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

Isaac has a vision in which Nita tells him that he can help make her parents happy again by finding her long-lost sister. Isaac asks Gabe about the sister, but he becomes upset. Isaac tells him that he knows about the sister because Nita told him. He explains his visions to Gabe, and Gabe agrees to ask Ruth if he can talk with Isaac about the missing sister. Isaac watches as Gabe asks Ruth, who seems resistant. As they walk that afternoon through a snowstorm, Isaac wonders if an accident in the snowstorm is how he will become a ghost. He tells Father about the bad dreams he has while he walks, and Father says the same thing has been happening to him. Father assures Isaac that this will be over soon, but Isaac knows it will not be that easy.

Ruth fears telling the story of her and Gabe’s missing daughter until she realizes that, since Nita has died, the soldiers can no longer take Nita away: This threat prevented her from speaking about her other daughter, Naomi. Gabe tells the story of how the soldiers took Naomi to cook for them.