Benjamin Tucker stood in his masters field looking at what he had left to prepare for planting. He sighed. I work all day in the blazing heat, and I dont get paid a thing. I get fed nothing more than table scraps, and Im given just enough water to survive. Ben Thought. Ben Tucker was a large man, standing at 6"5, and weighing 290 Lbs. He had Hazel-Nut eyes, and had short cropped brown hair. He wore faded blue tattered overalls.

He was a black man, but a very smart black man. Most other slaves like Ben did not know much at all, and could not even read. But Ben had received secret lessons from several white folk, who risked their lives coming to the plantation to teach him, he even risked being killed himself, but that was a risk he and the white people were willing to take. One time his master burst into his bedroom because he was talking to someone. But when he entered the room there was no one there except Ben. Ben had to lie and say he could not sleep. Normally that would not hold up very long, but his master was too tired to find more out, so he accepted it and went back to be.

After that the number of lessons grew fewer and fewer until they stopped altogether. In order to keep it all a secret, he had to talk like he did not know much, but he could talk very eloquently. If he had been a free black man, like several of his old friends he knew were now, he could have been a public speaker.

Besides the way he was treated, Ben enjoyed living on the plantation. It was a beautiful place, as far as Mississippi plantations go.

The plantation was large from a ground point of view. But from up in one of the many trees surrounding trees, all that could be seen for miles, was fields with other slaves working them. Off to the side of the fields grew enormous Oak trees. There were so many of them that, at first sight of the plantation, it could be mistaken for a forest. The house was quite far back from the main road, at the end of a U-shaped driveway. There was a separate driveway going off to the side for the horse and carriage. The stable was at the end of that path. It was close to the house, and needed to be in case of emergencies.

The house itself was two stories tall, with light blue shutters and beige walls, a light brown deck that wrapped around to the back house. To the side was a pair of trees that held up a set of swings for the masters children. One room, on the second story had a balcony that was painted a bright gold.

The house was in pristine shape. The master made sure Ben kept it that way. Ben had quite literally, built the entire plantation from the ground up. He was proud of his work, he just wished he would get paid some money, and fed more food. If it wasnt for his wifes smuggled food, he would probably be dead by now. Ben looked toward the house and saw his master walking toward him.

"Slave!" He yelled. "Slave! Get back to work Slave! I did not tell you, you could stop! Get back to work!" Ben felt tired of listening to his master give orders, but decided to play it safe and talk dumb, just in case that speech was not genuine. "You mean me suh?"

"Yes I mean you! I would like to know what makes you think you can just stop working whenever you feel like it." His anger was obviously apparent. With his whip in his hand he could strike Ben anytime.

"Well suh, what about what that..uh..white man with the long beard and tall hat said?"

His master was caught off guard by the question, and surprised that Ben even knew what Abraham Lincoln said. "Abraham Lincoln?" He asked. Ben nodded. "That speech he gave was a speech, just a speech, nothing more than a speech. That speech did not, I repeat, did NOT free you! It only rallied people to his cause, which is still not enough to beat us. We have the determination that the original 13 colonies had when fighting Britain. We will become our own country, and you and your kind will be slaves until you die!" Master Aarons spat at Bens feet and walked back to the house.

"You may think you have control over me SIR. But when the time comes for me to be free, I will be the one spitting at your feet, and walking away. I will be your equal one day. EQUALITY is a basic human right, and I will have it!" Ben muttered.

Benjamin Tucker stood on the Aarons Plantation field looking at what he had, for the last time, harvested under direct orders. Now he was off to get his own land. He was a free man now. It had been a little more than two years, but a lot had happened in that time. Confederate troops had surrendered to Union troops. The Confederates themselves had nothing left to fight for. They had lost too many battles, although the last battle of the Civil War they won. The Battle of Palamito Ranch. While that battle was being fought the confederate army had been ordered to disband.

Ben was pleased to hear the existence of infantry regiments, comprised completely of blacks. He was stunned and upset when he heard of the death of Abraham Lincoln. The President had been shot in the head on April 15, 1865 while watching a play with his wife. But Ben was later relieved to hear that the army had killed the assassin. And even more happy was he, when he heard of Lincolns speech, "The Emancipation Proclamation" had been made an amendment. He was, by law, a free man. And no man on Earth could take away his LIBERTY. Not one man had control of him now.

Ben looked at the house and saw his former master walking sluggishly toward him. Ben knew that Aarons was defeated and Aarons knew it too.

"Well, I guess you are free now. Even in death your beloved president freed you. Here!" Aarons handed Ben a wad of money. "I have been ordered to pay you for your..." He struggled with the words. "...your year of dedicated service. There! I hope you are happy now! You and I are now equals. Just as you wanted."

Ben shook his head. "No. You and I are not equals. I may have the same rights as you do now, but we are NOT equals. I would never do to anyone what you have done to me. I would never stoop that low." Ben paused to let his words sink in, and then continued. "I just want you to know that you failed in your attempt to establish a place where you could treat us as you wish. I want you to know that you do not have power over me or any other man of my color anymore."

It was apparent that his words hit home. Even more surprised was Aarons at Bens use of proper language. His expression changed from shock to anger.

"Mark my words Boy! You may have learned to speak and maybe even ready, but you will never make it in this world. You will never get a job of any importance. The only thing the government has given you is freedom, not Equality. You were right in saying that we were not equals though. I am better than you, so just watch your back BOY! You might just end up with a dagger in it. Then I will have justice!"

Ben turned to gaze directly into Aarons eyes. He noticed that in them Aarons was quivering. "Do not try to tell me what justice is Mister Aarons. I know about justice and it has been done. JUSTICE is where a person that has been wronged, by another person or persons, has been righted. That, my dear Mister Aarons, is Justice! I may not be a full-fledged citizen yet, but I will be. And when I am, I will do the work of a citizen with my bare hands, while you need servants to pamper you. Well the time has come for me and my wife to leave. I wish you good health so that you may live a long life, and without ever losing a single memory." Ben smiled triumphantly as he gathered up his things and left with his wife.

"You come back here BOY! I am not finished with you yet! Come Back Here!!!!!!"

Ben just kept walking with one thought in his mind. I am free.