TheRunaway

SlaveNarrative

ByEmmaClark

English,Werner1st/2nd

March29,2016

Getup!GetupIsay!Iwatchasthelazy,goodfornothingslavesscrambleto
snatchuptheirfewbelongingsandcometocatertomyneeds.Samirah!Ehung!We
didnotbringyouherefromthePhillipinessoyoucouldbelazy.Youmustworktoearn
yourfreedomjustaseveryoneelsedoeshereinthelandofAmerica,Isay.Thetwo
agingwomenstandunflinchingbeforeme.Theyhavecometoignoremythreatsby
nowandnolongermindmyyelling.
Imsorry,Ehungbegins.
Shutup!Iscream,Youhaveajobtodo!Gettothebasementandcleanup.
Thenscrubthebathroomsandstartondinner.Thetwowomenducktheirheadsand
shufflequietlytothestairway.ThatswhenJeremyenters.Heisonlynineanddoesnot
yetunderstandhowinferiorthesewomenaretoawealthyfamilylikeours.
Jeremy,IhavetoldyoubeforetostayawayfrommewhenIamspeakingtoour
workers.Theyhavenobetterplaceinoursocietythantheyareinnow.Theyare
helplessoutsidethishousehold,anditiskindenoughofourfamilytoletthemboard
withus,Itellhim.
Iknow,Papa.Ijustdontthinkanyonedeservestobetreatedlikethat.Evenif
theyhavenootheroptions.DidyouknowthatSamirahmakesthingsforme?Shecan
fingerknitandhasmadeascarfforme,heresponds.Shegivesevenwhenshehas
nothing.
Nonsense.Thesewomenarejustnotsmartenoughforanyotherjobs.They
wouldbeoutonthestreetsifitwerentforus.Gobacktoyourroom,Iscold.Buthis

wordsstickwithmethroughouttherestoftheday.Whatiftheyhavefeelingsand
thoughtsjustlikeme,andIjustdontknowbecauseImtooselfish?
Iwakeupthenextmorningandstumbletothesmallroominthebackofthe
housethatbothofmyslavesshare.Ileaninandyell,Comenow!Yourworkstartsat
sunrise.SamirahhurriestowardmeandwiththelittleEnglishsheknows,apologizesto
me.Ignoringherapologies,Icranemynecktoseeintotheirroom.
WhyisEhungstillinthere?Iaccuse.Shestaresatmeforamomentthenlooks
down.
Shessick.Shecannotworklikethis,shemurmurs,stillgazingattheground.I
glareandshovehertothesidebeforemarchingintotheroom.IreachtowardEhung
andgrabherarm.Hersicklyfaceisthin,herskinispale,andhereyesareglazed.
Horrified,Ireleasemygrasp.
Howlonghasshebeenlikethis?Idemand.Samirahlooksconfusedand
clearlydoesntunderstandwhatImtryingtoask.Whendidthishappen?Islowlyand
sharplypronunciate.Sheregistersandreplies.
Shehasbeensickforaweeknow.Butitdidntusedtobethisbad.Itjustgot
worselastnight,Shesayswithathickaccent.Iscowlandstormoutoftheroom.Why
dowekeepherhereifshewontdowork?Ihavetoworkhardtokeepownershipofthis
house.Theydontdeservetolivehereiftheywontdotheirpart.Butinthebackofmy
mind,Icannotdenyhowpainedshelooks,andhowclosetodeathshemaybe.Isthis
reallyhowshedeservestodie?

Iletmyslavesrestforseveraldays,andreturntotheirquarters.Ihopethat
Ehungisabletohealandwillbeabletoworkagain.IentertheroomandseeSamirah
weepingonthefloor.
Isshedead?Iquestion.Sheturnsaroundslowlyandgivesafeeblenod.
Ithappenedjustthismorning,sheweepssoftly.Anuncontrollablewaveofpity
mixedwithangerwashesoverme.IwonderhowIcouldhavebeensoignorantasto
havenotseenthisoutcome.Sheneededmedicalcareandhelp,buthowwasItohelp
her?Thedoctorswouldknowshewasaslaveandreportittothepolicewithouta
secondthought.TherewasreallynothingIcoulddo.Sowhatgiveshertherightto
makemefeelguilty?Ilookintohereyeswithbothsorrowandanger.
Dontholdthisonme!Itsnotmyfault.Imsorryithappened,butthisisnton
me,Isaywithseriousness.
Iknow,shemurmurs.Butitisyourfaultthatyouholdushere,shewhispersin
avoicebarelyaudible.
Isthatwhatyouthink?Ishout.Thisisthechainofsociety.Youworkforpeople
withmoney!Moneyiseverythinghereandyoudonthaveany!Therefore,youare
inferior.IletyoustayhereandgiveyoufoodandshelterandallIaskisthatyouwork
formeinreturn.Isthattoohardtounderstand?Sheshrinksaway.
ThatsnotwhatImeant.IIjustthoughtthatmaybeyoucouldgivemore
freedom,shesaysbeforeturningaway,lookingashamed.Iponderwhatshesaid,then
lookatthecorpselyingonthefloor.Inthemoment,IhadforgottenaboutEhung.What

wouldwedowithher?Justthen,Jeremywalksin.Hestaresforamomentatthe
corpse,thenleapsbackinfear.
Papa!Hecriesout.Irunovertohimandclampmyhandoverhiseyes.
Jeremy!Thisissueisnotyourstosee,Inervouslyscold.
Butwhathappened?WhyisEhungontheground?Didyouhurther?He
questionsinaflurry.
Jeremystop!Ishout.Ididnthurther.Shesdead,butitisbecauseof
sickness.
Oh,Father!Heweeps,Howcouldyounotcare?Withthat,herunsoutofthe
roomanddisappears.IturntowardSamirah,whowatchedsilentlyastheevents
unfoldedbeforeher.
Whatareyoulookingat?Isneer.WehavetodealwithEhung.Ifyoudlike,Ill
letyoudealwithherbecauseIwontbetreatingherceremoniously.
Please,leaveherwithme,shepleads.Withoutanotherword,Ileavetheroom,
andbegintosearchforJeremy.
Samirah!Ishout.WhereisJeremy?Sherunsintotheroom.
Excuseme?sheasks.
Jeremyismissing.Haveyouseenhim?Iasknervously.Sheshakesherhead
andbeginstowalkbacktofinishherwork.Samirah,thisisabigdeal.Youneedtohelp
mefindhim,Icommand.
Ofcourse,shesaysslowly.

Checkthebackyard,andIwillcheckinsideagain,Isay.Shesaysnothing,but
nodsandturnstowardthebackdoor.IwaituntilIhearthescreenclickshutthenbegin
tofranticallylookforpoorlittleJeremy.Hedidnotdeservetoseewhathedid.Heistoo
youngforthis.
Imsorry,Ididntfindhim,shetellsmeasshereentersthehouselooking
bothered.
Hemusthaveleft.Ishiver.Imgoingouttofindhim,Itellher.Shenods,and
thenleavestheroomwithastrangelookonherface.
IreturnfromlookingforJeremywithnoluckandbegintoweep.WhathaveI
done?Thisisallmyfault.Ilethimdown,andIhavetofixwhatIhavebroken.
Samirah!IcallasIenterthehouse.Noresponse.Samirah!Irepeat.Iwalkfurther
intothehouseandspotascrapofpaperwithalmostillegiblewritingsprawledacrossit.
Thepaperreads,IhavegonetolookforJeremy.Ijumpback,droppingthepaper.
Whendidshelearntowrite?WhyhasshegonetosearchforJeremy?Couldshereally
justbeescapingandjusthavewrittenthenotetokeepmefromfindingher?Hottears
gushdownmyface.FirstEhungdies,thenJeremyrunsaway,andthenSamirahruns
afterhim.Whatnext?Mywholelifeiscrumblingbeforemyeyes.Igrabmycoatand
onceagainrunoutthedoorandintothefrostywinterair.Mycarisattheautoshop,soI
runaroundtheblocktothebusstation.Thebusdoesntleaveforanotherfifteen
minutes,soIpullmycoattighteraroundmyselfandhopethatthebuscomesearly.

Nearlyahalfanhourlater,abuspullsupandIquicklyboardandpaythedriver
beforetakingaseatatthebackoftheemptybus.IgazeoutthewindowasIpass
parks,stores,andschoolswithchildrenplayinginthem.Itmakesmeworryabout
Jeremyevenmore.Finally,thestopIvebeenwaitingforcomesandIhurryoffthebus.
IlookaroundatthefamiliarneighborhoodIgrewupin.Thisiswheremyparentsused
tolive,beforetheypassedaway.Jeremycomeshereoften,soitspossiblethathe
visitedtheiroldabandonedhouse.IwalkquicklythroughthecoldeveningairuntilIm
directlyinfrontofmychildhoodhome.IseeJeremy,afrailfiguresittingonthefront
stepswrappedinthearmsofSamirah.Irunforwardtowardthem,andseeJeremys
chatteringteethandpaleface.Samirahlooksconcernedasshetriestokeephimwarm
inthefrigidairandicywinds.
Weneedtogethimwarmagain,ItellSamirah.Shenodsandputshercoaton
Jeremyaswestumbletowardthebusstop.
Wefinallyreachthebusstop,butjustasthebusisleaving,sowehavetorunto
boardit.Itslate,sothebusisquiet,andIsuddenlyfeeluncomfortablearoundSamirah.
WhywouldshedothisforJeremyandmeafterhowIvetreatedher?Itdoesntmake
anysense.Ilookoveratherandseeherlostinthoughtstaringoutthewindow.
Thankyou,Iwhisper.Shemakesnoresponse,butgivesasmallsmile.
Wearrivebackatthehouseafterwhatfeelslikeforeverandrushtowrap
ourselvesinblanketsandsitbytheheater.IturntowardJeremyandthinkofhowI
couldscoldhimfortheworryhehasputmethrough,butdecidetowaituntilheisback
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tonormaltodothat.Fornow,Ijusthavetobegratefulthatheisaliveandwell.Samirah
getsup,andmovesawaytowardthekitchenprobablytoboilwaterforhotdrinks.She
returnsholdingdrinksinherhandsandIgratefullygraboneformyselfandonefor
Jeremy.IcannotexpresshowsorryIfeelforeverythingIhavedonetoherthepast
severalyears,andIwishthattherewassomewayIcouldmakeituptoher.
Iamsosorry,Isay.IwishthatIcouldgiveyouyourlifeback.
Iknowyouare,shesaysquietly.Itswhatyouwereraisedtobelieve.Thats
whyitsamazingthatJeremyhashisownbeliefsonthistopicanddoesntfollowwhat
othersbelieve.Shelooksfondlyatthesleepingboy.
Iwouldliketofreeyou,Inervouslywhisper.Shelooksupwithastart.
Really?Sheasks.
Yes,thatis,ifyouwouldliketobefreed,Irespond.Shetakesamomentto
thinkaboutit.
Iwouldliketobefreed,shesays.Butnotyet.Iwillstillworkforyou,butI
wouldliketobetreatedbettermaybeevenpayedsometimes.
Okay,Samirah.Iwillputfurnitureinyourroom,andyouwillonlyhavetoworka
fewhoursaday,andIwillpayyou$5anhoursinceyouarealreadygivenfoodand
housing,Ibargain.Shesmilesandnods.

Ofcourse,shehappilyagrees.Justthen,therecomesahardbangingonthe
frontdoor.
Openup!Weknowyouhavecaptivesinthere!Aroughvoiceshouts.Anger
boilsthroughme.IturnandglareatSamirah.
Youdidthis!Ishout,Youtoldthem!
No,no,Iwouldnever,sheargues.
Thenwhyaretheyhere?Howdidtheyknowifyoudidnttellthem?Iquestion.
Justthen,theybreakthroughthedoor.
Wegotareportofsuspiciousactivityfromaneighborwhosawthiswoman
roamingaroundyourbackyardearliertoday.Withfurtherinvestigation,wefoundthat
sheisaslaveforyourfamily.Youreunderarrestforholdingthiswomancaptive
againstherwill,theofficersannounce.Ishakemyheadindisbelief.Howcouldthis
havehappened?Justthen,Samirahjumpsforward.
No,youhaveitallwrong.Iamgiventhechoicetoleave.Iworkhere,andam
paid.Ihavesafeboarding,plentyoffood,andajobhere.Iamnotaslave,sheinsists.
Theofficersstare,andIblinkindisbelief.HowcouldIhaveevermistreatedthis
woman?Sheissokind,andsogiving.
Weresosorry,allofthefactsaddeduptosayshewasaslave,myapologies,
theofficerschimein.

Thatsquitealright,Isay.Illseeyouout.
Theofficersallleave,andIyetagainhavetoapologizetoSamirahforbeingtoo
quicktoassume.Overthecourseofjustafewdays,myentireoutlookonlifehasbeen
changed.Therearegoodpeopleintheworldofallraces,andnothingmakesitrightto
exploitsomeoneforpersonalgain.
Theworldcanbeabetterplaceifeveryoneacceptseachothersdifferences
insteadofusingthemtohelpthemselves.Everylifemattersandnothingmakesslavery
acceptable.IshouldnthavegottenawaywithwhatIdid,butImgladthatIamableto
sharemystorywiththeworld.Beawareofdomesticservitude,andknowthatitcan
happenanywhere,evenatthehousenextdoor.Therearewaysyouyourselfcanmake
adifferenceinthousandsofpeopleslives.Spreadsawarenessofmoderndayslavery
andbeawarethatitisanissueeverywhere,andnotjustinthirdworldcountries.
Therearetwentysevenmillionslavesintheworldtoday,whichismorethanever
beforeinthehistoryofmankind.Manypeoplethinkthatslaveryendedinthetimeof
AbrahamLincoln,butinreality,slaverynevertrulywentaway.Itisaliveandwell,in
discreteplaces,evolvingtoevadeauthoritiesandthrivewherepeopledontdareto
look.Slaveryisabigproblem,butcanbesolvedbyeverydaypeoplelikeyouandme.
Youcantexpectotherstomakethechangeforyou.Youneedtobethechange.To
helpthecause,spreadawarenessoftheissueandvisittheinstagrampage
@ending.slavery.

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