Amari was born on September 17th 17. She had a good life, eating three meals a day, playing with the other children of her tribe. Her father was the tribe storyteller. Everyone loved his stories and Amari knew them all by heart. One day, when Amari was thirteen, her father announced that she was to be engaged to the most handsome boy in her tribe, Besa. She was very excited and was to be married to him a few months after she turned fourteen.
One day, Amari was helping her mother pick berries when she heard news that visitors with pale skin were coming to their tribe. Amari didn't know what to think of this, but the rest of her tribe thought that they should throw a celebration for them. They prepared a feast and waited for the visitors to arrive. When they arrived the elders greeted them and they had their feast. After that
Amaris father told stories. Then all of a sudden the pale men took out these things that looked like sticks. They shot the elders with them and they cried with pain. Everyone started running around, trying to dodge the death sticks. Amari was one of the only survivors along with Besa. The rest of her family was killed. Amari was forced to walk and get on a boat. When she was on the boat, she met a women named Afi. Afi tried to cheer Amari up, but she was too sad. She was forced to get on a boat for a very long time. On the boat, she was raped and treated poorly. She also was very hungry and did not feel good. The boat ride seemed like it went on forever, when finally it ended. She was taken of the boat where she had to say goodbye to Afi. She was sold to a man named Percival Derby. Amari was given a new name of Myna.
When she was sold she saw another white girl in the wagon. She never knew that they would one day become best friends. Polly taught Amari how to speak English and she taught her manners. Amari learned a lot from Polly. She appreciated it. She was always there for her, along with Teenie, the cook. Amari and Polly worked in the kitchen with Teenie. Amari got a little extra food, since she worked in the kitchen which made her happy. Teenie also had a son that Amari played with. Amari was a birthday present for Percival Derby's son, Clay. At night, Clay would call her into his room and rape her. She hated that because it reminded her of the times on the boat.
One day, Teenie called her down to the big house along with Polly. She said that one of the servants mothers got bit by a snake and had to go see her so she needed them to fill in for her. Everything was going well until, Amari dropped the pie. Amari was whipped many times and was very hurt. She was in bed for a week or two. She was very weak for awhile. Mrs. Derby, Polly and Teenie all nurtured her back to health. It took awhile but she slowly became stronger.
Mrs. Derby was pregnant was going to be having her baby very soon. Mr. Derby called Amari and Polly up to the big house and told them that Mrs. Derby was about to have her baby. He was going to get the doctor, while Amari and Polly went upstairs to Mrs. Derby. Amari helped deliver the baby when she found out something terrible, it was a black baby. Amari figured that it was Noah's baby and she was right. Polly and Amari told Teenie and she said to give the baby to one of the slaves who had just had a baby. Mr. Derby wanted to see his baby and Teenie told him that it was a stillbirth and that they had already buried it. Mr. Derby wanted to see it though. Clay brought the baby and Noah up to Mr. Derby and when he found out that it was a black baby, he was so mad, he shot the baby and Noah on the spot. He also decided that he would be selling Amari, Polly and Tidbit as a punishment.
The next day Clay was not feeling well so Amari was sent with just the doctor. Amari wasn't worried because she knew that the doctor didn't believe in slavery and would let them go. Amari and Polly had talked to Cato the night before and told them to go south because there is a place called Fort Mose that they could be free in. They headed south and walked for many days, until Clay found them. Polly used her only gunshot and shot at Clay and missed, but was so scared that he fell to the ground. Amari and Polly just had enough time to tie him to a tree. They saw a rattlesnake go up to him when they were running away. That was the last time Amari saw Clay. They continued, with little food or water. Amari often felt sick. They kept moving though, they would get stopped a few times by slave owners but they would always escape. One slave owner caught them and planned to sell them, but the wife let them go. When she was getting a wagon ready for them, Amari saw Besa. She hardly recongnized him, he was so beaten up. She tried to get him to go with her, but he refused. Amari, Polly and Tidbit carried on with their journey.
Finally, they arrived at Fort Mose. Amari was talking to one of the leaders at Fort Mose and found out she was pregnant. She had a baby girl seven months later and named her Afi. Amari took very good care of Afi, she went to school and learned how to read and write. She was very happy with her life. She also took Tidbit in and took care of him as her son. Amari died of smallpox when Afi was about 17.
One day, Amari was helping her mother pick berries when she heard news that visitors with pale skin were coming to their tribe. Amari didn't know what to think of this, but the rest of her tribe thought that they should throw a celebration for them. They prepared a feast and waited for the visitors to arrive. When they arrived the elders greeted them and they had their feast. After that
Amaris father told stories. Then all of a sudden the pale men took out these things that looked like sticks. They shot the elders with them and they cried with pain. Everyone started running around, trying to dodge the death sticks. Amari was one of the only survivors along with Besa. The rest of her family was killed. Amari was forced to walk and get on a boat. When she was on the boat, she met a women named Afi. Afi tried to cheer Amari up, but she was too sad. She was forced to get on a boat for a very long time. On the boat, she was raped and treated poorly. She also was very hungry and did not feel good. The boat ride seemed like it went on forever, when finally it ended. She was taken of the boat where she had to say goodbye to Afi. She was sold to a man named Percival Derby. Amari was given a new name of Myna.
When she was sold she saw another white girl in the wagon. She never knew that they would one day become best friends. Polly taught Amari how to speak English and she taught her manners. Amari learned a lot from Polly. She appreciated it. She was always there for her, along with Teenie, the cook. Amari and Polly worked in the kitchen with Teenie. Amari got a little extra food, since she worked in the kitchen which made her happy. Teenie also had a son that Amari played with. Amari was a birthday present for Percival Derby's son, Clay. At night, Clay would call her into his room and rape her. She hated that because it reminded her of the times on the boat.
One day, Teenie called her down to the big house along with Polly. She said that one of the servants mothers got bit by a snake and had to go see her so she needed them to fill in for her. Everything was going well until, Amari dropped the pie. Amari was whipped many times and was very hurt. She was in bed for a week or two. She was very weak for awhile. Mrs. Derby, Polly and Teenie all nurtured her back to health. It took awhile but she slowly became stronger.
Mrs. Derby was pregnant was going to be having her baby very soon. Mr. Derby called Amari and Polly up to the big house and told them that Mrs. Derby was about to have her baby. He was going to get the doctor, while Amari and Polly went upstairs to Mrs. Derby. Amari helped deliver the baby when she found out something terrible, it was a black baby. Amari figured that it was Noah's baby and she was right. Polly and Amari told Teenie and she said to give the baby to one of the slaves who had just had a baby. Mr. Derby wanted to see his baby and Teenie told him that it was a stillbirth and that they had already buried it. Mr. Derby wanted to see it though. Clay brought the baby and Noah up to Mr. Derby and when he found out that it was a black baby, he was so mad, he shot the baby and Noah on the spot. He also decided that he would be selling Amari, Polly and Tidbit as a punishment.
The next day Clay was not feeling well so Amari was sent with just the doctor. Amari wasn't worried because she knew that the doctor didn't believe in slavery and would let them go. Amari and Polly had talked to Cato the night before and told them to go south because there is a place called Fort Mose that they could be free in. They headed south and walked for many days, until Clay found them. Polly used her only gunshot and shot at Clay and missed, but was so scared that he fell to the ground. Amari and Polly just had enough time to tie him to a tree. They saw a rattlesnake go up to him when they were running away. That was the last time Amari saw Clay. They continued, with little food or water. Amari often felt sick. They kept moving though, they would get stopped a few times by slave owners but they would always escape. One slave owner caught them and planned to sell them, but the wife let them go. When she was getting a wagon ready for them, Amari saw Besa. She hardly recongnized him, he was so beaten up. She tried to get him to go with her, but he refused. Amari, Polly and Tidbit carried on with their journey.
Finally, they arrived at Fort Mose. Amari was talking to one of the leaders at Fort Mose and found out she was pregnant. She had a baby girl seven months later and named her Afi. Amari took very good care of Afi, she went to school and learned how to read and write. She was very happy with her life. She also took Tidbit in and took care of him as her son. Amari died of smallpox when Afi was about 17.