Rose Eleven School Experiment

By Christopher Charles

She turned and began running down the drive. She had to go below the burning trees. Her chest hurt from the smoke-filled air, and her legs wanted to cramp.
She heard a burning branch fall behind her. It sent her moving faster. She could barely see through the smoke. She quickly crawled back through the hole to find the road full of smoke. She looked back towards the cart. She could not see it! The fire was leaping over the road and attacking the trees. The cart was somewhere beneath it.
Taking a deep breath, she ran the direction she thought the cart should be. The smoke hurt her eyes. She could not keep them open. She almost ran into the cart before she stopped. She heard Ana crying. Ignoring her, she slid the crowbar towards Isabel. Still holding her breath, she took the cart handle and began running up the street. The wind had intensified bringing the fire from the burning houses. It cleared the smoke for a moment allowing her to see the road.
She started to take in a deep breath and stopped when the searing heat burned her throat. Her legs wanted to knot from the strain, but she kept pushing. She pushed past the gate to her aunt’s house as the smoke came back. She heard the burning oak fall against the house.
There was no more oxygen to breathe. Her lungs were starving for air. She felt her body would ignite any second. Each step became slower. She pushed harder and felt herself falling. She had to breathe! She had to breathe now. She managed to push the cart forward. The cart rolled over her and disappeared into the smoke around her. Laying on the cobblestones, she tried to breathe and managed to take in a little air that was not smoke. Her right leg was gone. The knot had formed, but she was too tired to work on it and accepted the pain as she passed out.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christopher Charles
• Release date: Jan 18, 2020
• ISBN: 9781950901418

Book preview

Copyright 2/21/09

11527513771

This is the Eleventh story in the sixteen book series, Rose Chronicles (click).

Other Books by the Author

Rose Eleven

School Experiment

By Christopher Charles

Contents:

Prologue

1 Mrs. Donovan’s Burning

2 Magna School for Young Ladies

3 The Document

4 Boat Trip

5 St. Louis

6 Introductions

7 Dinner

8 The Stone Mansion

9 The Fire

Prologue

Mr. Clemens wanted to break the racial barrier by having his daughter attend an all-white school. To make it acceptable, he manipulates Rose to attend with her. Immediately they are not accepted leading to a ghoul attack and a fire that burns the city.

1 Mrs. Donovan’s Burning

Rose was very tired after the trial. She was taken immediately to the riverboat. Physically she was well enough to go home, but she was still very unstable. They placed her in the cabin next to the Captain’s Cabin. It was twice the size of the previous Shanadoa’s cabin.

Her father carried her up the stair and placed her in the spacious bed. She did not protest. She liked her father fussing over her. She was still his little girl.

We’ll be in and out, Mr. Donovan said, You needn’t worry about being alone.

But Papa, I wanted to be in your cabin.

We’ve been over this, Rose. You need your rest. You won’t be getting it if we’re moving about. Besides, we’ll all be going home tomorrow. Then you’ll be in your own room.

Rose wanted to argue the point, but she was too exhausted from the emotions of the day. They had given her the choice of spending the night at the infirmary or on the riverboat. She was tired of the infirmary and all of those awful smells.

Mrs. Donovan came in behind them and tucked the blankets in around Rose, Captain Morgan has been gracious enough to give us his cabin for the night. We’ll be right next door.

Rose felt the blankets tighten down around her. She could barely breathe, Mama, not so tight!

I won’t be having you fall out during the night.

I still got to breathe, Mama.

Mrs. Donovan loosened the blankets around her neck. Is that better?

Yes Mama, is Ana all right?

Yes, she is with her parents in the next cabin, Mrs. Donovan said nodding towards the other side of the cabin.

The Peterson’s, did they take the slaves?

The Peterson’s hightailed it out of here during the trial, Mr. Donovan said standing by the door. The slaves were placed in Mr. Clemens custody. He says he’s setting them all free.

He is, Papa, where are they now?

On some slave boat going to Mississippi. That’s where Colonel Gatewood’s plantation is. They will have the run of the place until he can make arrangements, whatever that means.

You don’t like him, Papa?

A man doesn’t change his spots all that quick.

I wouldn’t be pointing fingers, Mr. Donovan! Mrs. Donovan said. You have a lot of making up to do.

I know what I did! I’m not proud of it. The gambling disease is a hard one to be cured from, especially when you’re good at it.

Mrs. Donovan kissed Rose on the forehead, I hope you have learned the sins of gambling, young lady.

Yes Mama, honest!

Mrs. Donovan kissed her again and stood. It’s time we let her rest a bit.

Mr. Donovan walked back and kissed Rose on the cheek, Thank you for coming back home, Rose. You’ve taken a heap of guilt off my shoulders. He kissed her again and whispered, Love you. He wiped a tear developing and quickly left.

Yes, we are both very grateful you came back to us, Rose, Mrs. Donovan said, and kissed Rose on the forehead again. You yell out now, if you need anything. We’ll be just next door. She straightened her dress, blew the lamp out, and left the room.

Rose heard the door close. The sudden darkness and being left alone frightened her at first. Then she began to hear the voices of Mr. Clemens and his wife on one side of her, and her mother and father on the other. She was playing spy without even moving.

She heard Captain Morgan knock at the door of her parent’s cabin. At first, she thought it was her door he was knocking at.

Captain Morgan, ma’am, just wanted to see how you were all getting along.

In the other cabin Mrs. Donovan went to the door and invited the captain in. You’re just the person I wanted to see, she said opening the door wider.

Captain Morgan entered and tipped his hat. Thank you, ma’am, he said in a cheerful voice.

Won’t you sit down?

Captain Morgan glanced at Mr. Donovan staring at the poker table. He noticed he was going to say something, then he thought better of it. This was not going to be a social visit. He waited until Mrs. Donovan sat down beside her husband, then he took a chair across from them. How can I be of service to you?

Mrs. Donovan reached beneath the table and produced Rose’s bloomers. The waist band had been cut open. And the tightly packed hundred-dollar bills were sticking out. I want you to tell me where this money came from! She said in a strong voice.

Captain Morgan cleared his throat three times before he said, Part of the money belongs to Rose and the part of the money to Mr. Donovan here.

What part is Mr. Donovan’s? She asked. There’s two thousand seven hundred dollars here.

Is there a problem with the money? Captain Morgan asked. I’m sure the amount is correct.

I’m not doubting your honesty, Captain, but this is money won gambling. It belongs to the Devil! Nothing good can come from it. I plan on burning the Devil’s portion.

Is that your wish too, Mr. Donovan? Captain Morgan asked.

It’s what started all of this and almost killed my little girl, Mr. Donovan said. I don’t care what she does with it!

Captain Morgan cleared his throat again, In that case let me be quite frank, ma’am. We gave Rose the thousand-dollar prize money we received for taking us through the passage and allowing us to make our contract.

Mrs. Donovan counted out a thousand dollars and placed it in the middle of the table. She looked up at Captain Morgan, And the rest?

Well, seeing as how you plan on burning the Devil’s money, then you should know there were fees never taken out of the pot that belonged to the boat. Seeing as how Rose pulled us through the passage and all, I decided to forgo those fees. But under the circumstance I think I am obliged to collect them.

And what might that be?

Let’s see here, there’s the privilege of using my pallor, and the cost of two cigars. He hesitated a moment and watched Mrs. Donovan give her husband a hard stare. That comes to eighty percent of the pot.

Now, Captain Morgan that’s a bit steep, Mrs. Donovan said. The Devil has his due, but eighty percent?

Eighty percent seeing as how I had to beach two of my best gamblers on account of the shooting.

Then eighty percent it is! Mrs. Donovan said. She carefully counted out three hundred and forty dollars and placed the rest of the money in the center of the table. I suspect the Devil’s your keeper, Captain.

Captain Morgan pulled the money towards him, "You