The Year of June (Star Warrior)

Chapter 7: when they came

They sat around the dining table.
"So. How old are you all?" Pablo asked, putting a spoonful of mashed potato into his mouth.
"I'm nearly ten!!" Saffron said, happily. "Tamson and June are fourteen and my brother Chip is turning sixteen in exactly four days and," she paused to look at her watch," fifteen hours and eight minutes."
"And what about you Lawbridge?" Pablo asked.
Lawbridge put down his fork and sighed.
"Old enough old friend," Lawbridge chuckled.
"Fifty four!" June butted in. "He's fifty four!"
Pablo nodded. Chip had been silent throughout the dinner and moved his food around his plate with his fork.
They had been working all day on the money farm, picking notes off trees and coins off bushes. June's hands were sore and her body ached.
"So does the government know about your money farm? Surely they would want it!" Tamson said, frowning.
"Well not exa-"
There was a loud knock on the door. Pablo's eyes widened. He looked scared.
"Go upstairs! Hide! Lets go, lets go, pretend no one lives here!" Pablo whispered loudly, there was panic in his voice.
"I'll take that as a no," Tamson said under his breath. June smirked. They rushed up stairs and Pablo ushered them into the cupboard. It was small but they all fitted.
June held her breath as she heard the door being kicked down, the sound of guns clicking into place and the footsteps of soldiers going up the stairs.