Freewater

Twenty-one days have passed since Mrs. Light took Sanzi’s bow after she shot Ferdinand’s hand. Sanzi takes it back, unbeknownst to her. She runs into Ferdinand and argues with him until they hear Ada scream.

Wild pigs are running around Ada, and one of them is caught on her dress. Sanzi pierces it with an arrow, and it falls off the edge of a cliff; the other pigs run away.

Homer arrives as Sanzi shoots the pig. Homer, Ada, Sanzi, Ferdinand, Billy, and Juna discuss how they can retrieve the dead pig. They lower Sanzi over the edge of the cliff using rope, and then pull her and the pig back up; Ada equates this maneuver to flying. Daria appears to reprimand them.

Daria tells the children to carry the pig themselves. Ibra is impressed, and the pig is reserved for his and Daria’s wedding.

Nora wanders to the tobacco fields, which she usually avoids due to Stokes’s whipping of enslaved workers. She reflects that her home and family are not what she believed. Meanwhile, Mrs. Crumb writes Old Joe a special pass so he can go into town and sell the wooden toys he makes: The pass specifies Joe’s name, where he’s going, and what time he’s meant to return to Southerland. Nora follows Joe, but he tells her to go home because her parents wouldn’t like her to be with him. A white man sees them and starts beating up Joe until he shows the pass. The man leaves Joe alone, but threatens him. Nora realizes these passes are powerful and decides to learn to forge her mother’s signature.

Sanzi left her bow and arrows by the cliff, but when she returns, they’re gone, so she assumes Ferdinand took them. She wakes Billy and pressures him to stand watch while she sneaks into Ferdinand’s cabin to retrieve her bow and arrows. She also takes Ferdinand’s knife, which she buries near the corn.

Homer spies on Turner, who gathers ashes and takes them to his cabin, where he mixes them with water to make ink. He also has matches. Ada calls out Homer’s name, alerting Turner to his presence.

Homer pretends he was looking for tools. Turner says he doesn’t have any, but gives the siblings cornbread.

The villagers spot more lumber company workers, so they decide it’s time to build the new bridge to the lake. They select a group to build it, which includes Billy and Turner, so Homer also volunteers to keep an eye on Turner. Mrs. Light asks if anyone has seen Ferdinand’s missing knife.

Sanzi doesn’t want to admit she stole Ferdinand’s knife. She plans to sneak away, dig it up, and return it to Ferdinand’s cabin. She is also mad that she doesn’t get to help build the new bridge.

Billy is nervous to leave Freewater, and Juna wishes the group didn’t have to go. He considers giving her a bracelet he made but is still too nervous. Juna knows he clears paths for her, and he agrees to look after her father while they’re away.

Daria teaches Homer to climb trees, using a rope for safety; he leaves Ada with Juna while he’s gone. The bridge-building group divides into pairs for climbing, and Homer pairs with Turner. The group runs into Suleman.

Each bridge-building pair climbs a tree, and then shoots bridge rope attached to an arrow to the others. Billy slips, but Suleman helps him. Suleman says Homer’s mother is still at Southerland, cooking for a wedding in three days.

Anna’s maypop water has been steeping for weeks, and Viola’s wedding’s only a few days away. Crumb purchases a barrel of special whiskey for the party. Anna and Old Joe carry the barrel into the house, but Mrs. Crumb orders them to put it in her locked cupboard so Crumb won’t drink it before the party. Anna tells Mrs. Crumb that Viola wanted to put more things in the cupboard. While Mrs. Crumb goes to call Viola, Anna quickly pours her maypop water into the barrel. The narrator reveals that if consumed in large doses, the water causes delirium.

The bridge-building pairs continue their process. Turner drops his shoes and Homer finds them, and there’s a piece of paper in one. Homer can’t read it, but it’s a map showing how to get from Southerland to Freewater. He pockets it and throws the shoes back in the water before Turner sees. Turner retrieves the shoes and seems stressed, making Homer trust him even less.

Billy misses his mother, but he’s glad his father is marrying Daria. When the bridge builders return to Freewater, everyone prepares for the wedding. Ada’s going to be a “flower holder” but gets upset when Daria kisses her on the forehead because it reminds her of Mama. Mrs. Light performs the wedding ceremony for Ibra and Daria.

Homer, Ada, Sanzi, and Billy climb a tree and watch the wedding reception. They speak to some patrollers, whom Ada calls “tree people.”

Billy likes playing drums because it makes him feel brave. Ferdinand makes fun of Billy’s stutter and tells Juna that he slipped while building the bridge. He also tells Sanzi to stop her “games,” echoing Mrs. Light.

Late that night, Sanzi takes her bow and arrows to the corn patch. She shoots arrows, and one of them lands in the corn and starts a fire. She rushes back to the village and wakes everyone up, announcing there’s a fire. Mrs. Light assumes lightning was the cause. While everyone tries to beat down the flames, Sanzi searches for Ferdinand’s knife before it gets destroyed.

Flames and smoke erupt around Sanzi, and Billy says they need to escape. She keeps searching for the knife and retrieves it, then drops it, and they both get trapped by fire. Homer and Ferdinand arrive and save them. Sanzi apologizes to Ferdinand for taking his knife. The fire destroyed much of the corn and burned some cabins, but rain stopped the spread. Everyone thanks Sanzi for warning them, but she feels guilty because she accidentally started the fire.

Suleman informs Freewater that militia men will search the swamp for formerly enslaved people. Mrs. Light says they need to prevent another fire, which could give away their location. Also, Turner is missing; everyone assumes he died in the fire or is injured somewhere.

Homer ponders whether Turner died, or ran away. He inspects Turner’s cabin, and finds his matches missing. He shows Turner’s map to Ada, Sanzi, Juna, and Billy. None of them can read it, but Billy points out that the map could help white men locate Freewater, and they need to inform the adults. Homer and Sanzi insist the adults can’t know. Homer wants to retrieve Mama and Anna first; once in Southerland, he’ll check for Turner, and if he’s there, he’ll warn everyone else. Sanzi wants to join and take supplies, so she can be a hero like Suleman. They plan to sneak in during Viola’s wedding.

The rain dies down, and the fire in the corn returns. While everyone rushes to extinguish the fire, Homer prepares his pack to sneak away. He plans to find the new clothes that Mrs. Petunia was making for the wedding to better blend in at Southerland. He hopes to find Mama and Anna in the kitchen. Before Homer leaves, Sanzi insists on joining and rowing the boat needed for the journey. Ada, Juna, and Billy also insist on joining.

Four men appear at the Crumbs’ door and Nora tries to close it, but one wedges his boot and declares they’re the militia her father ordered. Mrs. Crumb says they can’t be here now due to Viola’s wedding. The men stay put, and Mrs. Crumb says they can instead stay in the shed.