Chapter 1

The Beginning

“Mom, should I heat this up?” said Elizabeth.

“Sure.” said Mom.

Mom and Max were both sitting at the dining room table, while Elizabeth was finishing dinner. Elizabeth could take care of the family just about as good as Mom. Max had already set the table.

“Mom, when will Andre be born?” said Max. Andre was a little baby that Mom was going to have. Max could not wait for him to be born.

“Soon, Max, soon.” said Mom sadly. She was afraid for some reason. She had already had had Elizabeth and Max. She just wasn’t so sure about Andre. She wasn’t sure about Andre because there was a war going on between the British and the Americans, except this war was in America. Elizabeth’s, Max’s, and soon to be Andre’s Dad was in the war. By then Elizabeth was already done with dinner and they were eating.

“When’s Daddy coming home?” Max said. Max’s favorite thing to do was ask questions.

“I don’t know. Now hurry up with your dinner. When you’re finished go get ready for bed and call me when you’re ready. I’ll be up there in a minute.”

Going up the stairs was more like climbing a mountain to Mom.

Just like she said, she came upstairs after

Elizabeth and Max called for her and tucked them both in. They shared a room. They each had their own side. The family didn’t have enough money to buy a bigger house. Every night after Mom goes back downstairs Elizabeth and Max talk to each other. Tonight’s topic was Dad and the war.

“Do you know when Daddy’s coming home?” Max said

“No. Nobody knows when Daddy’s coming home.” said Elizabeth.

“I miss him.” There was a moment of silence.

 “Why is Mommy worried about us being threatened?”

“You heard that?”

“I hear all.”

“Okay. But you can’t tell Mom because she thought you would get scared by it.”

“I won’t tell.”

“Do you know what threatened means?” Max was just a little kid. Elizabeth didn’t think he knew many words.

“Yes.” Elizabeth was amazed.

“Mom thinks that we are going to get hurt or threatened because Dad is the general.”

“Why would we get hurt or threatened?”

“Because the British are the bad guys and they’ll do anything to win the war. Now I’m getting tired. Go to sleep.” Elizabeth meant to end tonight early. She thought this was getting too far. Finally, they went to sleep. 

             

Story by: Kayla - Age10