This is an excerpt from The Daring Escape of Ellen Craft (Minneapolis: Carolrhoda, 2002). Written for early readers, the book tells the true story of a woman who escaped slavery by disguising herself as a white man. Her husband travelled as her "slave." In this scene, Ellen and her husband, William, have completed her disguise and are about to start their escape.

Finally dawn came.
William blew out the lamp
and opened the door.
A cold wind blew into the cabin.
The pine trees shook.
Ellen shook, too.
She could never go out there.
She could never fool anyone.
It would be much easier to stay here,
by the fire.
But then Ellen pictured another fire.
She saw a fireplace in a home of her own.
She saw children gathered around it.
They were safe and free.
Ellen took a deep breath.
She lifted her chin
and pushed her hat into place.
Then she stepped through the door.