In the 1800s, Georgetown, a free black man named Simeon looks at a small trinket and writes with a trembling hand.

He describes his work in 1796, helping to build the White House for George Washington. Simeon worked with two friends, Eugene and Clifford Hope, on the building project. Unlike Simeon, Eugene and Clifford are not free; they are working on hire from their owner. Eugene and Clifford talk of the things they will do when they are finally free: travel the world, cultivate its riches. As they speak, two other laborers approach and tell Eugene and Clifford that they can arrange for their freedom. As they speak, they touch Eugene and Clifford's arms, and as they do so, the laborer's eyes turn black; Eugene and Clifford feel ill. Even so, Eugene and Clifford follow the laborers to the grog shop to see what information the men can offer.

In 1799, Simeon is working when a foreman begins yelling at one of the sawyers. Eugene approaches the foreman and touches his forearm. The foreman is immediately confused and does not show up to work the next day, saying he is too ill. Months later, Simeon confronts Eugene about what he did to the foreman, and Eugene replies that he has done the same thing many times before to many other people. Eugene reminds Simeon that many people would give up anything—including themselves—in order to be free. Eugene and Clifford disappear. Nobody knows where they go. Before they leave, though, they give Simeon a small ivory elephant, clearly from a far-away land of riches. Simeon asks the brothers what, exactly, they are. The brothers respond enigmatically that "for freedom, we took their place."