Excerpt from Journey of Promise
Leah peered inside the box of supplies and saw a chunk of beef infested with maggots. “Who would do this? And why?”
“We need that ham,” Claire said. “We have mouths to feed. What are we goin’ to do?”
Leah reached inside the box and snagged the meat in her bare hand. “I’m getting’ our ham back.”
“What are you—” Claire watched as her sister turned and stormed up the companionway.
Leah fumed all the way to the forecastle, to the captain’s quarters. She wasn’t about to let this assault on her family go without a fight. She raised her hand to knock on the captain’s door but was stopped by Franklin. “You can’t go in there,” he barked, barring the way.
“Mr. Franklin,” she said, her voice tinged with anger, “I need to see the captain.”
Franklin glowered as Leah. “The captain’s a busy man. What do you want?”
Leah shoved the spoiled maggot-filled meat toward his face. “Someone aboard ship stole our ham and left thisin its place! I want the captain to do somethin’ about it!”
Franklin lowered her arm with his hand, repulsed by the rancid beef. “The captain can do nothin’ about it,” he said. His eyes narrowed. “And for all I know, you might be lookin’ to trade this spoiled meat for someone’s ham you’d claim as your own.”
“How dare you accuse me of such a thing,” she said, stamping her foot. “I’ve come to have things made right and you treat me as if I’m the thief!”
Franklin smirked and clasped his hands behind his back. “See it however you want,” he said. “The captain won’t be disturbed over it. Maybe you should be thankful for what you have and eat it.”
This matter was beyond that of just stealing. It was a threat to her family’s condition—a deprivation of the food that cost them so dearly, the very nourishment they needed to survive the coming weeks. Leah’s anger exploded as she pushed the rotted meat into Franklin’s smug face. “You eat it!” She spun and charged off.
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