The grass was cold and wet as I ran as fast as I could across the field to the gathering. I was racing my sister, Safi. We are always trying to see who can do things better. Like who can plant or work the fastest. My name is Aisha. I am fifteen years old and I live with all the other slaves and my sister on a cotton plantation. Everyday I see all the other slaves, my sister, the master and his family. My sister and I were sold away from our family, a mother, father and younger brother, to this plantation. The only good part of our condition is that all the other Africans took us in like family, and the Saturday night gatherings.

Everyday I work in the fields with the other slaves harvesting the cotton. After work I go right to sleep because it is late at night and I have to get up early at 5:30 in the morning each day. In the morning I listen to the morning birds chirping to each other. The birds all always there in the morning. I always loved the smell in the morning. It is a combination of morning dew and the sweet cold frigid air against my neck. Then at night it is cold and dark, almost mysterious in a way. The freezing air and grass tickles my toes as I run with Safi or walk by myself. Everyday is the same, get up, sometimes eat, work, sometimes eat, and then sleep. All days except for Saturday. On Saturday nights is when the slaves are allowed to come together and eat, sing, dance, play and socialize. I love the Saturday night gatherings, the elderly Africans tell about stories from Africa and tell us the way life used to be for us blacks. The younger children will play and the older children will dance and sing. I am usually dancing away to the beats of the African drums. Sometimes, though, when I am taking a break and eating I love to watch us all, dancing, singing and telling stories as if we were back at our home.

          Since everyday I work in the fields, I am a somewhat important person in the community. At least all the other Africans and I think so, I would imagine that master has no idea who I am. We are all a family around here and everyone knows every one else. Life without me would me hardest on Safi. Since we were sold together, me not being here would make Safi by herself. I feel that she is so young, even though she is very healthy and energetic. Without me there would be one less person in the fields, one less person to do the back breaking work to help the man who owns the place make lots of money. I like to think about it like that so as to make me feel better, I tell Safi to do the same. Living here is hard and there have been many times where I wanted to stop altogether, wishing I could just get up and move somewhere else. Far, far away from here, somewhere where I could be with my family once again.