The wind was howling outside the cabin as a heavy rain pounded on the roof Michael wished he could be back home with his beloved wife Jenna . Michael jumped back as a sudden clap of thunder rattled the window. Michael thought to himself "hold on Jenna we WILL come for you just wait a little while longer". Michael climbed slowly into his cold unmade bed, despite the fact he was only 21 his joints popped from the stress of supporting his aching body. Honed to near perfection by the hours of working in the fields as did all the other slaves. As Michael lay in his bed he ran his hand through his naturally curly brown hair. After a few minutes or so Michael slipped into a fitful sleep. That night Michael relived the night that the plantation owners took his wife away and sold him. Michael's dream made him remember how he'd fought the men who tried to take him to a covered wagon with the other newly purchased slaves. Michael remembered the crack of the whip that the guards used to subdue him but before he felt the pain from the blow Michael shot upright in bed in a cold sweat. Before he could go back to sleep a loud pounding on the door signified the start of another tedious work day the pounding was then replaced by a loud mocking voice that said "five minutes Niger or I'm coming up in there and whipping you!" Michael slowly dragged himself out of bed and pulled on his worn trousers and walked to the door.
Michael walked outside and stood in a line with the other slaves. At the end of the line one of the slaves was refusing to carry a large barrel of water the slave master had had enough, he grabbed the slave by his neck and shouted, "You all see this? This little Niger thinks he can disrespect me well he's about to show all of you what happens when you do that." Michael looked at the scene with disgust. The slave master tied down the slave's arms to a nearby tree, "now!" the slave master said with malice in his voice "this is what happens when you disrespect your masters" the slave master grabbed the whip at his belt and unfurled it. The slave master waited one moment and then flicked his whip with as much force as he could muster, over and over again until the dirt was stained red with the blood of the poor slave who was now on his knees with blood running down his back. The slave master turned to face the line of other slaves studying all of their faces, until His eyes came to Michael and said " you come and pick this Niger up and make sure he doesn't die if he does your dead too" He paused and addressed the rest of the slaves in line "get to work and remember this lesson" With his work done the slave master walked to a nearby horse and took off towards the plantation house. With the slave master gone Michael rushed to the slave who was now lying unconscious on the ground. "Damn it" Michael cursed as he looked at the slave's wounds. Michael leaned over and hefted the slave on to his back and headed back to his cabin. Four hours later after washing and dressing the wounds Michael stood back and looked observed his handiwork and silently chuckled to himself "well I'm certainly no doctor am I ". Michael started to get up when the slave on the bed groaned and slowly sat up. He looked around and said "where am I and who are you?" Michael said to the fearful slave relax you took quite a beating out there." Michael paused and said "I was afraid you wasn't going to wake up, so seeing as you're in my bed mind telling me what your name is?" The slave looked at Michael and said "my name is Eli". "Why didn't you just do what he told you to do?" Michael asked Eli. "I decided that because I was going to run away today." Michael sat for a moment deep in thought, and suddenly asked Eli" "was anyone else planning on going with you?". "No" Eli replied "just me" Michael said to Eli "this is asking you a lot with your injuries and all but can I join you and we leave tonight?" Eli without hesitation said "of course you can friend but before we leave my I ask you for your name after all I'm in your bed." Oh of course where have my manners gone to, sorry it's Michael. Later that night after gathering some supplies Eli and Michael stood at the door of the cabin and said a quick prayer as they slowly opened the door and stepped out of the cabin. Earlier the two had talked their plan to escape over in detail so they both knew that they would split up and meet in a clearing in the forest to the north of the plantation. Michael snuck his way to the field he would have to cross to get to the forest. Just as Michael started across the field a scream broke out far to his left...it was Eli.