Pennsylvania property. The wooden boards creaked in rhythm with his rocking chair as he enjoyed the tranquility of the night. His wife had taken the two children to her sister's home, and Rev. Gray was enjoying his solitude. His eyes slid from the hues of daybreak growing in the sky to the lantern that continued to swing mildly overhead. The year was 1848, and the lantern was a beacon that the Gray house was a safe house, or station, on the Underground Railroad.

The conductor and the group arrived just as the Reverend's pocket watch broke the silence. He smiled at their punctuality, and stood to greet his guests.