Modern Day Slavery • 12min read

The Slaves Journey: A Tale of Betrayal and Triumph

The Protagonist’s Plight

John had always been one to take risks. As a young man, he’d left home with nothing but his backpack and a few coins in his pocket. He’d hitchhiked across the country, working odd jobs here and there, never staying anywhere for too long.

But now he was older, and the risks were higher. John found himself drowning in debt - credit cards maxed out, rent overdue, bills piling up on his kitchen table. His job as a cashier at the local grocery store barely paid enough to cover his basic expenses.

One night, desperate for a way out of his predicament, John came across an advertisement: “Sell yourself into slavery for a year - earn big money fast!”

Making the Decision

At first glance, it seemed like a joke or maybe even some kind of scam. But as he looked closer at the website advertising this opportunity – words like “legal” and “regulated” jumped from screen- John realized that this could be an actual solution to all of his financial woes.

The idea of being owned by someone else made him shudder; it went against everything he believed in. But then again so did living in destitution with no clear way out. After hours spent poring over every detail on the website describing what life would be like as one of these slaves – food rations allowed per day, limited contact with family outside of designated times – John knew deep down that this was something he needed to do.

With shaking hands he filled out the application form and clicked submit - sealing himself into a contract which promised him freedom from debt…but at what cost?

Arrival at the New Master’s Home

The journey to the new master’s home had been long and arduous. The protagonist had been shackled to a group of other slaves, all of them with downcast eyes and weary expressions. They walked in silence, their footsteps dragging on the dusty road.

As they approached the estate, the protagonist couldn’t help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. The walls were tall and imposing, surrounded by lush greenery that seemed almost too perfect. He could hear the sound of water trickling from a nearby fountain, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

Finally, they reached the gate where they were greeted by an intimidating guard who checked their names against a list before grudgingly allowing them entry.

The first impressions of his new master left him unsettled. From what he had heard about slave-owners like him, he expected someone cruel or at least indifferent towards his suffering - but his new master was different than he imagined.

He was tall and well-dressed with sharp features that gave off an aura of authority. But behind those piercing eyes lay something else entirely - something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

The protagonist tried not to show any fear as he was led into a large courtyard where other slaves were already working under supervision. It looked like it would take some time for him to adapt himself in this place where every step requires alertness and caution.

A Day in the Life of a Slave

The sun rose early, casting its warm golden rays across the plantation. The slaves were awoken by the sound of a bell, signalling that it was time to start their day. They stumbled out of their cramped quarters and stumbled towards the fields where they would spend most of their day.

The protagonist trudged through the dirt path with his fellow slaves, already feeling the weight of exhaustion settle into his bones. He tried to keep his head down and focus on putting one step in front of another, but every so often he found himself glancing around at his surroundings.

As they reached the fields he noticed how expansive it was. Acres upon acres of crops stretching as far as his eyes could see. His heart sank at this realization - this would be his life for a year; working from dawn till dusk without any respite.

Their master barked orders at them, reminding them about the rules and regulations they needed to follow if they wanted to avoid punishment. The protagonist listened attentively, trying hard not to let any fear show on his face.

Underneath all these rules laid an unspoken truth: disobedience meant punishment that ranged from whipping to solitary confinement or worse – death!

He picked up a hoe and got ready for work alongside other slaves’ who had already started working by now. Sweat poured down their faces as they worked under intense heat with no rest until sunset when finally it was time for dinner and then back to bed exhausted beyond measure. This was just another day in their lives as slaves - just one among many yet ahead of them.

Bonding with Other Slaves

The protagonist had never imagined that he would be a slave one day. But now, as he worked on the master’s fields all day long, his thoughts frequently drifted towards home - his wife and children. The only solace he found was in the company of other slaves.

Most of them were demotivated and defeated, resigned to their fate. They did not speak much but exchanged glances with the protagonist from time to time. He knew they shared a common bond - that of being robbed off their freedom and dignity.

One day, while taking a break from work under an old tree, one of the slaves initiated a conversation with him. At first, the protagonist was hesitant to talk but soon realized that it felt good to share his problems with someone who understood him.

As days passed by, he started interacting more freely with other slaves and discovered that everyone had a story to tell. Some had been born into slavery while others were sold or captured like him.

Gradually, possible alliances began forming between them as they discussed strategies for survival and escape attempts without alerting the master or his men. The protagonist realized that unity among slaves could be powerful if utilized correctly.

Despite their differences in background and personality, all these people had one thing in common – they wanted freedom more than anything else.

Bonding with other slaves gave some hope to the protagonist who was otherwise drowning in despair every single day since becoming a slave.

Their conversations became his only respite amidst this dire situation where brutality reigned supreme at every corner of life here in bondage.

A Suspicious Discovery

It had been months since the protagonist had sold himself into slavery, and he was still trying to adjust to his new life. As a slave, he was forced to work long hours in harsh conditions with little food or rest. He had resigned himself to this fate until one day, he stumbled upon something that would change everything.

While cleaning the master’s study, he noticed a bookshelf that looked out of place. Upon closer inspection, he found a hidden compartment behind it. The protagonist’s curiosity got the better of him as he opened the compartment and discovered a stack of papers.

As he read through them, his heart raced with suspicion and fear. They were documents detailing illegal activities conducted by his own master – from smuggling weapons to selling drugs. The protagonist couldn’t believe what he was reading – how could someone so wealthy and powerful be involved in such criminal acts?

The Confrontation

As days passed, the protagonist couldn’t let go of unease after discovering these secrets about his master. The thought of being associated with such crimes made him sick to his stomach.

He knew what needed to be done – confront his master about the illegal activities and demand an explanation for it all. But how could he do so without risking punishment? After much deliberation, the protagonist decided on a plan.

One night when everyone else was asleep, he snuck into the study once again and took copies of those documents along with some other evidence proving that they belonged to Mr X (the name withheld for privacy).

The next day during lunchtime when everyone else was taking their break outside under supervision; our protagonist sneaked into mr X’s room who wasn’t present at that moment & left all those copied documents along with other evidences which can prove harmful if released publicly on top of mr X’s table in plain sight.

Our hero managed not leave any hint behind while doing this task except a small note which read “I know everything, you better leave me alone and let me free or I’ll be forced to take strict action against you.”

The Aftermath

Days passed without any reaction from Mr X. The protagonist didn’t know what to expect – would Mr X retaliate with force? Or would he try to cover up his tracks and silence the protagonist?

Finally, one day, Mr X called for the protagonist in his office. The protagonist was terrified as he walked into the room, unsure of what fate awaited him.

But instead of punishing him, Mr X offered him a deal – keep quiet about the illegal activities and in return, he would be given his freedom. It was an offer that was too good to refuse.

The protagonist agreed but made sure that he kept copies of all documents as a safety measure; finally tasting true freedom after months of slavery.

Escaping the Chains of Slavery

The protagonist had endured enough suffering and humiliation at the hands of his cruel master. He was determined to escape this wretched life, no matter how many attempts it took.

His first attempt involved sneaking out at night through a hole in the fence that surrounded the property. However, he was caught by one of the guards who had been patrolling the area. The punishment for escaping was severe - he was beaten mercilessly until he couldn’t stand.

Undeterred by his failure, he plotted his next attempt with more caution. This time, he planned to create a diversion by starting a fire in the barn while everyone slept. He hoped that in all the chaos and confusion, he could slip away unnoticed. But again, his plan failed as one of his fellow slaves alerted their master about the fire.

Despite being punished severely for both attempts, his determination did not falter. He knew that if he didn’t keep trying to escape, he would be stuck here forever.

For his third attempt, he decided to team up with two other slaves who shared his desire for freedom. Together they dug a tunnel under their quarters using makeshift tools they had secretly crafted over time. It took them weeks to finish digging but finally they were ready to make their move.

On a moonless night when all seemed quiet, they crawled through the narrow tunnel towards their freedom on the other side of the fence…

Betrayal & Punishment

The sun was setting when the protagonist heard a loud knock on the door. He had been in his room, trying to come up with a plan to escape again. The last time he tried, he had almost made it out of the house before getting caught at the gate. This time, he was determined not to fail.

He opened the door to find one of his fellow slaves standing outside. “What do you want?” he asked warily.

”Listen,” said the other slave urgently. “I overheard Master talking with some of his guests earlier today. They’re planning something big and it involves us."

"What are you talking about?” asked the protagonist, feeling a sense of dread creeping up inside him.

”I don’t know exactly,” said the other slave, looking around nervously as if afraid they might be overheard. “But I think they’re going to sell us all off at some kind of auction next week.”

The protagonist felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He had always known that this day might come but now that it finally had, he wasn’t sure if he was ready for it.

However, before he could say anything else, there was another knock on the door - louder this time - and then suddenly it burst open revealing Master himself standing behind it looking furious.

Final Struggle for Freedom

The protagonist had never seen Master so angry before and instinctively took a step back as soon as he saw him enter his room.

”You!” roared Master pointing an accusatory finger towards him. “You’ve been plotting against me haven’t you?"

"No! Of course not,” protested the protagonist trying hard to keep his voice steady even though fear coursed through every inch of him.

”Don’t lie to me boy,” spat Master advancing on him menacingly . “I know what you’ve been up to.”

And then suddenly everything happened so fast that the protagonist didn’t even have time to react - he felt something hard hit the back of his head and then everything went black.

When he came to, he was lying on the floor of his room with several other slaves gathered around him looking concerned. “What happened?” he asked groggily as they helped him sit up.

”You don’t remember?” asked one of them incredulously. “Master caught you trying to escape again and gave you a good beating.”

Epilogue

It took a few days for the protagonist to recover from his injuries but when he did, he knew that it was finally time to make his move. He had nothing left to lose now - no family, no friends, nothing except his own freedom.

So one night when everyone else was asleep, he quietly slipped out of the house and ran as fast as he could towards the nearby woods. He didn’t look back once - not even when he heard Master’s voice calling out for him in anger.

In the end, it would take many years before the protagonist truly felt free again. But for now at least, there was hope. A glimmer of light at the end of a very dark tunnel that reminded him that things could still get better if only he kept fighting for what was right.