The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

“No, Mam,” I said.
“—like you’re better than me.”
“No, Mam.”
“Come on,” Mam said. “We’re goin’ home.”
Susan tried to argue. Mam turned on her and glared. “You’re tellin’ me
where I can take my own kids? You? A lazy slut in a fancy house—” Mam
went on from there, telling Susan off every possible way.
I felt myself grow cold, distant, far from all of them. My mind folded in on
itself. But no, I had to stay present, I hadn’t taken care of Butter. I started back
to the pasture. “Where do you think you’re goin’?” Mam said.
“I need to untack Butter. He can’t stay with his saddle on.”
“Like ’ell! Come back here, we’re catching the next train.”
I still moved toward Butter. Mam walloped me, caught me straight
between the shoulders with a hard blow. I hadn’t expected it, and I flew
forward, scattering my crutches and scuffing my palms in the dirt. Jamie cried
out. Tears came to my eyes. I’d forgotten what being hit was like. I staggered
to my feet.
“I’ll take care of Butter,” Susan said.
“C’mon, Ada,” Mam said. She had her hand on Jamie’s neck, so I couldn’t
see his face. She marched him toward the side gate.
“Wait!” Susan said, turning back. “They need their things.”
“They don’t need nothing,” Mam replied. “Dressed up like toffs. You’ve
done them no favors, lettin’ them get above themselves. They don’t need no
things, not where they’re goin’.”
Susan ran into the house anyway. She came out carrying her copy of Swiss
Family Robinson. “Take this,” she said to Jamie, thrusting it at him. “It’s
yours.”
Mam eyed the book suspiciously. “He don’t want that,” she said. “What
would he do with that?”
“I don’t want it,” Jamie echoed. His hopeful expression had vanished; he
looked petrified. “I don’t!”
“No,” I said. “He doesn’t.” Don’t make him take it, I silently begged Susan.
It’ll be worse for him if you do.
Susan looked at me. Her face went blank. She slipped the book under her