jonathan's work

Crack, my jaw but do not complain because that is what I am taught. Steal we are taught but don’t get caught that is what I am taught. Whack! My jaw again. “The commander yelled,“never complain son.”My life a life where they encourage stealing if you don’t get caught. Where violence happens often and people don’t have very may rights. This is my life.

Gasping for breath, oh no there still after me, got to keep going up there. Quickly, I ran up the wall and flew to the side hanging from the rail I hope they don’t see me. “Get that fool, my food, if he gets away i’ll i’ll i’ll ugh!”I have been a theft sense I was 7 it is the only way I can live, they don’t feed me they make me sleep on rough, jagged, and skin cutting wood. The older I get the less I feel. My sisters have been taught to fight at 7. My mother and other women are taught to defend their home when us men go away. Women all over could speak to their husband’s friends. We have lied to slaves and killed them because there was too many because our government was afraid they would rebel and turn on us.

I will soon be helping the army in fighting and conquering other cities. Also I am very scared. We would like to protest against this way but I am to afraid of the punishments my family and I. We don’t really trade because we have big iron blocks that nobody really wants. If we want something we just take it from them. Our slaves can buy their freedom. They way they want me to live is wrong having slaves and being a theft to live is wrong. The abuse people give to their slaves is horrible and the way they make us fight I want to learn I want a good education not one that is all about warfare. My best friend was a slave but I had to kill him because he was stronger than the rest. I live in a place that is right to some people but wrong in my view. I want to go to live a life where i can get more education like in Athens.