‘How did it come to be so, that a few men could have dominion over so many men and all because of skin colour? Colour! The sparkling blue of a sky after the early morning rain. The yellow of the canefields rippling in the breeze. The emerald green feathers of the honey feeder. The orange of a sunset and the pink of a sunrise. The musky brown of the ripe, rich earth that sustains us. The glow of copper on the faces of our women as they cook over the fire.’ Then him lower him voice and say, ‘Then there is the colour of death. Black deaths. Brown deaths. When backra cut beneath the skin, can they not see that we are all the same? We all bleed the same colour red. Cry the same colourless tears.’

Life was simpler without the powerful words of Sam Sharpe. A childish life of bowing and scraping. A ‘yes, Massa, no, Massa’ life, filled up with backra rules and backra punishments. A half-life I can no longer endure. Is why I come to be looking into the darkness in the hope of seeing the enemy before they see me. I don’t have Sam Sharpe strength of will, but I finally come to understand that, at last, me life has served some useful purpose.

From further down the pass, a crow caw in the distance. A well-used signal. The soldiers and militia is closing in.

Captured

Black River, the big port town. The town where Sammy working. I been locked up behind bars in the workhouse gaol, but him never even try to come and visit. Black River have a big court, just like up in Montego Bay, and the court trials been going on for weeks. Slaves herded in, sentenced, herded out. Most to them death. Now is my turn. I been sitting in the courtroom since early morning. I know what to expect since I already been in a courtroom, all those years ago. Should be different, but isn’t, and in the end I come to understand is going be all the same. The legal man start off by telling the court why I is there, what I done. Use plenty big words to describe a simple action – I pick up arms to fight for freedom.

‘William Buchanan, you have been brought to this bar and tried for rebellion, rebellious conspiracy and arson.’

Yes, that’s right. I want to be a free man. They make it sound like is an evil thing. Is just like backra to put on blinders, the way we put them on a horse so they can only see in one way and one way only. I know if they was in chains, they going fight for freedom too.