Escape to freedom A slave’s escape story
I am running, running faster than I never knew I could. The dogs caught on to my scent after the creek and now they’re closing in. I have no choice but to keep running because if I stop death by lashing is almost certain. I should probably explain how I got here in the first place. Hi, my name is Sally Shayne and until a few hours ago I was a slave of the Cottonwood Family in South Carolina. This story all starts back about a week ago when the warden announced that we were going to be sold off during the week because our owner Mr. Fields couldn’t afford our uptake anymore. I have lived on that plantation all my fifteen years and I had really grown close to the other slaves. Everyone was in shock especially Samba and Shawnee who were practically my brother and sister. There were sold to a man in Georgia within two days. After the loss I didn’t have a reason to stay so I packed up some food from dinner, my few possessions and waited. The warden as usual did his nightly head count which was sort of ironic since I was the only one left. Then I snuck out of the window silently so as not to be heard and ran as soon as I hit the forests edge. For a while I thought I was home free after all I had walked up the creek for ten minutes before I got out and started running again. Unfortunately though the dogs crossed over and somehow managed to pick my scent up again. So there, you’re caught up. Wait, I have suddenly noticed a change, the dogs aren’t barking anymore. I slow down, turn around, and see nothing. I must have gotten away. To be safe I climb the nearest tree and find a branch not visible from the ground. Exhausted and sweaty I close my eyes and fall asleep.
When I wake up at dawn I scarf down a cold breakfast consisting of cheese and a slice of bread, and shimmy down the tree to the forest floor. I cautiously look around and stay still for a few minutes but seeing nothing I relax. Now I just have to decide where to go. I decide that the first place they’ll look for me is on the roads. So to be careful I must stick to the forest as much as possible. I look at the sky and judging the direction of the sun I figure to my left is north and my right is south which is about the direction I just came from. So collecting my things I am off. I won’t say much else about that day because nothing happened except me getting stung by killer mosquitoes, and besides the next day brought all the action. Though that night I did find a small grove of trees to sleep by and slept past dawn. The next morning when I realized I overslept I immediately started up without breakfast and began walking to make up for lost time. I had only been traveling a half hour when I notice something. There is not a single bird singing in an otherwise busy forest. This should have alarmed me but I didn’t think about it and dismissed it as it being my presence that was quieting them. Another uneventful hour passes when I hear a man yell nearby and another reply. I immediately start running and am just about to jump in a stream when I am grabbed from behind and my mouth is covered so I can’t scream. I am pulled under the cover of some bushes and suddenly let go. I whirl around and see what I immediately presume to be another runaway slave. Flicking my tangled hair out of my face I whisper, “What’s going on?” He whispers back,” My name is Isaac and I find out about runaway slaves and help them escape to Maryland where they are free. Now if you would be quiet for now I’ll explain more lately” Saying this he lies down and motions for me to do the same. We wait for what seems like hours and hear nothing and Isaac finally sits up looks around and says the coast is clear. “Now that that’s over I’d like to know some things” I say firmly but am embarrassed when my voice wavers. “I can’t say anything except that a wagon leaves for Maryland in less than four hours and it will be the only one for the next two weeks. If you want to be free you must come with me or leave me because I intend on being on it.” As you can imagine I went with him. It is three and a quarter hours later when we arrive at a small town and weaving through back alley ways we come upon a small apartment. Isaac knocks twice on the door and steps back. A small plump lady looking to be about fifty opens the door and says, “Isaac! Thank goodness! The wagon leaves in ten minutes, where were you?” I step out and she says,” Ah so you’re going too?” I just nod. The lady holds up her hand signaling for us to wait and returns a moment later with two bundles and hands each of us one. “Well, go along now! You’ve got a wagon to catch.” She said with a smile and nodding our heads in thanks we run off. Isaac leads me a block away to a wagon covered in straw. An old man is sitting there and without saying anything he helps us into the back of the wagon, covers us with a tarp, and puts straw over that. A moment later we are bouncing along and after awhile Isaac says “At the border the wagon will be prodded if you are poked please don’t move or make a sound or the will catch us”, I respond saying “ By the way my name is Sally.” I feel him nod beside me and we fall quiet. It was an hour later we arrived at the border and everything Isaac said came true. I did get poked and almost cried out but I caught myself just in time. We pulled away and I let out a sigh of relief and thought what a joy it is to not be owned anymore! This is where I will end my story but before I do I will summarize the events that happened after this. After four weeks we finally reached a southern town in Maryland where we were free and white and blacks mixed freely in the streets. It was a joyful sight to see and upon our arrival we were taken to the town mayor and warmly welcomed to the town. The mayor gave us living quarters in a widow’s house not too far from town hall and it was quite agreeable. Isaac and I both got jobs working in a mill and soon got married having taken a liking to one another in that month we spent together. We of course bought a house. A little later I went on to write this story and have made a lot of money since a traveling reporter got a copy and spread word across the state. I am now fifty and unfortunately Isaac died three years ago in a mill accident. He did not pass on though without leaving me a substantial amount of money so I now spend my days resting and remembering my life. So, this is my story among many others, though I won’t live forever I hope you tell it to your children and the keep it alive by passing it on through generations. Liberty and Justice for all!