Characters


 * Main Characters**

**Afrika** is a run away slave. She is heading to Canada to be free. On her way she runs into many different trials. And on top of everything she had a stillborn baby. She is 14 years old and had many trust issues, which is understandable for the lifestyle she lives. She is on her own throughout the story untill she runs into Captain Brigg's who helps her along the way. Which was odd since he is a white man. She goes to a house that was apart of the Underground Railroad where she meets Lucy who took over her grandfather home. They became great friends once Afrika became free, which was good for both of them since they had pretty crazy lives. For Afrika being a slave she was actually pretty smart. Like in the part where the run slave catchers came to capture her, she tricked them and they died so she got away.


 * Lucy ** is a unusual teen girl. She's not as girly as most teen girls are. She would rather hangout with her grandfather than help plan her sisier's wedding. As time goes on in the book Lucy become very close with her grandfather and after he dies she changes as a person. She distants herself from her family. Lucy doesn't have many friends so once her grandfather passes she is kind of on her own. Later on she meets Afrika and they become close friends, but intill then Lucy just has her family. But soon enough Lucy finds herself helping slaves escape, which becomes a big part in the book. We see a very different side of Lucy that we did not see in the beginning of the book. She was not the one to open up to anyone but once she got to know Afrika she became a different person.

**Minor Characters**


 * Lucy's Grandfather ** owned a slave house.His house was apart of the underground railroad where Afrika ends up hiding in the grandfather clock. Him and Lucy are very close. He has a special relationship with his granddaughter that no one else has. And no one else really understands why Lucy only would open up to him.


 * Lucy's engaged sister ** is marrying this very successful man. They are planning to have this big beautiful wedding. She thinks that Lucy should help participate with the planning of the wedding but Lucy isn't the girly type so she stays away. Later in the book Lucy told her sister that her fiance cheated on her and that he isn't the right guy for her.


 * Captain Brigg's ** helps Afrika get to an island to help her get to freedom. He is the person that gives Afrika the hush puppies to help her on her lond dangerous journey to safety. He also changes her name to Joe Bill.


 * Two Drunk Men ** are the slave catchers who capture Afrika while she is sleeping behind the haybarrel. They put her in the back of the truck and try to take her back to the plantation, but Afrika is smarter than the drunks. The drunk men are not very bright. They can't tell that Afrika is a girl they think she is a boy.