I lay on the soft river bank as my body reflects from the hot beaming sun. I will have to go back soon, back to the never ending pain of reality. Mollie and charley are waiting back home with their empty bellies I need to fill. Disappointment will rush threw them when I tell them it will be only the few remaining vegetables back home and a bit of rodent. Maybe Tyler could help but he's helped enough. He has to feed his brothers and sisters too. I force myself to get up, to return. I walk back into the village. I get some smiles here and there from the more grateful people of the population and the thew glares of the people who envy me. Only because I'm the daughter of the woman who is married to the richest man in the village. My useless mother who hasn't even spoken to me since I was six so I don't see why they would be jealous I get the Same amount or money as them. Wait, no even less.Nine years have passed since my last conversation with my mother so I'm used to the glares and strares. And because of her leaving me, my brother and sister I now know that life isn't heaven, it's hell and we are all going to rot here until the never ending war becomes to a holt. "Is that all you've got love? To feed those kiddies?" Sarah haven, the woman who has been there for me through thick and thin. This woman standing In front of me with her yellow dirty dress is a life saver, a true hero! If it wasn't for her who knows where I would be? Dead probably. I shrug and start to approach her. She puts her arm around my shoulder which gives me a bit of comfort. "Think you deserve four or five strawberries, on the house of course!" I smile and nod. I haven't had strawberries in ages and I'm sure those two back home will love one or two. At least I don't feel to guilty about not returning home with a proper meal. Sarah goes up to her store and picks the most freshest juiciest strawberries and places them into a small bag. Strawberries are a luxury here. If I wasn't so lucky I would have to pay ten or twelve pounds for that, most of my savings. She passes me the bag and half smiles. I know what that face is for, she feels sorry for me. My mum left me, my dad is out at war and probably won't return and I'm up to my neck with work, school, feeding my family and making sure there is a roof over our heads. "Your dad not returned?" My dad, out in the world war. Could be dead for all I know. When did I last receive one of his letters? Two years ago I think. That's when I had Emily help looking after us in the day since I was only thirteen. She sadly passed away though. Just after I turned 14. "No." I say with no hope in my voice. She pats my back and rubs my shoulder. " It will all be over soon Elizabeth, it will all be over soon." She loosens her grip around my arm and I start heading back down the road. I see a newspaper on the floor and decided to take a quick look before I get home. The first thing I see is the big title informing me that I was right not having hope on the warriors fighting for me, for us for our country and kingdom. I don't even want to look at the numbers of deaths. I know there is only bad news to come and soon we will be evacuated to a secret place where we can't be bombed or tortured. I should prepare myself for what's to come, prepare my brother and my sister. Only if I could find a way to escape. I lay the newspaper back on to the ground and pull my keys from my pocket. As I enter I already see those two sat by the fire playing with marbles. They rush to see me, cling to my arms. Charley, he is six years old and already knows all the names of the guns he may have to use in later life. Molly fours years of age. She can't even remember her father and her mum well she died along time ago. Only charley remembers her. She was one if those wicked step mums you read in books but worse. If it wasn't for Emily looking after us I would of gone insane. I place the food on the table and both of their small fingers reach into the bag. A big o shapes forms on their lips. The strawberries. "After tea," I say pulling the bag from their reach. "Charley please pass me the bag of vegetables." He stands their arms crossed and a massive pout on his face,
"Not vegetables, their mouldy." He says his chocolate brown eyes still locked with my bright blue ones. "I will scrape the mould off, that's all we have got for now." I say with a bit of a harsh tone. If I could place new food on their plates I would but I can't. They will have to deal with it as much as I will. However he stills gives me the food. And I can smell the off smell bouncing off them. Could i really be doing this? Even though the smell is vile I scape of any bits of fluff growing on it and start to boil them. I look to my left to see mollie reading her book. I smile, she's so beautifully innocent. She tells me about her school day and how she learnt about the different flowers and plants. Which where safe to eat and which where not. This could possibly help. Instead of buying the veg from the market we could simply grow are own or find some. At least the school has given them some useful knowledge. I serve the food and we tuck in.
