Dnaleri

His name was Jacob; a young man of twenty who lived on a plantation with his parents. Full of ambition and intelligence, anyone who met him would think he was royalty with how he carried himself. Those who knew him best however, knew that he was a humble man who wanted nothing more than to understand the world around him as well as the people. He didn’t care for the frivalities of day to day life, preferring to learn and study. It wasn’t uncommon for him to be seen at a desk, pouring over books and ledgers with his curly brown hair messed and his deep blue eyes lined with dark circles.

His father owned a saw mill and his mother sewed clothes for the villagers, both providing much needed goods that kept their family very wealthy. Though they never spent a lot of time together, Jacob and his parents loved each other very much.

They lived not too far from Jamestown, Virginia on twenty acres of land so fertile that they grew almost anything. Because of his family’s wealth, Jacob was able to go to school and gained incalculable wealth in knowledge. Soon, he surpassed even the best teacher in the area and there was nothing left for school to offer him. However, his thirst for knowledge had yet to be quenched. The town scholar became known of this and offered Jacob an apprenticeship. Jacob could hardly contain his excitement. Not only did he have access to thousands of books, but he could have extensive conversation with someone equally as smart as him and would someday be able to travel!

With his life and dreams taking off, Jacob could never have foreseen the tragic and sudden end that was drawing near.

It was a regular, cool, clear day in Jamestown, not a cloud for miles. Jacob had woken up early so he could run down town to the local book shop and go to the market for his mother. He put on his new boots, which were given to him for his birthday, a jacket, trousers, and a cap. After grabbing some bread and cheese for a quick breakfast, he kissed his mother’s cheek and nodded goodbye to his father. Just as he was walking out the door, his father caught his arm and slipped something into his hand and whispered in his ear. Jacob looked at him in surprise then thanked him and hurried out with excitement.

As he walked the quarter mile on the gravel roads, Jacob couldn’t help but imagine life elsewhere. He was always dreaming about places he had read about. Bustling France; adventurous Spain; and even the crowded streets of India. He wanted so much to explore, to discover new places, like most boys his age. As he drew closer to the village, the sounds of life and activity grew louder and sharper. Cries of seagulls, tolling of ship bells, and lots of chatter amongst the villagers. People swarmed around the small village, busy buying and discussing with friends about the new trade imports. High class girls giggled as they caught the eyes’ of men and wore their well-trimmed dresses and hair ornaments white twirling their parcels to protect their perfect skin. Other girls, who weren’t busy fluttering about, were busy running errands for their mothers.

Carriages and horses roamed around with their masters guiding them easily through the busy cobblestone streets. At the far end of town, ships were docking and unloading their goods and reloading exports. The salty air filled his nose as Jacob made his way through the streets, easily moving among the people. As the day progressed, the village would get more crowded so he quickly went to a particular merchant, purchased the item his father had given the money for, and then ducked out of the busy market place.

Not long after, the sky suddenly turned dark as a storm from the sea rolled in. People rushed inside as rain started to fall heavily, making the streets muddy and slippery. Jacob was almost inside the bookshop when he heard a commotion. Two men were yelling and swinging at each other in the square. Jacob went over to them with the intention of putting an end to it before someone got hurt.

“Enough,” he shouted, shoving them apart.

“Get out of the way boy!” one shouted.

“This is none of your business!” the other man sneered. Jacob wasn’t fazed by their brutish behavior.

“Stop acting like imbeciles and get inside!” he told them firmly.

“Think you’re better than us, scholar?” the first man demanded, discreetly sliding a knife out from his sleeve. Before Jacob could answer, the knife came up under his ribs, into his left lung. He gave a choked gasp then crumpled to the ground. Blood poured from the wound onto the street. Breathing was becoming impossible, he prayed to God for help.

“Jacob!” a desperate cry came. He cracked open his eyes to see his beloved girlfriend running towards him. She collapsed beside him and cradled his head to her chest. “Oh God! Jacob hold on! I-I’ll find a doctor..!” she pleaded. Jacob reached into his chest pocket, his hand shaking with the effort.

“Lucy…I-I’m sorry. I…wa-anted…to ask you… to marry me.” He showed the simple gold band he’d picked up earlier that day. She sobbed heavily.

“Yes, yes I’ll marry you!” She put the ring on then held him tightly. “Just please, please hang on…!”

Everything faded to black. The pain evaporated along with the cold and despair. That last thing he remembered was her soft voice crying out to him. “Jacob, Jacob please come back to me!”

Author: Katie (Crios) Editor: Elizabeth (Eala)

Patreon: patreon.com/ealacrios