I head up through the grove of slave huts towards the path that lead to the Ginger Hill Great House. Gather up bout eight to ten slaves I know willing to join me. Leave behind the slaves that quickly close them door and stay inside. Enter past the lower gates of the entrance to the Great House carriageway, start marching past trees lined up one after the other, just like the slaves marching behind me. Further up the carriageway, I see Busha Annand come striding down to meet us, looking angry, then looking plenty worried when him find himself surrounded by slaves with cutlasses at them waist. See that many of us not in work clothes, but in the blue and brown militia uniform.

‘What are you up to, William?’ him ask me. ‘Why are you and the other slaves not coming out to muster?’

‘Because I tell dem not to.’

Busha Annand look round to see if him can find the head driver, but he not there. The night before I told him and the field slave them to not come out to be mustered, but to wait till I get there.

I take a step towards him, hold up me gun so him know I mean business. Busha Annand take a step back. Him look round, I can see the fear in him eyes as I start to edge closer. Just then the head driver come up and Busha Annand shout out, ‘Tell the slaves they can have the day off, as long as they turn out for muster and be counted.’

The head driver look at me and I shake me head.

‘If you want slaves to muster, you must agree to pay each and every one of us. If you don’t pay, slave going sit down by the canefield dem until all the green and yellow plants turn rotten.’

Busha Annand look at me, mouth hanging slack. Him don’t know what to say. Is the last thing him expect. Finally him back away, turn on him heel, start to run up the path. The other slaves look at me to see what I going do. I head straight after him, catch him by him jacket, throw him to the ground.

‘Busha, you are my prisoner.’ I stand over him. ‘We slaves work hard enough, long enough, now is time for freedom. No more,’ I tell him. ‘No more you going use the lash, to beat us, to make us work. And there is nothing you can say or do going change this.’

Busha Annand eyes get wide like him looking at a madman. Him brain can’t understand how him suddenly end up on the bottom, me on the top. Is a good thing him not too cruel, otherwise I think I would lose control, blow him head off.