Fictional Account

My name is Isata Olynka. I am a 21 year old ex-slave. I was born in Nigeria. I lived with my parents and my three brothers and sisters. I had so much fun there. There were festivities every day. You were never despondent. Every day was filled with happiness. The food was delicious and I always had something fun to do. The day of my 16th birthday party, these men who didn’t look like us came into our village. They started snatching women, men, and children from their homes. The next thing I know, they kicked in our door and grabbed my mother. My father tried to help her, but the strange men beat him with some type of weapon. Blood was everywhere. I tried to keep my little brothers and sisters. From screaming so they couldn’t see or hear us. It was too late. Each man grabbed us and put us in bags and dragged us out the house. I can hear my little brothers and sisters screaming “MOMMY DADDY SAVE ME” but they already captured my parents. They stripped us of our clothing and threw us into this foreign place. It felt like I was there for eternity. I am so hungry. This white man motioned for me to come here, so I came to him. He then started to talk to another white man, the nest thing I know I am being chained to someone and pushed onto a boat. On the boat we were stuck in these small places that were very uncomfortable. We were on the ship forever. After a while, the smell of urine, feces, and vomit started to linger around. I wanted to die. One day I realized my mother was on the same boat as I. She looked horrible. Her face looked like it’s been sucked dry and her body is covered from scars from being abused. She looks as dead as the rest of us. When we were able to go up to the deck, my mother killed herself. She jumped overboard. Another day they took us up out on the deck and forced us to sing and dance. When they saw that all of us wasn’t doing what they were told they would beat us. One day when we were on the deck I noticed that this man kept staring at me. When it was time for us to go back downstairs, he grabbed me and pushed me into his cabin. He started to kiss me on my neck. I wanted to fight him but I was scared to push him off of me. He took off his clothes and got on top of me. The pain was unbeatable. Blood started to trickle down my leg. Then he beat me and pushed me off the bed. I couldn’t sleep for days. After a while the shipped stopped. They ordered us to get off the ship and step on a land I’ve never witnessed before. There were innumerable white men standing around. I was sold to a white man who lived in Virginia. I worked from the time the sun rose until the sun set. I lived there until my 19th birthday. I then started to work for a man who lived in Maryland. While I was there I learned how to read and white. After two years I planned an escape. A fellow slave named Pacoway and ran away when it was time for everyone to fall asleep. Pacoway fell but I had to keep going. I couldn’t stop. I had to keep running until I felt I was safe. I finally saw a sign that said “Delaware State Line”. That’s when I knew I was free. I currently live in New York. I wish my mom could’ve held out a little longer. I wish I knew the whereabouts of my family. But that’s the past; I have to focus on my present and future.