3. Breaking Free

“If you wish to get out of prison, the first thing you must do is realize that you are in prison. If you think you are free, you can’t escape.” 

George Gurdjieff 

As the leaves changed colour and fell, time seemed to accelerate, passing by in a blur as Ama remained acutely aware of the dire situation she found herself in. Her days were now consumed with devising a plan to escape this quagmire. There was no longer any doubt in her mind. She was Kofi’s sex slave. The realisation crystallised, leaving her stunned and confused. How did she end up in this position? And how hadn’t he impregnated her? Kofi preferred it raw and refused to withdraw, adding another layer to the tangled web of their twisted relationship. Each night, as he used her for his own pleasure, Ama longed for a way out of this hellish existence.

Winter had finally arrived, and she watched from her window as delicate white snowflakes drifted down from the sky in the second week of winter, blanketing the streets and rooftops in a soft, powdery layer. She longed to go outside and experience this new sensation, but Kofi kept her locked inside. She marvelled at how people could withstand such freezing temperatures. This was an entirely new world, having come from Ghana’s hot and humid tropical region, specifically Begoro, a town in the Ashanti Region. The thought of warm, sunny days seemed like a distant memory as she snuggled deeper into her thick blankets and sipped on a steaming cup of cocoa, content to watch the wintry scene unfold before her eyes.

A few days before Christmas, Kofi received a surprise visit from an elderly woman. Ama knew she was his aunt from the moment Kofi introduced her. During their time together, Kofi revealed that Ama was his “lady friend,” and they all ate a delicious Ghanaian meal that Ama had prepared. As they chatted, the woman became curious about Ama’s background, and to Ama’s surprise, they found out they had a mutual acquaintance. They quickly hit it off, and Ama took a chance and confided in her about her current struggles when Kofi left them to sleep before his next shift.

Kofi’s aunty, Mama Kyeiwaa, as he called her, understood Ama’s predicament and told her not to worry, but she would convince him to find work for her to do in one of the supermarkets in the vicinity. Furthermore, she will persuade Kofi to grant her permission to accompany her to a funeral that weekend.

After a disappointing night together, Kofi finally admitted to Ama that he had agreed to Mama Kyeiwaa’s request for her to attend the funeral with her. Ama’s mood lifted, not due to their intimacy but because it meant she could potentially get away from their current situation.

Despite her plans, fate had different intentions for Ama. At the funeral, she ran into Yaa Brefo, a familiar face from her hometown. Yaa questioned why she hadn’t seen Ama at any of the social gatherings hosted by the Ghanaian community. Yaa prodded Ama until she opened up about her struggles. She made a vow to help her, but first, Ama had to escape from Kofi’s clutches. Yaa shared her contact number and residential address, and she even gave Ama 100 dollars in cash to come to her after she escaped.

As Ama returned home, her heart pounding with excitement and a newfound sense of power, she eagerly engaged in sex with Kofi. Using every technique she had learned in life, she pushed Kofi past his usual 90-second mark, leaving him gasping for air and begging for more. A sly smile spread across her face as Kofi joked about allowing her to attend future funerals, but deep down she knew that this was just the beginning of her exploration into the realm of pleasure and control. This way, she could put her escape plan into action without any suspicion from Kofi.

Using her charm and newfound influence, Ama persuaded Kofi to let her apply for a social security number. He agreed without hesitation, taking a day off to accompany her to the Social Security office downtown. After filling out all the necessary forms and submitting them, all she needed was to wait patiently for her card to arrive in the mail. Kofi had previously hidden her passport upon her arrival in the country, but she eventually found it and retrieved it. She only needed to secure her social security number to implement her plan.

The harsh winter had taken its toll on Ama, who was struggling to stay healthy in the freezing temperatures. Despite having a fever and feeling miserable, Kofi continued to pressure her for sex. Fed up with his demands, Ama finally stood her ground and refused him. This led to a heated argument, with Kofi giving her an ultimatum: either give in to his desires or be forced out of their apartment. Ama attempted to reason with Kofi, but he was acting as if a demon had possessed him. He began throwing Ama’s belongings into the hallway of their apartment building. In a fit of anger, Kofi pushed Ama out of their room and yelled at her, saying that she could come back when she was ready for sex while slamming the door in her face. With tears in her eyes, Ama quickly picked up her few possessions scattered in the hallway, packed them into her suitcase, and left.

As the bitter cold of a winter night settled in, a fiery spark ignited within Ama. Like a small flame struggling to stay alight in the midst of a raging storm, she felt a flicker of defiance and a desperate yearning for freedom. With Yaa Brefo’s mobile number clutched tightly in her hand and a 100-dollar bill from Yaa Brefo tucked safely in her brassiere, she raced through the claustrophobic streets of the Bronx, the vastness of the city stretching before her. The frigid air bit at her skin, and the shadows seemed to whisper secrets as she fled, her heart brimming with determination to leave behind the life she had known. Yet, amidst the fear, a sliver of hope remained. She knew she would survive.