Abigail Jane Applegate--The Man in Black

Outside of New York City
1778
British Occupation of New York

I couldn't believe it. I was going to be hung as a Patriot spy. Which, of course, was true. As part of the Culper Ring, I knew the risk that I took every day. But until I saw the look in the British leader's eyes did I realize what he'd just told the men--I'm going to die.

Now I was being hauled out of the barn that they'd brought me into by the soldiers. They threw me up onto to a cart. The man's words echoed in my brain--She'll be hanged tomorrow morning with the rest of them. Where were they going to take me?

"Don't move," glared one of the soldiers. "We're watching you."

One of them sat in the back of the wagon with me and the other jumped up onto the seat and whipped the horses into a canter. I bit my lip to keep from crying. I was going to die. The thought just wouldn't go away. I'm going to die. I'm going to die. It kept on going through mind, time and time again. Was I ready to die? Was I really ready to face God for all of the sins that I'd committed in my lifetime? I felt like this was all wrong. There was so much more that I had to do. The wagon bounced me back to real life.

We were away from the barn and the farmhouse, traveling down a bumpy dirt road. I was thrown about by the ruts. My eyes strayed ahead, hoping, praying, that somehow I would find a way to get out of this. Some way. I didn't know how. But God was on my side. I knew that.

That's about the time when the man dressed in black flew on horseback in front of the wagon. In his hand was a gun.

To avoid a collision, the soldier driving pulled hard on the reins. The horses cried in protest but pulled to a halt right in front of the man. His gun was trained on the soldier driving's head.

"Let the girl go," he commanded.

I recognized that voice.

Nathan.

A Horsey Adventure

Dear Readers,

This is Jessie.

And guess what?

I've got news.

My parents decided that they were going to let me have a "sleepover" at my cousin's house.

OK, so my cousin lives in Indiana on this farm where they have all of these horses and animals and whatnot.

I suppose it's because they didn't like me freaking out about the baby.

Urgh.

Anyway, so I got my things together and got shipped off.

My cousin, Adriane, happens to be kind of a horse-whisperer. She's the one who takes care of the horses and is kind of like their lead mare.

And guess what happened this morning?

So I was playing in their barn with the kittens that they have with my younger cousin, Lilly, when all of a sudden Adriane comes running in.

"Jessie!" she yelled. "I need your help--RIGHT NOW!"

So I jumped down from the loft (OK, OK, I used the ladder... ;D) and she yelled at me to grab one of the horses' halter (which the leadrope attached) and another leadrope, explaining that one of the horses had gone and jumped the fence. (OH GREAT!) Then she took off running, a bucket of grain in hand. I came stumbling after her.

She was already with the horse, letting it fill its stomach greedily with the grain. Blood oozed from this really nasty cut on its leg. She told me to put the leadrope around the horse's neck, which I did. Then she slowly pulled away the mostly-empty bucket and put the horse's halter on. Then she told me to walk ahead with the empty feed bucket and get the other horses into the corral.

At first, I was kind of freaked out. Me? Horses? They hadn't mixed. EVER. We'd have to see if I survived...

So I went ahead, not running, and got the other horses into the corral while she got the horse she pulled along into the corral. Then she told me to go and get some healing salve and a bucket full of warm water and a soft cloth. I managed to find all of them, and quickly got them back out to her.

Now I could really see all of the damage that the horse had gone and done to herself. Other than the oozing cut on her leg, there was a kind of chunk/cut taken out just above that leg (not that much...). She also had a small cut on the other leg. Adriane told me she was lucky. Apparently some horses look like Joey in War Horse after trying to jump a fence. (Though our horsey friend actually HAD jumped the fence...)

Yeah, so that's my adventure.

Pretty crazy, huh?

Love,
Jessie

Based on real-life events.

Photos Quotos

I LOVE this pic. It reminds me of a painting my grandmother did. It's just so gorgeous!!

This one's awesome, too!

Doesn't it look relaxing??

The rolling waves make me think of the awesome power of God!

Ahhh.......

Can you imagine living there???

Rubberboots.......

I just like this pic. =D

How would you like to ride in that??

Aren't they GORGEOUS?!

Aww....!

Go paints!!!!......--and one non-paint!! ;D

*fairy horses!* =D

He's beautiful!! But his colors are little a unearthly.....

THIS ONE IS SO COOL!!!!!!! :D

*FAIRY HORSE NUMBER TWO!!!!*

Whoa.......

Bye!!!! ;)