Mississippi, 1834 “Protect the book as you do our seed corn. We must have both to survive.” The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek changed everything. The Choctaw Nation could no longer remain in their ancient homelands. Young Tushpa, his family, and their small band embark on a trail of life and death. More death than life lay ahead. On their journey to a new homeland, the faith of his father and one book guide Tushpa as he learns what it means to become a man and a leader. But before long, betrayal from within and without rip at the unity of the band. Can Tushpa help keep his tattered people together? Or will they all be lost to sickness of the mind, body, and spirit on the four hundred mile walk? A continuation of the anthology Touch My Tales from the Trail of Tears, this story follows an original manuscript written by Tushpa’s son, James Culberson. “As the great-granddaughter of Tushpa, a boy on the Trail of Tears, I grew up far away from Oklahoma with little knowledge of our history. It is through reading the moving stories collected by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer that I have a better understanding of the struggles, endurance and bravery of our Choctaw ancestors.” Beverly Bringle, direct descendant Continue the Journey in "Touch My Tales from the Trail of Tears”: In 1830, a treaty was signed. In 1830, hearts broke. Tears fell on the long journey for twenty thousand. The Choctaw Nation was forced to leave their homelands to preserve their people. But they could not save them all. For this collection of short stories, Choctaw authors from five U.S. states come together to present a part of their ancestors’ journey, a way to honor those who walked the trail for their future. These stories not only capture a history and a culture, but the spirit, faith, and resilience of the Choctaw people. From a little girl who begins her journey in a wood box to a man willing to die for the sake of honor, these extraordinary tales of the Choctaw Removal from their homelands delve into raw emotions and come out with the glimmer of hope necessary for the human soul. Tears of sadness. Tears of joy. Touch and experience each one.