Shopping with my mom is always fun. That is when we have money to spend. “'Tis a nice day out huh?” Said my mom. I have always thought of my mom as brave. She was a runaway slave, she came all the way up to Philadelphia from Virginia. Once here, she met my dad and had my brother and I. My wish is to be more like her. I may be 17 ,but I still get treated like a child. “Cecelia? Did you hear me?” My mother asks.“Oh yes sorry mother,and It sure is.” I replied.

My parents have only two children. My brother isn't the nicest person; well really he’s only nice to the family my dad is the same way. Family is very important to all of us. It's a number one priority, and it comes before anything and everything.

“Why don’t you stay out here while i run into this store real quick” my mom then enters the store leaving me to sit on a bench. Minutes pass by, well i think. I can’t really tell the time as i don’t have a watch. Those are for wealthy people, people with money. As time ticks on i start to get a little scared, maybe paranoid. I see two men standing a little ways down, staring at me and talking...suspicious. But i look away as a horse getting walked down the street catches my attention. Before i can react two men grab me. I try to push them off, but then it all goes black.

I wake up to the bumping movement of a…carriage? I hear the familiar sound of bustling crowds of people. The movement stops, and i get pulled out the carriage. A unknown man walks me into a building. Inside i see families and some others standing alone. Also, There’s a small crowd of white people who look rich. I think i know what this is. This is a slave auction. Befor I know it, I'm being pulled away.

  “Going once, going twice…sold” and again, I'm being taken away.

I wake up to two people standing over me. “Is the girl alive?” One mutters. I sit up and look around. I'm in a pale colored room and it's pretty plain. “Get up honey there's work to be done.” The girl started by introducing herself to me, “I'm mrs.Galloway and this is my husband, Mr.Galloway.” She tells me. She then continues to show me around the house telling me the tasks and expectations I will expected to fulfill. Cooking and cleaning, the basics.

Months go by of doing the same things. Mr.Galloway, full name Joseph Galloway, is always away for business. Mr.Galloway is a congressman. Everyday I go through the routine of cleaning, preparing meals, etc. Some days I go down to the market or take down dirty wash to the laundry. Every day I think about my family, I miss them a lot. Mrs.Galloway is very nice her name is very pretty too, Grace Galloway. Mr.Galloway on the other hand, is not. But that's okay, I don't plan on staying for long.

Mrs.Galloway approaches me. “Cecelia hurry come quick!” We rush downstairs. There's a knapsack full of food and other things on the counter. “Cecelia, take this and run, wait until midnight when souls asleep.” I take it and prepare for my journey home. To Philadelphia, I think to myself.

Here I sit, waiting, listening to the clock tick. Seconds turn to minutes, which turn to hours and so on. Ding ding ding. The chiming of the clock as it turns 12:00am. I pick up my stuff, and I walk to the door. No looking back now. I start sprinting down the street sticking close to the woods before disappearing into them.
Weeks go by and I'm running low on supplies. I need to think of ways to get food. I have no money for the market...maybe hunting? I can hunt squirrels, maybe find wild berries. You know what, maybe I can steal something from a small shop at the market. I start trudging through the woods hoping to stumble upon a small town.

I come to an open dirt road. Maybe this will lead me to a town? I hear loud rumbling like a thunderstorm. But this is different, I've had my fair share of thunderstorms. This is louder, much louder. And a different beat. I keep walking towards the sound. That is until I get pulled back into the woods. I look around and see a unknown man? “Excuse me sir, who are you?” I ask. “My name is Amari mam, and I mean no offense but were you trying to get killed!?” He replied. “What do you mean?” I asked. “You were walking straight into battle! Are you even aware of the battle going on?” He said. “Battle? Here? Are you sure?” I replied to him. “Yes battle!” He look at my knapsack, my empty knapsack. “I have an idea, what if we work together. I mean I'm going to guess here but I think we are both run away slaves. So what if we help each other with gathering supplies and reaching our destinations you know?” He says taking me by surprise. I ponder the idea. I mean I do need more supplies…“yes.” And he smiles

More weeks go by. It's taking longer than I thought since the battles you know? Amari has been pretty helpful with gathering supplies and guiding me. I'm beginning to feel strange towards him. But it's a good strange. I look at him and I can't stop smiling. He makes my stomach do flips. Everything about him has me in a hold. Like all his stupid jokes. I never want to lose him, he's been the only thing holding me together on this journey. I think this is what people would call love. I won't say anything though, for fear he does not feel the same. We should arrive in Philadelphia soon and we will go our separate ways anyhow. So I think this will stay my secret.
Miles and miles of walking. And then Amari comes to a stop. We are standing in front of a big, familiar town. “Were here!” Amari says smiling and looking at me. I start walking my well known route home.

Finally, we reach the steps that lead up to a door. I'm shaking. What if one of my biggest fears come true? What if they're not here? I use all my strength and knock on the door. I wait a few seconds and the door creaks open slightly. “Momma?” I whisper holding back tears. “Cecelia is that you?” I jump into my mothers arms. My dad and brother come rushing to the door. We evolve into a family group hug. Tears are everywhere and I am finally home, where I belong.

Amari speaks up, “I think that I should be going.” He says leaning from side to side. My heart drops, I can't let him go, I love him. I don't say anything for I can't think of the right words. He turns around and starts to walk away. “no wait!” I yell. He turns back and faces me. I run to him, as if my life depended on it. “Don't leave please.” I say. “I have to. I have my own life Cecelia.” He says.Then he turns around, and walks off. I stand back in awe. He left me, after everything. He walked straight out of my life. Is that it? Is he really going to leave me like that? I watch him continue to walk away until he's out of sight. “Goodbye Amari.”