I wince as the winds burn my face and neck, and forcing my hand into the thorns, They scratch my hands bloody and raw. My ankle and wrists ache as the chain chafes my skin.
Maybe I could get the master to let me be a house slave.I paused for only second, when all of the sudden I get smacked across the face. “A complaint is needed to be heard.” I hear my brother whisper. I silently pray that the mistresses take care of poor little Scotty.

Dear Master Bedrickson,
I ain’t able to do hard labor right now, I just had a beautiful child few weeks ago. You sold him off to a rich mistress. Do I look like a cow to you? Cause you sure treat me like one. You best be aware nosy little white man, something is coming your way and you ain’t gonna like it. I’m warning you myself cause I heard someone close to you is going to hurt you. You beat up a weak child for eating some stale bread. You are bitter and nobody likes you, both white and black. I hope one day you’ll understand why everyone dislikes you.

Master-Richard Bedrickson

“Another letter from my stupid slaves?! They just don’t understand that I am not evil. Just trying to stay afloat.” I yell.
My wife comes over says,“Rachel is still mad at you, she wants to leave and bring a few slaves with her.”
“So she wants to start a plantation as well? Finally the strange child makes sense.” I proudly state.“She can keep any of the slaves I own and I can't sell them.”
My wife slowly stands up and coldly glares at me as she storms out of the room.
I never understood why she was so sensitive about Rachel, Rachel doesn’t fancy any men or do anything the way Samantha did things. Instead Rachel spends all day with those dumb slaves, she talks to them and she does work with them. At this point she was a disgrace to my family for considering slaves as her friends.

Mistress-Melanie Bedrickson
My husband.... He doesn’t understand that Rachel wants to move to the north and free the slaves. But the way he refers to her as the strange child makes me furious at him.
Rachel and I and promised a slave that we would get her to safety. I am having my doubts that is possible. Must be a way to persuade my husband. Just haven't found it yet.

Rachel
My hands ached as I helped Lydia pick cotton, the overseer is surprised to see me. And he greets me with his wretched voice.
“What do we got here...a fine catch of a woman surrounded by a bunch scum. Luckily I’m here to save your beautiful face.”
I back away slowly when I trip on a chain, Lydia catches me and stands me up.Then she scold the overseer.
“You is nothing more than a pile of cow dung, stinking the fresh air up with your horrid stench. You is as lazy as a sack of potatoes, Sitting on your horse doing nothing worthy to have own it....”
He looks as though he was slapped, he pulls out his whip and goes to hit Lydia when all of the sudden a strapping young man yells, “No need for that Pete, there has been a lot of abuse right now. Most of it was to you.”
Pete the overseer stalks away to bother someone else.
Lydia shakes her head. “That lousy coward of a man ain't even finished hearing what i’ve got to say.”
I laugh and tell Lydia that she will be leaving with me as long as I can convince my father. Lydia says something that I will never forget.
“Your skin may be white but your heart is pure. So bright and soft, you've got the spirit that lots of us lack.”

Master-Richard


Rachel came to talk to me today, she was wanting to take Lydia our best slave with her.
I asked her where she was moving so that I could drop her off after the big cotton harvest.
She said that she was still looking for a house.
“At least tell me what state so that I can help you look.” I dearly wanted to help her.
But her response shocked me so much that i won’t let her move out of the house.
She wants to move north, i won’t have my daughter move in the middle of the war.
My heart aches enough to know that my two sons are out in the north fighting us.
Then I wonder perhaps they persuaded Rachel, the three of them were very close. She was heartbroken when they left without her. I just wonder….


Rachel

My father is the most stubborn person on earth. He says I should get a house and get married but won’t let me leave the property because I want to move north. Lydia says I should just wait the war out but I won’t because Father keeps beating Lydia, He says that she is a bad influence and should be punished. Lydia is honest and worth taking with me. My father is a lying, lazy coward that doesn’t know what trust and love is.Now he is blaming my brothers for making me want to leave, they are probably dying as they try to fight for what is right and father thinks it’s okay to make their names seem sinister.

Mistress-Melanie

Richard is very upset with Rachel and Lydia. He wants to sell Lydia but Rachel holds him to his words. He told her earlier that he wouldn’t sell any slave that she wants to keep. I think I have found his weak spot. Our other daughter Samantha, lives in New York where she and her husband run a successful Clothing company. But when ever we visit them, Sam won’t hug or even talk to Richard. And I think it’s breaking his heart. If I tell Rachel that threat, will she actually use it on my poor husband and isolate him from her life?

Rachel

I can tell mother is torn. She cares about slaves a lot but she loves father. She wouldn’t have made a family with him unless she truly did love him. But I don’t understand when she found out that he owned slaves, that she married him anyway. I got a few letters, one is from Fred, his real name is Fredrick but he hates it so he goes by Fred.This is what the letter he sent said.

Dear Rachel,
War has been hard but luckily I haven't been shot, unfortunately I still haven’t been able to find our dear brother Elijah. I think the war should end soon, i’ve been away from you and mother for too long. I got your letter about Father not letting you move North, I think if you him that I won’t be coming back home unless he lets you go. You might be able to go.Tell mother I send my love to the family.







Your brother,








Fred
I see a letter with familiar handwriting. I hesitate to open it when a big hand reaches in front of me and yanks the letter out of my hands. I turn around shocked to see my brother Elijah standing there leaning on crutches.

“What happened to your leg!” I ask as I wrap my arms around his neck.
“It isn’t as bad as you think.” He laughs,“I didn’t even get to fight, I was carrying crates of minié balls and I tripped and dropped it straight on my shin and ankle. It only broke my shin, luckily it didn’t shatter. But is an open break.”
I look down at his leg and see a blood soaked bandage and a wooden cast holding his shin bone in place. I also notice a lump under the bandage.
“Is that the bone?! I ask. He slowly nods.
“Mother doesn’t know i'm home yet.I know lydia knows i'm here for sure. I asked her if she could change my bandages. Her and you are the only ones I trust. ” I totally understand why Lydia and I would be trusted. Why not mother?
We slowly walk towards the house when our mother comes flying out of the house.

Master-Richard

I knew something was wrong the minute I heard Melanie scream. You probably could hear her across the state. I came sprinting out of the house thinking Rachel ran away or got hurt. But when I got there I was confused when Rachel was hugging a tall, handsome young man. I quickly got closer. I could see my wife crying and panicking and laughing at the same time. I will never understand women. I was so surprised to see Elijah standing there . I scrambled closer when out of no where, a big soft hand grabbed my shoulder.
“You best be calm, he ain’t gonna die. he just got a broken shin bone. There ain’t a need for you to tackle your son.” Lydia stood there shaking her head.
Elijah limps over to me and gives me a hug. Melanie comes over to me and cries. “ Sam the oldest is living in new york. Fredrick is off fighting and Elijah our second youngest can’t even stand. And now Rachel, our youngest is trying to leave.” Melanie weeps on my shoulder.
“Well that is good, that means we can live together and it will be just the two of us.” I chirp.
Suddenly she stiffens up and backs away from me and yells “I love our children, you don’t care.Lydia was right about you!” Lydia! I will get rid of her, she is ruining my life. I shall beat her until she submits to me...I will make Rachel hit her…..

Lydia

I haven’t seen master this mad since he found out Sam is leaving him out of her life.
He comes over, his face red and steaming like a volcano. He pulls out a whip and chains me to a post, the rusty chain creaks and moans. He calls over Rachel. She sees me and cries, “ Why would you do this?! I hate you, I hate you!” Rachel screams. I turn away as Master Richard pulls the whip back, I hear a loud crack and a thud but my back ain’t burning like the house of hades. I hear Elijah crying and Melanie screaming and Master yelling “I didn’t mean to…”
I slowly turn my head to see Rachel laying face down in the dirt. Her chest occasionally rising and falling. The rage seethes in my soul. I push off the ground and the chain breaks, the rust screeches and I kneel next to Rachel and place my hands on her face and whisper “You can do it.” I stand up and brush the dirt off, then I yell at Master, “She is only a child!”


Elijah

Rachel is all of the family I have left, and here lying on my bed lays her unconscious body. I shall carry on in taking lydia and Rachel to freedom. I spend all of me time sitting by her side. Lydia come up with food and water for Rachel and me, then she cleans my cast and wound. I wince as Lydia takes off the bandages. I moan when she takes of the cast, and when she takes rubbing alcohol to my bone and gash I scream. I scream for me, I scream for Rachel and I scream for freedom and I scream until I blackout.

Melanie

I hurry up the stairs to check on Rachel and Elijah when I see Elijah knocked out just like Rachel. I bolt over and rub their cheeks. Elijah stirs and groans,Rachel just lays there breathing.
I shall never forgive Richard for making Elijah go to war and whipping Rachel. We shall move, I already have enough money and in a hurry I pack up Rachel and Elijahs belongings. I stash the suitcases under the bed. My Husband is a monster.

Master-Richard

I replace the chain around the post, It clinks and I wonder what happened to me. I hit my own daughter and forced my two sons to fight in the war. But then I get angry at Elijah and Fredrick, they joined those Northerners. They betrayed us and yet Melanie acts as though they are little children. This threatens the business of selling cotton and making fabric. But importantly it threatens my family, it will fall apart and I don’t want it to.

Lydia
I hear her voice loud and clear in my ear, “Mistress Melanie?” What are you doing here in the slave quarters, some slaves ain’t very happy to be Master’s. I certainly don’t think you can just waltz in here and wake me up.” I whisper.
Mistress shakes her head, “I certainly hope you understand what im asking you to do. I need your help in being able to store these suitcases in a carriage.” Melanie continues to explain. “ I’ll tell Richard that I’m going to the doctor to take Rachel and Elijah for a check up. I also need you to bring all of the bandages and rubbing alcohol you can find.”
As I push out the carriage and tethered the horses, a tall shadow covers the ground. And it ain’t mine.

Elijah

I wake to find mother trying to carry Rachel. I laugh in my head thinking that my thin mother could carry a 15 year old. Rachel is very light in my arms when I pick her up. I wonder how much weight she lost being unconscious. Father comes in and asks why she needs Rachel. Mother yells at him that she has been unconscious for 1 whole week. He looks hurt and shocked and walks out.

Fredrick

I just got a letter from home, men scream and whimper outside. The thunder of gunpowder and rain of bullets fade into the distant as I read a messy letter.

Dear Fredrick,
this is an emergency, Rachel is hurt real bad and I ain’t able to tell you much but Elijah’s here so don’t you worry.






Lydia.
Not to worry! I can’t stay here if my sister is hurt. I walk out of the tent furious that i’m stuck in this war. I recognize familiar landscape and jump on a horse and ride away to the plantation. I know what building we are going to storm and raid. I must warn my family.

Lydia

“Master Fredrick?” Ain’t you suppose to be in the war right now.” I wonder.
“No time to talk, we need to get out of here. The general wants to storm the plantation and burn it it down. Rachel needs to be safe, I got your letter. Where is she?!” Fredrick yells.
Elijah comes to the door frame, collapsing on it he cries. “ I failed Rachel, i’m a horrible brother. Fredrick I need your help!” Fredrick rushes over and comforts Elijah as he carries Rachel to carriage. “ You are only 17, why were you in the war?” Fredrick questions. Elijah clutches my arm as we get to the carriage. I blush knowing that I used to have a crush on master Elijah. It quickly dissipates as he lifts himself up into the carriage and grabbing his cast he yells out in pain. I slowly take his hand off of it and slide the cast off, the bone looks really dry and crusty.
The gash oozes yellow pus everywhere. Rachel suddenly sits up and starts crying at the sight of Elijah's leg. “He must have knocked it out of place while carrying me.” she cries. He nods at me as I pull out the rubbing alcohol and bandages and needle. Fredrick is still in shock when I put the cotton cloth full of alcohol on Elijah’s gash and bone. Instantly Elijah’s screams cut through the air. His bone is clean and wet when I starts pushing the bone back into place. He screams and screams until he blacks out, his face is pale like cotton. I continue until bright red blood comes flowing out. Then I start sewing the gash his leg together. Finally I wraps it up and slides the cast on. Mistress comes running out of the house, and doesn’t even see the blood. I see her jump back after Fredrick jumps down from the front. Rachel is sitting with her back propped up against the carriage railing hugging Elijah’s chest as he lays passed out on top of her.
“You caused this to happen, you and father leave me with no choice. Rachel and Elijah are my true family. And you both caused them harm. You shall pay by going to Hell. Master Fredrick pulls out a pistol and aims at Mistress Melanie. A loud boom shakes the sky as Master Richard pulls out a pistol as well and aims at my heart.I clutch my chest. I hear screaming in the distance as Rachel cries out to me. I look at Master Elijah’s rising and falling chest and think.Thank the lord that he is safe….. then I see darkness.