Read Online 90 Miles to Freedom by K. C. Hilton - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: K. C. Hilton
Tags: thriller, Suspense, Literature & Fiction, Action & Adventure, Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, Thrillers & Suspense, Thriller & Suspense
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pulled out a knife and a compass, needing to assure himself that he had them both packed away. Nodding with satisfaction, he dropped them back into his pocket, then gave it a little tap for luck.
He held Adelio’s weeping mother tightly against him, kissing her and muttering something meant to reassure her into her ear. It didn’t seem to be working, though Adelio could see she was trying to contain herself, if only for him. His father stepped away from her at last, patted Adelio on the head, then turned to leave.
When he was only a few steps away from the door, Adelio’s father turned back towards Adelio. He knelt in front of his son and removed the cross necklace which had always hung around his neck. This he draped around Adelio’s neck. He told his son that the cross had been given to him by his father and it would keep Adelio safe.
“ But Father, you need it to keep yourself safe,” the little Adelio said.
His father shook his head. “I shall be fine. I need you to be safe and take care of your mother. Can you do that for me?”
Adelio nodded somberly and felt his mother’s fingers squeeze his shoulders from behind. He held the cross in his fingers and examined it carefully. In the middle was a small red gem, which shimmered beautifully in the dim lamplight. Inscribed on the back of the cross was his family name.
His father patted his head again, then nodded slightly. He got to his feet, turned to the door, and walked away without another word. That was in the year 1992.
Five years later, when Adelio was fifteen years old, his mother got sick. They couldn’t afford the proper medicines to help her survive the illness, and she died while Adelio sat at her bedside. Ironically, Adelio’s father had been a doctor, and had he remained with them in Cuba, he might have been able to heal her. But being a doctor in Cuba meant very little. In their country, a taxi driver made more money than a doctor.
Adelio had received no word from his father in five years.
By then, Adelio was old enough to work and take care of himself. Now that he wasn’t responsible for his mother anymore, he decided to start a new life.
That was what had brought him here, to the side of Collin’s boat. It had been fifteen years since his father’s departure, and Adelio still had not heard from him. He feared the worst, believing his father had probably died while “sailing to freedom”. Either that, or he had been captured and enslaved by the traffickers. Adelio didn’t know which would have been the better option.
Adelio told Collin he had dedicated his life to the memory of his father. And the way he did this was by helping Cubans find freedom and happiness in America. He wanted to safely transport them while keeping them out of the hands of human traffickers.
“ When someone is told that they can get free transportation to America and when they get there they might even be given a job, they will most likely jump at such a generous offer. They are so desperate to get a job and money that they will do anything. The fall of the economy and lack of jobs has made people eager for any opportunity at a better life.” Adelio looked Collin straight in the eye. “Wouldn’t you do the same for your family?”
Collin nodded warily.
“ However, once the so-called destination is reached, the traffickers tell the Cubans that they have to work for the transporters in order to pay off the cost of travel. Being gullible and thinking that this makes sense, they agree to work off the cost. Then the traffickers pay little to nothing and make it impossible for the workers to pay off their debt. This way, the citizens of Cuba fall into the trap of human trafficking and are stuck in a vicious cycle of hardship and poverty for the rest of their lives.”
Collin was torn. It sounded dangerous, and from everything he’d read, it was highly illegal. And yet if he got involved, he would be helping these people. Keeping them safe and offering them a
He held Adelio’s weeping mother tightly against him, kissing her and muttering something meant to reassure her into her ear. It didn’t seem to be working, though Adelio could see she was trying to contain herself, if only for him. His father stepped away from her at last, patted Adelio on the head, then turned to leave.
When he was only a few steps away from the door, Adelio’s father turned back towards Adelio. He knelt in front of his son and removed the cross necklace which had always hung around his neck. This he draped around Adelio’s neck. He told his son that the cross had been given to him by his father and it would keep Adelio safe.
“ But Father, you need it to keep yourself safe,” the little Adelio said.
His father shook his head. “I shall be fine. I need you to be safe and take care of your mother. Can you do that for me?”
Adelio nodded somberly and felt his mother’s fingers squeeze his shoulders from behind. He held the cross in his fingers and examined it carefully. In the middle was a small red gem, which shimmered beautifully in the dim lamplight. Inscribed on the back of the cross was his family name.
His father patted his head again, then nodded slightly. He got to his feet, turned to the door, and walked away without another word. That was in the year 1992.
Five years later, when Adelio was fifteen years old, his mother got sick. They couldn’t afford the proper medicines to help her survive the illness, and she died while Adelio sat at her bedside. Ironically, Adelio’s father had been a doctor, and had he remained with them in Cuba, he might have been able to heal her. But being a doctor in Cuba meant very little. In their country, a taxi driver made more money than a doctor.
Adelio had received no word from his father in five years.
By then, Adelio was old enough to work and take care of himself. Now that he wasn’t responsible for his mother anymore, he decided to start a new life.
That was what had brought him here, to the side of Collin’s boat. It had been fifteen years since his father’s departure, and Adelio still had not heard from him. He feared the worst, believing his father had probably died while “sailing to freedom”. Either that, or he had been captured and enslaved by the traffickers. Adelio didn’t know which would have been the better option.
Adelio told Collin he had dedicated his life to the memory of his father. And the way he did this was by helping Cubans find freedom and happiness in America. He wanted to safely transport them while keeping them out of the hands of human traffickers.
“ When someone is told that they can get free transportation to America and when they get there they might even be given a job, they will most likely jump at such a generous offer. They are so desperate to get a job and money that they will do anything. The fall of the economy and lack of jobs has made people eager for any opportunity at a better life.” Adelio looked Collin straight in the eye. “Wouldn’t you do the same for your family?”
Collin nodded warily.
“ However, once the so-called destination is reached, the traffickers tell the Cubans that they have to work for the transporters in order to pay off the cost of travel. Being gullible and thinking that this makes sense, they agree to work off the cost. Then the traffickers pay little to nothing and make it impossible for the workers to pay off their debt. This way, the citizens of Cuba fall into the trap of human trafficking and are stuck in a vicious cycle of hardship and poverty for the rest of their lives.”
Collin was torn. It sounded dangerous, and from everything he’d read, it was highly illegal. And yet if he got involved, he would be helping these people. Keeping them safe and offering them a
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