Chapters 1-2 Summary

This novel takes place in a house that once was an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a network of people and places that helped slaves escape North, most often into Canada, before the Civil War. Helping slaves escape was considered a crime and those caught were often jailed or murdered. For this reason, many stops on the Underground Railroad utilized tunnels and secret rooms to hide runaway slaves.

In chapter 1, Thomas sits in the family car, thinking fondly of his great-grandmother and how much he will miss her now that the family is moving to Ohio. However, Thomas is excited about the move because his father has rented a home for them that was once an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The house was owned by a white abolitionist named Dies Drear. Dies Drear dies...