The vessel was laying in waiting at the harbour ready to despatch its' goods.  Captain George Montgomery was already giving orders to handle his stock with care as he was seen pushing and shoving the crew from pillar to post. Looking out at the trauma below deck, I quickly looked away, it was so unbearable, nothing but hauling and dragging and whimpering cries from them all, and to think how I came to escape from that.   It is any wonder how much money would be made for men like him from this type of trade. 

The year is in the 1880's, or thereabouts, as I watched him shouting and cursing the crew, sweeping his whip this way and that, then he turned to me,

"You, boy, get my things!"

I had no choice but to honour his wishes, fearful not to end up like the rest of them.

"Yes master"

"Have you finished checking the stock like how I showed you?"

"Yes master," I said.

I handed him a batch of papers containing the numbers he had accumulated from his visit. The ship had docked near the islands, there were quite a view, Captain George walking in front and I was closely behind him, trying to mimic his stance. As we reached the bay of the dock, I saw them again, all lined up, chain by chain, they were looking at me. I felt frightened and looked away quickly. They said, I was too young to join them for the long voyage, that was where I lost track of my youngest sibling and I vowed to try to find her, he said he would help and I stuck to his word.

There were two other crew members, most like the Captain in appearance, hauling each one on to the truck. I couldn't believe it as I looked, knowing that these folk were just like me, what had they gone through.  Captain George walked further and called out to me,

"Boy, I'm going to teach you a lesson, and I want you to listen good"

"Yes master," was all I could say.

When he finished with telling the crew what to do with folk he led me to a road leading to a grand house, walking past the truck loaded to the brim, he didn't even look back and I had to follow suit.

"We're not going on there... they will be going to  another place...come on, catch up, boy"

"Yes master, yes master"

I don't know why I agreed to this, when I gave him my story, he promised he would help find her for me, he looked so sincere when I told him.  Walking, along the tracks for at least half hour, we approached the house, there were two large pillars on either side, and a large dog, barking profusely until his eyes met with the Captain, the dog jumped up on him licking his face.   I had never seen such a large dog before and was afraid of it.  The Captain called out to someone and I saw a large woman approach him with long dark curls and flapping a white cloth to her face.

The large woman called out to another directly behind her and I saw her for the first time, a slim young girl, like myself but lighter, I didn't say anything, but she looked at me and smiled. It was her... my younger sister... when we were captured on our own homeland by the other men, we lost track of each other, I was so devastated and hastened to think what she had been going through all these years.

The large woman tugged at her,

"Come here...straighten up...let him have a look at you"

I looked at the master and back at her.

"Do you see George, how beautiful she is?"

"Yes, yes"

"When do you want her?"

"I need to clean up first...had a long voyage...boy! put my things inside"

"Yes, master...what are you going to do now?"

"That has nothing to do with you"

I watched him as he grabbed at my flesh and blood, watching him pulling her up the winding stairway, she looked around at me, the larger woman roared out to me,

"Boy, didn't my brother say to put his things inside...well! what are you waiting for?"

I hurried to place the holdall I had been carrying from the time we left the ship to this place, and all I could hear in the distance was the small cries from her. I didn't know what to do or what to think, so when the coast was clear, I sneaked up the stairway and tried every door until I found them.  He said he would help me to find her, he gave his solemn promise,  my face went blank when I saw him, I must have blanked out for all I remember was looking down at my hands and seeing his blood on mine.    I held her close to me as we watched Captain George flop to the floor.

"We have to go...Now!" I whispered to her, where she gathered her few things and we took the back exit away from there, this was where our journey began.