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MidReal Story
The Runaway Slave Who Became My Teacher
Scenario:It was Monday, August 26, 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia live a woman name Gabrielle Summer and at the age 18 she own her own little cute cafe. She notice how people was treating the black people and so she make her mission to save some from the pure evil in the world. Gabrielle was a very rich teen as she owner her land and house that she made a safe haven. She made it that no one can just enter her land without asking her first.
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Gabrielle Summer
She is a 18yearold cafe owner in Jamestown, Virginia. She is compassionate, independent, and determined. Raised by a strict governor, Gabrielle developed a strong sense of justice. She witnesses the harsh treatment of African slaves and decides to create a safe haven on her land, welcoming only those who need refuge. Her cafe becomes a secret sanctuary, and she forms close relationships with her tutors and a mysterious black boy named Silas, who teaches her to read and write.
Leonard
He is Gabrielle's tutor and housekeeper. He is diligent, respectful, and supportive. Leonard was hired by Gabrielle's parents to care for her after they passed away. He takes his responsibilities seriously and helps Gabrielle with her studies, particularly with reading and writing. Leonard is impressed by Gabrielle's determination and intelligence. He often provides her with news from the world outside Jamestown, fostering her sense of justice and contributing to her mission of creating a refuge.
Silas
He is a runaway slave who finds refuge in Gabrielle's cafe. He is brave, kind, and resourceful. Silas teaches Gabrielle how to read and write in secret, as he is forbidden from teaching others. He shares his own story of being enslaved and escapes to Jamestown seeking freedom. Silas forms a deep bond with Gabrielle, trusting her with his deepest fears and hopes. Together, they plan Silas's next steps toward freedom in Jamestown.
It was a lovely Monday morning, August 26, 1619 in Jamestown, Virginia.
I woke up early in the morning by a bird chirping at my window.
I stretch and yawn before standing up from my bed to get myself ready for the day.
I am Gabrielle Summer, an 18yearold cafe owner.
I am one of the richest teen in Jamestown, Virginia.
I have my own land and house which I made a rule that no one is allowed to enter my land without asking me first.
I have tutors living with me; they are my housekeeper and tutors.
My name is Gabrielle but they call me Gabby.
I am lucky to have been raised by strict parents who are the governor and governor's wife of Jamestown, Virginia.
They made sure I got educated which is not common for a woman to be educated back in those days.
Although they passed away when I was little, I continued with my education with the help of my tutors.
I learned how to read and write very well, thanks to my tutors and a certain black boy who will be discussed later.
After getting ready, I went downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.
"Good morning," I said with a smile to Leonard who was already at the table eating.
"Good morning Miss Gabrielle," he replied before taking a bite of his food.
I sat down at the wooden table across from Leonard, watching as steam rose from my bowl of porridge.
The morning sun streamed through the kitchen window, casting long shadows across the floor.
As Leonard dabbed his mouth with a cloth napkin, I leaned forward and asked, "Any news from town?"
Leonard's expression shifted, becoming more serious as he set his spoon down.
"There was a sighting yesterday evening," he began, his voice measured.
"A group of ships were spotted approaching the harbor."
My grip on my spoon tightened slightly.
"Merchant vessels, you think?" "That's what they seem to be," Leonard replied, his eyes meeting mine.
"But there are whispers that they carry more than just goods."
I felt a shiver run down my spine at the implication.
Rumors had been circulating about the increasing number of enslaved people being brought to Jamestown.
It was a topic that weighed heavily on my mind, especially with the recent arrival of a young black boy named Silas.
His haunted eyes still lingered in my memory, a constant reminder of the injustices that plagued our world.
"When are they expected to arrive?" "They should dock by midday," Leonard answered, his brow furrowing with concern.
"As for how many ships... it's hard to say. The sailors who spotted them said there were at least three, possibly four."
I nodded thoughtfully, considering the implications of such an arrival.
The weight of the unknown pressed upon me as I resolved to uncover the truth behind those sails.
After breakfast, I headed to my cafe to start preparing for the day's service.
The scent of fresh bread wafted through the air as I entered the kitchen.
I began kneading the dough with a bit more force than necessary, trying to work out the tension that had settled in my shoulders.
My mind wandered back to Leonard's news about the ships.
William, my cafe assistant, bustled around, arranging cups and plates on the counter.
He chattered on about the latest town gossip, but I barely registered his words.
My gaze drifted out the window to the harbor in the distance.
As the morning progressed, I could see the dark shapes of the ships growing larger with each passing hour.
My hands trembled slightly as I slid the freshly baked bread into the oven.
The memory of Silas's haunted expression when he first arrived flashed through my mind.
After the bread was done, I wiped the flour from my hands and told William to keep an eye on the cafe while I stepped out.
Walking through the dusty streets of Jamestown, I kept my head held high, just as Father had taught me.
Despite my confident stride, my heart pounded in my chest with every step closer to the harbor.
The docks were already bustling with townsfolk eager to catch a glimpse of the approaching ships.
I recognized some of the faces in the crowd - merchants, craftsmen, and even the baker who ran a rival cafe.
Standing at the edge of the wharf, I gripped my parasol tightly against the warm breeze.
The first ship drew closer, its sails billowing with the wind.
As it came into view, I could make out figures moving about on its deck.
Standing at the wharf's edge, I squinted against the morning sun to study the ship more carefully.
The vessel's weathered hull crept closer, and I took small steps forward, drawn by the movement on the deck.
Through gaps in the crowd, I noticed several men in fine clothes directing others around the ship.
My eyes drifted across their faces until I froze, recognizing one figure near the stern.
Though thinner than I remembered, with new lines etched around his eyes, there stood Henry - my former writing tutor who had disappeared three months ago.
He seemed to sense my gaze and turned in my direction.
His eyes widened in shock as he spotted me in the crowd.
I could see a mix of emotions flicker across his face - surprise, guilt, and something darker.
I pushed through the crowd to get closer to the ship's railing, ignoring the disapproving glances from other onlookers.
The deck bustled with activity as sailors secured ropes and merchants prepared to unload cargo.
Henry quickly turned away when our eyes met, moving toward the ship's stern where several men huddled around what appeared to be a regular cargo hatch.
But something seemed off about their movements - too careful, too secretive.
As they shifted positions, I glimpsed an unusual metal latch beneath the wooden planks, different from the standard cargo holds I'd seen on trading vessels.
I lingered at the harbor as the crowd thinned, pretending to examine cargo manifests while keeping a watchful eye on the suspicious men.
They seemed to be waiting for something, or someone.
As the sun climbed higher, they finally moved away from the hatch to join the others for their midday meal.
I seized my chance, gripping my skirts tightly as I climbed the gangplank.
The deck boards creaked under my feet as I made my way to where I'd seen the metal latch.
My hands trembled slightly as I knelt down, making sure no one was watching.
The mechanism was intricate - nothing like the simple latches on trading vessels.
With a deep breath, I pressed the latch, and the hidden compartment sprang open to reveal a cache of forbidden letters.
I froze, clutching the letters against my chest as Henry's shadow fell over me on the deck.
My fingers trembled against the weathered papers while he stepped closer, his boots scraping the wooden planks.
Through the open hatch, salt air rushed up from the hold, carrying a faint metallic scent that made my stomach turn.
Henry's familiar face looked different now - harder, with none of the warmth from our writing lessons.
When he reached for the letters, I pulled them tight against my chest, feeling the rough edges dig into my palms.
"Why, Henry?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the sound of the waves.
He hesitated, eyes darting between the letters and my face, before finally speaking.
"These letters... they're not just words on paper; they're the key to everything we've been fighting for."
My hands trembled as I extended the bundle of letters toward Henry.
The papers rustled in the sea breeze while his cold eyes studied my face.
I forced myself to maintain eye contact, though my heart raced beneath my calm exterior.
As he reached for the documents, I deliberately held on for an extra moment, making him pause.
"I expect answers," I said firmly, channeling Father's authoritative tone.
Only after Henry gave a slight nod did I release my grip on the letters.
He quickly tucked them into his coat, glancing nervously at the harbor beyond the ship's rail.
"Meet me at the old lighthouse tonight," he murmured, his voice low and urgent.
I nodded, my mind racing with questions I couldn't yet ask.
"Bring no one, and trust no one," he added, before turning sharply and disappearing into the crowd.
Back in my private study, I spread the letters I'd secretly copied across my desk.
My fingers trembled as I traced the unfamiliar script, the afternoon sun casting long shadows through the window.
The words blurred together, a mix of strange symbols and English phrases that made no sense.
My writing lessons with Silas had taught me to recognize patterns, but many passages remained indecipherable.
As the hours passed, I heard Leonard's footsteps outside the door.
I quickly covered the papers with a ledger, my heart pounding in my chest.
The knock came, and I called out for him to enter.
Leonard brought a tray of tea and small cakes, his eyes curious but not intrusive.
"Anything else you need, miss?" he asked, setting the tray on my desk.
I shook my head, forcing a smile.
"No, thank you. Just leave me to my work."
He nodded and left, closing the door behind him.
I took a deep breath and uncovered the letters once more. The code was complex - a mix of letters and symbols that seemed to shift meaning with each new line.
But as I studied them closer, patterns began to emerge.
It spoke of ship routes and cargo counts, of secret meetings and hidden passages.
My stomach turned as I pieced it all together - these weren't just ordinary letters; they were messages from a world beyond our own.
I carefully transcribed each letter into my journal, determined to have evidence before confronting Henry again.
The sun dipped low outside my window, casting long shadows across the room.
I closed the journal, knowing tonight would change everything.
I sat hunched over my desk, squinting at the coded letters in the dim candlelight, when a thunderous crash jolted me upright.
My quill skittered across the page, leaving an ugly black streak.
Heavy footsteps pounded down the hallway toward my study.
Frantically, I gathered the letters, shoving them beneath a loose floorboard under my desk that I'd discovered last winter.
The footsteps grew louder as I scrambled to appear natural, grabbing my ledger and pretending to review the day's cafe receipts.
My heart hammered against my ribs as the brass doorknob began to turn.
The door creaked open and I exhaled with relief at the sight of Silas's familiar face, though his wide eyes and tense posture made my stomach clench.
He slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind him.
Through the window, shadows moved across the garden - unfamiliar figures prowling the grounds.
Silas gestured to a panel in the wall that I'd never noticed before, blending seamlessly into the bookshelves.
"I discovered this while cleaning," he whispered urgently, his voice trembling.
"It's a hidden passage. We have to go now."
My hands shook as I retrieved the letters from beneath the floorboard and followed Silas to the wall.
With one last glance at the flickering candlelight, I stepped into the darkness, leaving everything I knew behind.
Following Silas through the narrow passage, I held my candle close while clutching the letters against my chest.
The rough stone walls pressed in around us, and the air was heavy with dampness.
As we descended deeper beneath my house, the silence seemed to swallow us whole.
Suddenly, Silas stopped dead in his tracks, and I collided with his back, nearly dropping my candle.
"What is it?" I whispered urgently.
He didn't respond, his hand reaching out to feel along the wall.
Then, a small gasp escaped his lips as his fingers caught on something - a metal ring partially embedded in the stone.
Without a word, he motioned for me to help him pull it.
Together, we tugged until a section of the wall creaked open, revealing a small alcove.
Inside sat an ornate wooden chest adorned with intricate carvings and brass fittings that glinted in our candlelight.
My heart pounded as Silas carefully lifted the lid. We both gasped at what lay inside - countless gold coins filled the chest to the brim, their surfaces untarnished as if recently placed there.
I exchanged a stunned glance with Silas, my mind racing with questions.
Who could have hidden this treasure here?
And why?
As we stood there, mesmerized by the glittering gold, heavy footsteps echoed through the ceiling above us - men's voices muffled but urgent.
Silas turned to me, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and excitement.
"We can't take it all, but we need proof," he whispered, reaching for a handful of coins.
I nodded, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my chest. "Let's get out of here before they find us."