Essay On Run North

I was a young domestic slave living on a plantation in Tennessee. I could cook, spin thread, sew, and so many other things very well. I was content with my life and my work. Although I faced hardships like, not having enough food, working laboriously from dawn to dusk, and having been whipped and punished before, I had a rather reasonable owner. However this all changed when my old, tolerant owner suddenly died. After he died, many of my fellow slaves had been sold to other plantation owners. Soon, I learned that I was going to be sold to a cruel, heartless man--rumored to severely punish his slaves and had even killed one. Terrified, I frantically searched for way to escape and my fellow worker told me, “Run. Run north. There are free lands …show more content…
You must go at night and you will find people to guide you to freedom.” And so, I began preparing for my great journey ahead.
I left the night before our one free day of the month, so I would have some time before my owner would notice that I was gone. I ran north, stealthy at night in intricate patterns and through rivers and streams so I wouldn’t get caught. I found my path using the North Star and moss on trees. To survive, I scavenged or stole food in the areas I passed and slept in places dense with plants. I was scared and worried of being caught, but I had made my mind to reach a free place and stopped myself from having second thoughts. After countless day or weeks of running, I finally saw a isolated house along my path. Cautiously, I approached the house and spotted a old African-American man. I slowly approached him ready to run if needed, but when he saw me, he smiled and ushered me over. He introduced himself as Mr. Bailey and invited me into his house. He then provided food and clothes and offered me to spend the night in his shed. He told me that I should go to the Ohio River, and seek assistance from a white man that should be nearby. As I reached the Ohio River, just as I was told, a white man, John Winfred, helped me cross