South Carolina, January 1866. Amos is nineteen, nine months free, and has never been paid for a day's work. On Contract Day at Whitlock Place, everyone must make their mark on the Major's paper: twelve months of labor, paid at Christmas, after deductions. Amos cannot read and trusts nothing written; he means to refuse his X and walk to Charleston for a wage paid into his own hand. A grave Reconstruction adventure, where freedom is fought in ink and coin.