𝚆𝚊𝚒𝚝 𝙵𝚘𝚛 𝙸𝚝 - 𝙽𝚎𝚠𝚜𝚒𝚎𝚜

Chapter 4

1896, Davey's POV

Me and Philippa had been a couple since that day. I had been feeling that way about her since I first met her, when we were 5 years old. After that day, I didn't see her again until Les was born. Sarah was the first and only person I'd told about my feelings for Philippa. I missed her everyday. She told me once she was old enough she would move to Manhattan so we could be together. I just hoped it would be soon.

Philippa's POV

I tucked my letter away in my dress pocket. "Philippa?" "Yes Ms. Eden?" "Come with me please." She brought me to her office, where Helena was sitting. I sat next to her. "Adeliza and Cecelia are gone." They're missing too? First Oscar, Skye, and Morris, now Adeliza and Cecelia. Talulah wasn't here anymore either, she had been adopted earlier this year. "What?" "I'm sorry, they went missing this morning." "This can't be happening..." I got up and ran outside, to the lake side. I couldn't think clearly, tears blurring my vision.

Throughout the years I've always wondered where the children that went missing went. They could all be dead. One of my best friends and now my cousins, who were more like sisters to me. Why does this keep happening?

I'm just gonna skip to 1899 now where things really kick off.

Davey's POV

So much had changed in just a few months. First, dad died in a factory accident. We all had to find jobs, me and Les started this job, and Sarah began her factory job, but it still was hardly enough. Just 2 months later, mom and Sarah became ill with typhoid. Mom didn't make it. We moved into the lodging house, because after mom and dad died we were evicted from the apartment. The only good thing that had happened was Philippa said in one of her letters she'd come to Manhattan in November. Then we got the news. Sarah died in a factory accident too. It was just us now. Les was all I had left of my family.

Les had been crying on me for several hours, and I just felt so horrible for him. Almost our entire family was gone within the same year, and he's just a kid. I hugged him a little tighter, still crying myself. And I guess some part of me was scared I would lose him too. Elowen rushed back into the lodging house, with a terrified expression. She had several bruises and had an open cut across her collar bone, she was sobbing her eyes out.

Les had fallen asleep in my arms, so I just laid him down on the bed, kissing his forehead. I pulled the blanket over him, and left to go see what happened. I went over to Elowen. "Elowen, what happened?" Jack asked her. "Elmer- he- he- he's in the refuge. We got jumped by some refuge guards coming back. Elmer couldn't get away in time. I tried to help him I'm sorry I-" "It's okay, it's not your fault."

That wasn't the first time this month this had happened. Refuge guards would try to jump and capture kids on the street for no apparent reason, except so Snyder could make more money. It was horrible, Elmer couldn't have done anything to deserve that. Once Jack cleaned and bandaged her cut, she went off to her bunk.

Jack and I went off to the side to talk. "You okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine." I lied. "What are we gonna do about Elmer?" I asked him. I didn't want to talk about Sarah, it hurt just to think about her. "I don't know. I'll figure something out. Get some sleep, okay?" Les was still asleep on my bed, so I just laid down on the floor, trying to drift off to sleep.

Philippa's POV

Now that I was 17, I decided it was time to move to Manhattan. Isla and Helena agreed to go with me. I had gotten a letter from Davey a couple months back that Sarah had died. It really was sad, hearing about her death, as she was only 18. I hadn't seen her in years, but I still missed her. I sat with them in the train station. Talulah sent me a letter after she was adopted that Manhattan was where her new home was, so I'd get to see her again too. "All aboard!" I grabbed my suitcase, and boarded the train.

The train ride was uneventful, and we arrived in Manhattan after a few hours. I showed up outside the lodging house, and knocked on the door. "Philippa!" Davey pulled me close to him as we kissed. "It's been so long! I missed you!" Les walked over to me, and I hugged him. "Hey Les. I'm happy to see you again."

"So, how are you holding up?" I asked Davey, as we walked alongside one another. "It's been a hard year, I still can't believe mom, dad, and Sarah are gone. I've been doing my best to be there for Les, I mean he's just a kid." "I understand, I lost my parents too. Helena's all I've had for years." "I mean I don't even know what I'd do if I lost him too. I mean Elmer was taken to the Refuge earlier this week. More kids have been captured off the streets, they almost got Elowen too."

"We should do something about it." He stopped. "What do you mean?" "Like a protest, to get the Refuge shut down. We can't let more innocent kids suffer, I've already lost my cousins and one of my friends to that place, and I can't lose anyone else. So what do you say Davey?" He paused for a moment. "Philippa, I think you're onto something."