Nyame was asleep when she heard the cry of pain from a another man. Then, she was being dragged out of bed by her legs off of her cot. They were all lined up on the outside. Dongo, her friend, who she was helping to learn how to read as Johnson had taught her, was being tied up to be whipped.

"I caught this animal on the outside with a piece of paper, like he tryna read!" Busha barked at them.

"Now I don't want you animals to think you can outsmart us and try to rebel. Animals can't read can they?" He directed towards Johnson who had come out when he heard the commotion.

"Can they?!" He demanded an answer. Johnson nodded his head stiffly.

"Right! Now I want to know who else, here is trying to read?!" No one stepped forward. Dongo was struck with the leather whip. His cry echoed through the valley. He asked again "who else here can read?! Step forward or he suffers!" Dongo cried out again when the whip sliced his skin. Nyame shifted as guilt grew inside her. She couldn't let Dongo die because of her. She was about to step forward when Dongo waled. Johnson shook his head just enough for her to see in the dimly lit area. She stopped. She just stood there and watched as her friend was whipped mercilessly. Each strike sliced through her heart. How could she do this?

Johnson could do nothing but watch his cruel father whip this man until his body went limp. He couldn't cry anymore, he would make no more sound. He hung loosely from his wrists, blood dripping down his back. Yet he kept beating him as if this was his favourite hobby. Johnson watched the agony on Nyame as one of the junior overseers took a whip against each slave. When Nyame was struck she fell to her knees. He struck her again before moving on to the next. When he administered the punishment they dragged them inside and tied them up. Bound their hands and legs so they could do nothing but cry.

Johnson vowed that night that he would save her from that torment. He would do everything in his power to set her free, even if it cost him his life.