My mother was a kidnapped slave, in early 1775 she was one of thousands of Africans who were kidnapped and taken to America. It took 197 days for her to be transported and she told me the stories, how she was whipped and hit, only fed a spoonful every few days. My mother met good friends who helped her through the journey but one night my mother and a man whom she knew as Pablo, a man who she soon became acquainted with, tried to escape but they failed. Resulting in a whipping for both of them before Pablo was thrown overboard. It was then my mother found she was pregnant, from when she lived in peace in Africa. She knew she couldn’t risk her life anymore not when she was carrying a child.

 I head into the little shop inside the train station. The man at the counter, Charles gives me a stern look, he always does, he complains about how all these slaves come in and salvage through the shop and steal his things. Although whenever I’ve been in it’s always a little white boy that comes in and sneaks himself a chocolate sweetie and Charles gives him a wink, not that he would admit this. 

“What you here for today then?” Charles says bluntly, his beady eyes glued on me.

“Nothing more than a little chit chat.” I say giving him a big smile.

“Hurry up eh?. Charles calls, rolling his eyes at me.

I ignore this and head towards the fruit shelf, I gab myself 2 apples one green and one red. I walk over to the counter and place them down, whilst Charles puts them in a bag for me I look around, the shops empty this is unusual the 10:37 train hasn’t been yet and there would usually be at least a few people grabbing themselves some snacks or a coffee. Suddenly the door into the little shop is kicked in, a big foot comes out the other end. An old man with a scar covering the left side of his face appears with an aggressive look on his face. I turn around, Charles looks nervous and we exchange a quick glance. Before the old man walks before us.

 “Excuse me sir, but we need to take this woman” the old man says with a raspy voice staring at me.

I turn, look at charales before I feel a grab on my right shoulder pulling me away. 

“It wasn’t a question” the old man replies starting to drag me.

I shove him, I knew who these men were they they slave hunters they hunted runaway slaves taking them back to their owner, but I wasn’t a runaway not anymore, I have my freedom I don’t like on any plantation no more.

“HEY” he grabs my wrist tightly, his big bulking hands slowly curling around my stick - thin arms, he began to twist causing me an excruciating amount on pain.

“Now be a good girl”.He demands

“No you don’t understand I have no owner I live here, in New York I am no longer a slave you cannot take me”. I say

“Well missy you clearly haven’t heard of the new law that’s been made”. 

New law? I think to myself, the only law I could think of would be the abolishment of slavery.

“Are you taking me to my family?” I ask

“Are you stupid girl? Did you come

From Tiddlys plantation? Of course your not going to your family, starting from now any black person found will be taken to a plantation and become a slave. Regardless of whether they escaped or born into freedom.” The old man cries whilst breaking into laughter

“Means more cash for me!” He yells.

Everything stops, the world freezes I escaped I beat the odds and now after finding who I am I will be forced to go and pick sugar or tobacco for one man to make money from? How can this be? I feel the cold, water flow from my teary eye before aggression takes over me and I run, faster than ever before, faster than when I had to run to escape masters terrifying whip that has left scars on my body. My hair was flowing, but when I got to the train station doors I see that the old man didn’t come alone, 4 other men start to come towards me. I take a deep breath and try to turn but there’s the old man with his belly bulging out of the tight shirt he was wearing and his scary grin forced me to look away.

“Eh what a pretty face in the light you are darlin, maybe I should keep this one for myself” the old man chuckles before grabbing my face and plucking his dry lips all over me. 

“GET OFF”. I push him away.

“She’s tough anyway, I’m sure Keller will like this one, now take her to the wagon.” The man demands and some

Men begin to grab me and push me into the back of a wagon making

Sure my hands were tied up so there was no way I could escape. For the second time that day I felt the water run down my face, this time out of anger not fear.