Mathew Roberts

"Hey, on your feet. Move!" I and Kole were hurtled up to our feet.

I could see Kole still struggling, and I wish he could just stop!

There was nothing his strength could do here against these men, at least not now!

"Hey move forward." Shouted a man and he pushed Kole roughly forward.

I myself remained calm and did all I was told to do!

Moments later

It was not before I could understand that there were only two sets of people in this world. The soldiers and the slaves.

The soldiers were the men in charge of us, and they were armed with horse tail whips and guns, while the rest of us, including I were called slaves!

We were all bound by the legs connected together so we could not run, and we were made to work from twilight to dawn, powdering and packaging a white substance that I do not know anything about.

We were also not allowed to wear clothes for whatever reason......

"Hey," I called out to Kole, who was just opposite to me.

Kole looked at me and eyed me.

"What is wrong with this man, I thought? Why the sudden change of attitude?" I asked myself.

" Hey," I called out again.

Just then, I saw a soldier walk up to me with his gun about to shoot, giving me a warning sign never to dare speak up again.

**********

By dawn, we were all done with the assigned work and were made to stop work.

The slaves were shown a room where we could all stay. It was a really huge hall and that was the place where the slaves stayed if we were not working.

I sat on the floor feeling exhausted, and I tried to talk with Kole again.

"Kole, I know that you are thrown aback by what is going on now, but I promise if we could work together, we could devise an escape plan....."

Kole could not utter a word. I knew he was broken inside.

"Kole, let us think of a plan. We've got the brains and strength, we can do this!"

"What do you think we can do?" Kole finally said.

We drafted an escape plan together.....



*Several months later*

After too many failed attempts to escape with so many men dead already, most of us had already given up the idea of escaping.

A few of us had even been gunned down at the point of escaping and had tried to run out of the building without a set-out plan. I do not blame them though, because we were all desperate.

I could see that the slaves, more so I were all tired and worn out.



*********

"Who do you think was whipped down last night?" Billy whispered to me when we got to the ordinary room.

"I really do not know.... he sounded like Thomas," I replied. Thomas was the youngest lad here of all of us. He was a slim and fine-looking young man. It would be a pity if it was him that was whipped in that way.

" It was Thomas," Kole said, and walked in looking really downcast!

"Do you think he is dead? Do you think he made it?" Billy asked.

"If he did, then he is still probably almost dead!" Said Kole solemnly. "The poor lad was already so weak even before last night's operation. All those whippings were enough to take his life." Kole said looking in my direction. " Matt. We have to let you go now... it's better now or never."

Kole surprised me. Just a few moments ago, he acted like he was about to fight me and get us both into trouble. Now he wants me to escape. Kole's change of mood is something I could never understand.

"Yes, Matt. It's better now or never." Bill said agreeing to what Kole had said.

After several failed attempts of escaping, the men finally agreed to come together and help just one man escape, then he could get help for others.

It was no surprise to me that I was chosen to be the one to escape. I was seen as the one with the most integrity here, the most calm-tempered, and they all had their trust in me that I was going to get help.

There was a tiny window very high on the building which was the only escape route to the outside world.

No one could climb all the way up there, no one was tall enough except if we all stacked ourselves up on our bodies......

"So we'll have to go back now and get back to work before they notice we have been gone for too long!" Said Billy, he was the strongest and eldest of all of us.

"Yes, man!" We replied.

"And you do not get too comfortable, no silly games again do you hear me?" He said to Kole. "You're not going to mess things up for all of us." He said to Kole threatening.

"I've got you man, all of us," Kole said, tapping Bill's shoulders. Then he looked at me and gave me a cocky smile.

**********

We were all back at work powdering and packaging a white powder as usual.

The soldiers were looking at us intently as we worked.

Once it was dawn, we were all allowed to go back to our hall to rest.

It was still dark at dawn, the early hours of the morning, and this was the perfect time to execute our plans. We all waited for the soldiers to be out of sight, and then we shut the door to the common room.

With one simple signal and a slight gesture. The men started falling and heaping on each other.....the first man fell face down to the floor, then another followed right on his back, then another, yet another till they made a long pile up to the tiny window.

Billy and Kole stood close by, guiding the men to each other.

"It is time!" Billy said to me, directly me onto the pile and helping me to be stable as I climbed on those men's bodies.

After a good struggle, I was at the tiny little window and I could stare down from it.

I signaled to Kole and Billy that it was safe for me to jump, and they gave me a final goodbye.

"You know what to do," Bill said.

"I miss you already man," Kole said, looking solemn.

" We will meet again, I promise! I would make sure of that." I said, then I looked down the window the second time, holding my breath, then I jumped.

*********

I found myself racing and racing at an incredibly high speed. I have never had to run like this before.

I raced at a really high speed, trying to get as far away as I could from my nightmare. This was the first time in a very long time that I was outside that building. This was the first time in a very long time that I had seen the dawn of the day outside that building.

I missed the cool air, and it slapped on my face as I raced at high speed. At some point, I closed my eyes and reveled in it.

I loved the smell of freedom.

*********

"Young man, anything the problem?" Asked a middle-aged woman who had just walked up to me. "You do not look good, can I help you with something?" She asked.

I stared at her face down to her toes, wondering in my mind if I could trust her.

"Yes. Yes, actually I said."

"And what could that be?" She asked. "What can I help you with?"

"I need you to take me to the nearest police department," I said breathlessly. I had been running for several minutes, scared for my life, and I did not even notice that it was fully daylight.

"Police department?" She asked.

"Yea Ma'am" I replied.

*********

I was now on a sail back home.

The middle-aged lady had been kind enough to take me to a police department and had given me some food and money to sail back home.

I reported this case to multiple police departments. The plan was to get as many forces aware of what was going on in their city.

Billy had suggested that this kind of operation would not have been possible if Honcho had no aid from the police department or even the government, so reporting him to just one police department would be too risky, he reasoned.

We all agreed with Billy, he sure had a point. Billy was not only strong but also a very wise and intelligent young man and, to top it all, he was compassionate.

He fought for us and protected us while we were together. He did the little he could to help us and he tried his very best.

**********

*Back home in Washington DC *

I have traveled for so long, and I struggled to find my way back home.

I do not know for sure how long I have been away but this small town that I left behind has surely changed so much!

I thought of my daughter.....a single tear dropped from my face thinking about Ella. She was right all along, I should never have left her, being there for her all those years was the greatest gift I gave to her.

My love and guidance and unshaken support were all she could ever need!

I walked down the street leading to my old house. I just wanted to make it back home in no second.

**********

I finally got to my house. It stood exactly where it was! Just as I left it.

I walked up to open the door only to notice that it was already open.

"Was someone here?" I whispered to myself, already having panic attacks.

I pushed open the door and walked in cautiously.

"Ella!!!" I screamed at the top of my voice.

" Father!!!" She echoed back.

There was a brief silence for a while.

"Father!" She called again softly, slowly getting back on her feet.....she had been sitting on the bare floor and crying the whole time.

"What happened?" I muttered.

Ella walked up slowly to me and fell into my arms, and we hugged each other for several moments, crying bitterly.

*********

We were having dinner that same day.

"Tell me what happened, child."

"I regret being married to the Russells!"

There was silence for a moment.

"My princess, what do you mean?" I asked, really concerned.

"I have been making lots of mistakes and I can now tell that I do fit into that family." She said.

"My princess, it is normal for you to make mistakes."

"Yes Dad, but not my kind of mistake."

Then slowly Ella narrated everything that had happened while I was away. She told me everything that I should know, leaving no important details aside.

I gasped in shock.

I held her hands when she was done speaking. She had already left her food and was now crying.

"I am so sorry child."

"I am a bad person, dad."

"My princess, you are not."

"No, I am Dad."

"No princess, I do not think so. I only think you needed guidance and full understanding."

"Then where were you all this while? You just disappeared from my life when I needed you the most." Ella fired back at me all of a sudden, bursting out in tears a second time.

"My princess, I am so sorry. I agree that I have made a mistake and am just seeing that now. I should have stayed back with you instead of going off in my selfish quest to make a name for myself......"

"But you never called me." She said, still crying.

"I did once baby and that was the only time I could because my life was in danger."

Ella had stopped crying and was looking at me so confused. I could see she had a lot of questions on her mind.

"It's a long story Ella, but not a story for today. Let's talk about you now, princess. You have to go back home to your husband."

"No, I can't Dad."

"And why is that? He never chased you."

"But he doesn't want to see me. He has left the bedroom we both shared."

"Then make him come back!"

"Howww....." Ella muttered.

"We will find a way but first, you have to make it up to Jill and Jackie."

"But father, what if they do not want to see me?"

"Those two have been your friends for years, so I suggest that you go and pay them a visit just so you can apologize."

"I would try my best Dad."

"That's my girl."

Ella and I had the rest of our meal in peace and total silence, yet I could not help but wonder what irony! We have both been away from each other for more than a year now, and we have both had really painful experiences, but just in different worlds......

"I will never leave your side again, child." I thought to myself.