by Katie Leigh Castleberry - age 14

"Ramsey! Come here and start working on this job I gave you!" commanded Master Arnold.

Ramsey fell into the row of other slaves. Soon Ramsey started thinking of freedom. Would it be better to run away or stay here in Rome and work? He thought about running away, but then slave hunters would be out to find him. And even if he did run away and made it to freedom, it would be hard to find a place to work. If he stayed it would be better. How his back ached from bending over, and he was so thirsty.

That evening was a party for Master Arnold's daughter. Ramsey had to help cook that evening because it was such a big occasion. It seemed that the castle was so cold that even the mice and rats which lived in the castle could not stand it. As Ramsey went along the dark hallway, he felt the damp stones beneath his feet. He passed two slave girls that he knew well, Petra and Teresa. They nodded to each other as they passed. The party lasted until almost midnight. Ramsey felt that it was unfair that he had to work all the time while everyone but the slaves got to have fun.

Finally Ramsey got to go to bed. He hoped to get some sleep, so that by morning he would be able to start working. Suddenly Ramsey heard someone pounding on the door. "We're being attacked! Burn out the bridge so no one can cross!" shouted Master Arnold.

Ramsey shivered as he ran back and forth setting the bridge on fire. Ramsey noticed Teresa was walking slowly, and she looked pale. Ramsey shouted, "Teresa, are you all right?!"

Teresa answered, "I . . . am . . . all . . . "

Teresa suddenly fell over. Horrified, Ramsey ran to her. He and Petra picked up her limp body, and carried her into the castle. They laid her on a bed.
Ramsey said, "I think she's just unconscious."

Petra and Ramsey went back outside. Master Arnold was very angry. "Why did you leave?!"

Ramsey spoke up and said, "For your slave's sake. Teresa fell."

Master Arnold said, "I have plenty of slaves! Go start fighting."

The next morning Teresa was not up. Ramsey's master said that she had the smallpox. Ramsey wondered if he would get it. He knew that it spread easily.

As Ramsey was working that afternoon, he suddenly noticed that he was not as strong as he had been in the morning. Ramsey was starting to feel bad. As the day wore on, he was sure that he had what Teresa had: the smallpox! Master Arnold saw that Ramsey was not working his normal speed. Master Arnold took out his whip.

"Ramsey, you slow fellow, I'll show you to work hard!"

Ramsey took his whipping without a word. He felt like not eating his bread that evening. Finally he fell into bed. He told Teresa that he had the smallpox. Ramsey saw Petra get up and check on Teresa in the middle of the night. Teresa and Ramsey could not even sit up by morning.

After that night, Petra fell sick. Master Arnold was so angry because almost all of his slaves were sick. Teresa was finally better after several days in bed. Petra got worse every day. One night Ramsey heard her moan. In the morning, Petra was gone. Teresa came in weeping and told Ramsey that Petra died in the night. Ramsey felt like crying because Petra had been one of his best friends. They had been so close that it seemed like he could not possibly live without her. She had been part of his life - almost like a sister.

A week later, Ramsey was up and out of bed. After Petra's death, he thought more about freedom than he had before. Ramsey wanted to taste a little bit of freedom before he died.

Ramsey woke up in the middle of the night and woke Teresa. Ramsey whispered, "Teresa, come outside with me."

They had to pass by the door of Master Arnold. Ramsey thought he heard Master Arnold sneeze. Teresa stumbled in the dark. Ramsey led her by the hand out into the cool night air. They sat down and looked at the stars. After a while of silence,
Ramsey sighed and then said, "You know, Teresa, I have thought about running away, and I think it would be a good idea."

Teresa looked at him with eyes that said, "Yes, you're right."

Ramsey said, "Let's go."

Teresa was reluctant. "Tonight?"

"Yes," answered Ramsey. Ramsey and Teresa stood up and started their journey to freedom.

After some days of traveling, Ramsey and Teresa stowed away in a ship. Ramsey said to Teresa, "You're very beautiful."

Teresa said, "Thank you, Ramsey."

When they landed, Ramsey and Teresa got married and led a free life in England.