How I Became a Ghost: A Choctaw Trail of Tears Story

When Mother and Isaac return home, Isaac plays with Luke and Jumper while Mother cooks supper. The family does not talk about what they saw that day or Treaty Talk during supper. Instead, no one says anything. Sometime after midnight, Isaac wakes up to the smell of smoke. He did not feel a shiver before smelling it this time, so he knows it is real. He becomes disoriented and realizes his hair is on fire before fire falls from the ceiling. He uses a blanket to protect himself and opens the door to see flames on his path to the front door. He runs outside and sees his family and his dog Jumper there.

Father tells Isaac and Luke to go wake up the neighbors so they can help them put out the fire, but when they get there, they see the neighbors’ home is also on fire. They run inside to wake everyone up. Father then tells Isaac and Luke to run to the church to ring the bell and wake everyone. He stops them though, when he sees Nahullo men riding their horses from the river and carrying torches.