By: Kaitlyn Pfeil
Chapter 1: Slavery escapes decisions.
Pushing me will not wake me up. You have to stab my broken pain to express the sun rising. The sun is my nightmare. My heart is my nightmare. The night is my savior. All the time in the morning my mom scratches me to wake me up because I have to be fully awake for you to wake me up. I have been so calm these last few weeks considering that I am a slave.
My masters would be furious if I was having fun. The sun is rising. My mom is barely awake and my skin is tingling with Hairless master piece and my hair skinned into smithereens. Paper and dirt wrapped around my arm from the nights winds. My life is starting to change, with puberty and my mom sick my soul is crazy. The morning spray of rain that took over sunrise was irresistible and I needed to run in it. Matters make it worse and my clothes are fading away by the week. So, I have to sew my way through 13. Through the team of devils. Though life and hurtful phase of slave servants.
My spoons and knives slash my bones and crack my back, the life is sucked out of me and my soul is in rest already. I feel like a ghost of lively. In Burkesville my life was different I was a life full spirit. Now in Monterrey town I am well, no one. I am a lonely soul and spirit. If only I was free and alive like my ancestors. I want to be dead. Like them and their ancestors. It’s better than having this life in Monterrey town. My life weighs a ton and my heart weighs an ounce. I would guess. All of it because I could not get education in slavery. And in this small town there are small school districts around this mountain of shame.
My handwriting is worse because I am not educated with writing either. But thankfully I have a gift of magical speech. That is the best gift there is. I speak with magic and my heart pumps my thoughts out of my body. And I say everything I think. Even the bad, bad things. I am inside my thoughts all the time. I can think and hear everything that goes around.
My black hair makes me weak yet strong. My mother has blond hair and my father has red hair. I have 2 sisters and 3 brothers. Oh, and my name is Kayla. Here are the girl’s names, 7 year old Tanya, 14 year old Heather. Here are the boy’s names, 16 year old Jackson, 13 year old Matthew, and 2 year old Bobby. They are very brave and yet, I am not.
I am scared of many things including spiders and ropes. I had always been scared of ropes since I turned 1 year old in Burkesville. When I was born, Jackson was 4 years old. He was not afraid of anything in life. He loved to meet new people. He loved to start conversations with girls and boys and maybe parents and grown-ups. Although he was puny and weak, he had a spirit. He believed in anything that is possible. That is why he accomplished May things in life that his age was not meant to do like, ride a 2 wheel only bicycle when he turned 2, Using the stove and starting fire when he turned 5, and maybe he even ran for mayor!
But that’s not what life is about. It’s about following your dreams and starting a life with another person. It’s about loving who you are and sacrificing some things to get what you need. Selling your life to other spirits to help them get out of hard times, to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, to see what they feel.
I just hope someday, and somewhere, someone will put there life in my shoes. To see what I feel being a slave servant. To feel the pain and to see how miserable I am. But I just hope. I don’t wish. One day, I was sitting on top of Mrs. Harris’s porch to take a rest from cleaning the dirt on the ground. I don’t even know how that can even become possible to overcome and compete in!
I fell asleep on the hard creaky wood and had a dream that I was still free in Burkesville and made a wonderful family, until suddenly I felt something touch my cold shivering arm. It was Mrs. Harris’s hand. Her hand was as warm as the summer air. I felt delight yet scared that maybe she might put me in more work and give me a slaves working beating.
But no, she took me inside her house and gave me a cold glass of ice tea and told me to sit down at her dinner table as she fed me some yummy lunch. I did not understand anything that was going on. “Honey, you know that I do not understand the horrible concept of slavery, I don’t even understand why you haven’t run away yet. Why?” She asked. I answered back very calmly, “Well because, I was worried that you would get mad, and I would miss my family. And your husband Mr. Harris would treat me badly if he caught me trying to escape.” She said, “I understand that Kayla but, I would beat him and struggle him until he agree’ with me that slave keeping is wrong for the world.” I said, “So, you want me to try to run away, and forget about my family?” “No, not at all, I want you to bring your family with you.” She said back to me with confidence. I said back to her in surprise, “Ok. I will at-least try.” The next day, I tried to set out on my journey. I had troubles and sometimes stop to take, I made lots of animal friends which made me nervous if I got bit or stung by a poisonous snake, or any other animal or insect. But, I hadn’t left yet. If only I had the courage to leave the campsite.
I have to find my own food, and get my own sheets. And the only way to do that is to steal from Mr. Harris. I am so scared to do it now. But I have to do it sometime, if I want to escape.
My teeth are not brushed either. I need a toothbrush and toothpaste. I also need some protection before I leave.
I don’t think that I can make it to even leave this place. I just wish that someday I will have the awesome courage to go out inside the wild to maybe escape to my old birth town, Burkesville. I hope at least that my parent will know that I’m gone. That they will follow my footsteps and escape to where I am going without getting caught, I just hope I don’t get caught. I snap my fingers every day when I need help, so then Mrs. Harris will help me. But we have to make sure that Mr. Harris cannot see us not cooperating with the law.
I can only think that I cannot make it throughout a mile. I think that the rest of the world is asleep and not caring about what I do or what I say. If only I had one more chance to re-wind my way back to Burkesville and back to my laugh-full life and maybe that if I can build a time machine I can make it alive to Burkesville. But that won’t happen. I am not rich. I am so a slave. I cannot run or walk without being watched by seers, they can whip us, and they can do whatever they want to us to keep us working diligently.
To keep us tired and miserable for the rest of the year and day. They are mostly like soldiers. It depends how much slaves there are in a camp for how many soldiers arrive at the campsite. Here at my camp, Kalakos slave servant program there is 57 soldiers because there are 120 slaves 121 including me.
Chapter 2: Making the rest of my life
This year the soldiers are coming in June because Mr. Harris and Ms. Harris are going to Switzerland. I hope I can escape then. I was packing the rest of my things when I suddenly realized that I am not running away for anything. I did not know why or what I was thinking of running away.
Was it because I was treated badly, because I could not take it anymore? Or because I was listening to what Mrs. Harris said. I had other plans for the rest of my life. I had ideas of having a really nice family. To marry a nice boy and to have kids. But I hope that someday, when I became free, when I escape to Burkesville I will have that fantasy dream before me turn 40 years old.
Since I am already 13 years of age, I think that I should escape later in life, when I become maybe 15 years of age. I want to go with someone. I hope I can go when or with my brothers or my sisters. Of course some of them will be much older than me. Jackson will be in his 20’s. So I guess I will take 1 year elder’s or younger’s. I think of bombs running through my brain.
It’s about to explode by the minute. If only I had a secure chance of living in peace and quiet, my hair would flow magnificently and my legs and arms would work correctly. I don’t know what I would want to do for a living. May the earth move in peace? I can’t do that through thin air. My life would be too complicated throughout the centuries. I have to be careful of what I think. I believe in Masterpieces and art and speech. But I do not believe in happiness.
Love is a start but, Heart is a lifetime of spirits and hope and dreams. Last night I started to think. I thought, if I were to escape, what would I do for a living? A teacher at an elementary school? A Farmer? A house mom or a house cleaner? I hadn’t thought about that yet. What is something horrible goes wrong? What If I get caught by one of the Seers?
Will I die, maybe even get hurt badly by a whip or belt around their wastes? Or before I escape, I could maybe take their keys to their army truck so I can drive it out of this campsite. To escape! But again, What if I get caught? I don’t have to worry about this now do me? Well, I am escaping when I turn 15. So I am not sure about anything I am thinking, or should I just say it out loud? It is making me confused out of my mind. If only I had a guide to run me through these tough times and works.
If I can have someone to do my chores for me, so I can have time to think about my decisions. I need help deciding my answers, how will I make it that far if I can’t even think it now? If I become a random spirit so be it. I need some help deciding my life and times of hard laughter’s. Of joys. I ran to shelter as a storm took place. Thunder stormed the city and camp, trees and branches were streamed across the land as kids screams for their mothers and fathers. I ran to my own made hut by the water and started cooking up some fresh salmon from the Kalakos Lake. My eyes with tears and my body shivering close to the underworld.
My hair swayed east as I heard my mother call me from a distance away. Kayla, Kayla, where are you? She called and searched away. I ran my finger across the hut getting to the outside facing the camp management site, my mother saw my shivering body and rushed over to comfort me quickly she brought the kids. My hut was quite big so overnight me and my family slept over. There was 1 bed for me particularly but we managed to add a couple more to the room. The stove was wet. So I had to make a quick fire on the stones on the floor and cook the salmon. There was enough salmon for all of us to share.
At about, 3:00 in the morning the storm stopped and we slaves were required to clean up all damage due to the camp, including, the trees, branches and bodies worn out lying on the dead floor. It was hard seeing our friends and some of other people’s family dead on the cold dirt. I made me feel uncomfterable and teary.
My friends and family were crying to what happened to their beds and houses at their real homes. Most of the slaves in the camp lost their family in the storm and later found them dragged away by others into the lake. The rest of the day was terrifying and stunning. Sometimes my hut gets broken down and destroyed like others huts. I have to have my mom come and fix it for me very carefully and calmly. I hope that someday I will have a hut made of brick, not straw. Water is running out. I have nothing to drink; I am thirsty out of my mind. I need something to drink! The seers left and Mrs. and Mr. Harris came back from Switzerland. Mr. Harris realized that the storm reached the camp so then he made us work harder to clean it. The sun is just coming up and we have to continue to clean up the streets and mud from the storm, my mom scratched me again to wake me up. I awoke and Jackson and heather was already cleaning,
They must have awoke about an hour ago. I don’t know how they can live with waking up that early, although they have been a slave longer than me so they could be used to it already. Particularly it is really good that slaves wake up earlier, so that they will get more work done and they will have more free time, I should learn to do that someday when I become maybe heathers age, the big 14. Well, I will escape when I become 15. So I have one year to learn.
Chapter 3: Crossing minds
Night is my favorite kind of day because nobody can interrupt me and it’s nice and quiet. Its insecure place of venue. It’s manufacturing part of the big sky over the lake. Its mouth pours over the world and its clouds stream over the mountains. The last thing I want to be thinking about is life. And the last thing I want to be shown in is life also. None can expect to be popular or rich out of minds works. You have to be it. You have to deserve it.
Afterwards you can do whatever you desire. As if these, building up a mansion. Buying up slaves. And sometimes even owning a factory where you make tools. That’s what Mr. Harris and Ms. Harris did. They became billionaires and bought this camp. I ran over to the camp clubhouse and saw that it was nearly closed all the way from business. We the properties of these people sometimes live in these small houses. If only we had a chance of escaping for good and to never come back to these hideous places. Where you get whipped and hurt badly from disagree. Some slaves even die. My last concern is being very ill.
If you do become that horrible nightmare you will be sold to a Slave death camp, where if you did not become un-sick in 3 days- you would be killed. Shadows cover the land, and new seers cover every corner of the camp. And costs make it worse. If we, slaves, do not make enough money to pay off slave orders we will be sold the same way, to a slave death camp, where we immediately would be killed.
Last but not least the slave auctions. Where, slaves stand up on tall bricks countered by their weight and age. If someone said sold, you were off on a ship getting sea sick for 5 days traveling in the open waters, snapped and whipped to death. Rations of food are stored in our basement that our family built under our hut. We have 4 4 slices of wheat bread, 2 apples picked fresh from our slave camp apple tree and 1 jug of water. Last of it made us starve until we barged a couple of slices of bread from the bakery, mother works there diligently and fast to get orders referred and sent fresh.
Mrs. Harris is the only slave co-owner that understands the hard working slave’s feelings. And she puts her feet in our shoes; she knows what it feels like to be whipped and punished if not done right, killed. Shredded to dirt and sparkles and lonely magic is what we are, slave servants. I went over to our slave mailbox and right on the top was a letter for me. I slowly opened the letter, its crispy coating and its decorative outline I the only extra beauty I saw. It was folded and I opened the folded paper. It read-
Dear Kayla,
If only I can share with you these dear moments. The laughter of children in the park would shout with excitement but for you When I say this you may feel bad- but don’t. I have decided to take a subway train to St. Augustine to escape slavery, I would have asked you to come with but… I did not know how to say it in words, so I am saying it like this; go to Monica Rd. next to the great lake. Next to the stop sign is a box, open the box with the key on your mother’s necklace. Then inside the box will be an amulet which when you shine into the light will show a poem. Read the poem out loud and a path of stone will appear. That is the path to St. Augustine… good luck.
Mrs. Harris.
So I started my journey on Monday, even though I wanted to go when I turned 15 it was too hard to deny. The note was confusing. I have to find out a way to get my mother’s key necklace. She would never give It away by ask. Every night she takes off the necklace. So maybe tonight I can sneak it and first thing in the morning escape to Monica Rd., next to the great lake. So after dinner at 5:00 Pm. My family went to sleep. My mom put the necklace next to her nightstand on her lamp side. I slowly Tip-Toed over to the lamp. Grabbed the necklace and Tip-Toes back to my hut, grabbed my map and set off early.
I got to Monica Rd. about 1 hour later and it was Pitch Dark. I could not see one more thing. So I digged around and finally found the decorative box. The box was greatly small as big as to fit in an adult’s hand. I grabbed the key out of my pocket and stuck it in the key hole. I twisted it clockwise and slowly opened the Box. Inside was what Mrs. Harris actually said, an amulet. I show the amulet up to the sun and little words appeared it was a poem that Mrs. Harris said:
The light is shown on this jewel
The path will take you to a school
It will take 60 days,
To reach your destination, let’s start at Minnesota Hayes.
The stars will guide you to and from
When you find pirates rum.
Chapter 4: Following the Path
I made my way that day and I just lost all of my words. I could not speak much. I was inside my thoughts most of the time of the trip… And when I read that poem something changed me for life. But I did not know what it was and I wanted to know so darn bad composed to the sightseeing in the woods after I tried to do all this magic.
I made a lovely promise to myself and my… I promised that I would sleep tonight, to get some rest. Night fell. The rippling water by my side desired the sky’s calm property. ( If I were the sky I would make every could unique in each and every way possible, and If I were the lake I would make very tiny wave a big wave so they will fell equal to each and every other wave created.) I made a new tent but it kept on falling down on the soft soggy ground before me.
I wanted to rip my hair out… It’s unfair that a 13 year old little servant slave girl has to put up a small complicated tent by herself! I wish that Heather was here to guide me through these times of sacrifice like what I said earlier. My last words I would say in this story is that it’s very hard doing these things and its unfair about life and sometimes you have to deal with it alone. Shredding the tent up, I stepped aside and sat on a cold large rock. I thought to myself-
What if I just try? What if I fail? Where will I sleep? Rest? Think? Nowhere.
My thoughts lay inside me- screaming to get out. I scream out loud, because I could not hold it in anymore.
“SOMEONE HELP ME! IM NOT MEAN TO SURVIVE LIKE THIS! I NEED SOMEONE TO HELP ME!”
Out of the dark came flowers. My life suddenly changed to a different destination. I made my way to the flowers. There was a tent and a white man walked out. He caught his eye on me. “YOU! You there! Halt! Are you a runaway slave? Answer me!”
“Mum…” I said
I ran my life to safety and quickly packed up my messed up tent. The strange man lifted his backpack and ran after me. I screamed-
“Leave me alone peasant!” I yelled as loud as I could. Hoping that maybe Mrs. Harris would hear my yelp from St. Augustine. But, somebody else did.
“Who said that! I can help you, where are you?” I was amazed. The strange man grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into the forest.
“Who are you?” He asked…
I looked around, on his tent was a name. A name that was Sandra Mandarin
“My name is Sandra Mandarin.” I said (Lying)
“What! The famous Sandra mandarin?! Oh my gosh! I can’t believe I am holding the arm of Sandra Mandarin! Oh, Thank goodness I thought that you were a runaway slave for a minute! I’m a dummy!” He said
He smacked his head as I f he had a head ache. I nodded and kind of tried to pull away. “ May I please go now… I have some Business to take care of.” I asked. “Well, of course Ms. Mandarin.” Then I left, out of breath.
I ran to my tent, of course it was destroyed from me trying to pick it up. I tried to put it back up very neatly and then all I could think of is-what if I make it to St. Augustine… Will I right away see Mrs. Harris? My senses were clear and so I made my packing to state. I grabbed all of the extra food I could find and tried to fit them in my small side bag… I also took my sister’s kinder-garden backpack… she does not use it anymore- although if I write a note to her then she might need it to travel here. Shoot. That sucks.
But then my family might meet up at the same place and meet the strange. I just wish that sometimes I could be more helpful, I try but sometimes I fail badly and mess up everything. But that’s just me.. My family helps me but I can’t help them. It’s unfair sometimes because this is a little story that I need to tell you about what happened when I helped-
One day I was walking in the woods looking for some firewood and then my mom was having trouble trying to fix my mini hut. I asked if I wanted to help and she said sure. So I took out one piece of stick and the whole thing fell…The end. That’s my story.
So I ran across the forest. My heart pounded because I had thought that I can’t make it. Sure, I have over-concerns sometimes but most of the time I am reasonable.
Imagine if werewolf’s made eggs. Well werewolves are mammals and not even real…so I really don’t understand why people could or made it up. Well
anyways, so my thought made me think that I was not tough enough to have my legs move in this distance. I thought that’s why I was acting so weird. But I kept on walking until I came to a bigger path. Should I still follow the smaller path or should I change to the bigger path?
Chapter 5: The old house
I thought that I should start following the bigger path to see where it takes me. I came to a bridge of trees. I tried to creep though it. My arms got nasty scratches but, my conscious told me to keep goin’ she said that it would be fine. I came to an old house, and it was beautiful. The texture of its lovely bridge was irresistible. I .ran over it… when I came to the door. It did not have any door bell. It had some kind of knocking metal loop. I slammed it against the door 3 times when I heard dogs barking. Shavian! Lamia! Lithuania !
An old lady screamed to hush the dogs before she opened the door. She opened the door finally! She answered…
‘” hello. How may I help you?” She asked
“ Ummm… mai’m may I please stay here until I find which way is my destiny or you may tell me in which direction St. Augustine is in?” I asked and answered back.
“ Sure. I am sorry but I don’t know where St. Augustine is. But… You may stay here for 7 days or less… no more.” She said
“I thank you so much!” I replied. She led me into the guest room where I set my poor odd things down. I led my way into the old house’s library. I read books about St. Augustine. Yes. That’s where I want to go. That’s my life’s dream. After we ate dinner I said that I found the map to St. Augustine and set off on my adventure.
Chapter 6: The craving
If I were to be an astronaut the whole world would depend on me. And only me. The rest of the city would be cheering my name for my accomplishment. On the other hand if I were to become a teacher… Wow I would be so popular. I would get so much love and compassion from my dear students and other teachers. I hope that if I do everyone will think that I will become a great teacher of all the rest of the jobs out there in this huge world. That’s my goal now. To find a nice job and make a cool family.
December 9 1870
It is winter. The snow falls down on my head. Unfortunately I did not bring any jackets or coats. I was freezing.
I stumbled up mountains and fell down roads. I at once thought that I would die here. That my life was over and I did all this for no apparent reason. The last of nights I lay down in the snow begging’ for mercy.
Help, help! I need my mom ! heather someone!
But thankfully I brought remembrance. Love and compassion is the key. When suddenly I heard something. In my heart. Heather.
Hey it’s me. If you hear this say yes.
Yes
Ok hello. I’m am here to tell you that I am dead I am in heaven. Be safe.
Heather! What happened?? I need you did you get beat soooo hard? I can’t even express how angry I am right now!!
No. I am sorry. I got run over. Hard. Mama couldn’t get the money. But she tried as hard as I can. But remember. Just remember… I will be with you throughout this whole trip. I will help you in any way I can.
Thanks sis. You rock.
Here I will get in regular mode.
I see her. Her delicate outline and her magnetic glow made me want to hug her. But I couldn’t. was it my imagination? No. it’s her. Her whole body in front of me. Wow. She is glowing.
She cried and cried as I stared at her,
“ Heather, I suddenly realized that I Was nothing until I reached the halfway point. Don’t give up! You realize that once your body decays you can now do whatever you want!” I said.
“ yes but last is not the rest of my life. I want to finish as a live human, whereas now I am a unbeatable ghost girl.” She mumbled.
“ You are unbeatable. You know why?” I asked.
“ Why?” she replied.
“ Because you are my big sister, because you made it this far, because you are Heather and because you have this moment to send on.” I said.
“ last but not least, you are the best thing this world has ever had, and I bet the world appreciated your company.”
“but then why would the world do this to me, why would it give me this feeling, I’m dead. And I will be forever and no one can change that now. Thanks a lot world.” She complained.
“ Heather, you are special and sooner or later the world will experience that to. When the world discovered that you the best thing that ever happened to this world died, it will regret the thought.” I replied.
“ And when you become mature enough to understand that and when the world understands that then you will be momentarily famous. You will be the one famous later in life, when people understand how wonderful and special you were.” I said again.
I started walking there is no time to lose. She floated next to me. And I could somehow read her thoughts,
I don’t regret anything. I want people to remember me as me and not the famous Heather, I want to be known as Heather, the one who incessantly died by getting hit by a car.
I couldent even think of unbelivible thoughts that she had encountered.
If she had been the one who deserved to be hit. The one who deserved to be hit by a reckless and rotten car.
No one thinks that way, a sign lay in the snow, saying that I have reached 50 miles to my destination. I could imagine the smile on my face when I finally reach it. Now heather will look at me with the accomplished look on her face, that she has protected me throughout this time. If only I had one more glance at mother, father, and all of my siblings although heather is just a spirit. She is, but she is my guide and I will never let her out of my sight, and I want her to stay with me and Mrs. Harris this year then we can finally go our separate ways.
Chapter 7: Why Aren’t I home?
I and heather sat on a rock but she faded through. I can feel her sadness through the wind. Last night we sat together and we talked about life…
But we didn’t speak. We thought.
How’s life so far? I know how you feel. I tried to do the same thing when I was your age and failed.
I could not believe that she has done this, even though I wasn’t born yet. And I have not even heard her talk anything like that
I could see the light gate to a house and suddenly stop to feel the earge to turn around. Heathers gone. She re-appeared inside the gateway as the front door of the house opened. A baby walked out she was probably three or two years old. She was carrying a teddy bear. This house looked exactly like my house back at camp but my house was 3 times smaller. Why Aren’t I home?
Chapter 8: Last glimpse of Heather
I walked inside the backyard of the little girl’s humble home. Suddenly a scream came from the house’s center/inside part.
“Mama !!! Theres a stranger in my room!!!!” A young girl yelled.
To be continued…
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