life's a battle field

chapter 2 :Gone Fishing

                    Ten years later

I lay on my bed. Weak with hunger. It had been over a week since I'd eaten anything.

Alot had chandged in the ten years since that terrible evening. Ever since the north concered the south alot was different. For one thing they closed all the shops. This made getting food harder.

Another thing that happened was all the men were forced to work in the factory. They worked long grueling getting no pay. But what pay would you need when you only get out once a year. The workers got out for 5 hours on their birthday. Thats all. 5 hours to see their families before they were once again locked behide the factory wall.

There was one good thing about working in the factory though. All the workers had their families provided for. The north gave them food, clothes and warmth. They also lived in nice houses. Life wasn't all good for these famlies though. Any young boys were sent to the factory to live with their fathers. The girls were sent to a special school where they would learn how to take care of their husbands. Their husbends were of course from the north and the marriage was arranged by the school.

Dad decided it was best for us all if he didn't go. We lived of fruit and vegetables we found in the woods as weel as anything else we could catch. Very few famlies lived like this but we weren't alone.

My stomach grows. Im so hunger. It was just at that moment I hear foot steps. Damian comes bounding over to my bed.

"Robyn, Robyn, you have to get up."

Where does he get his energy. He's always running every where and eats no more than the rest of us.

"What are you still laying around for come on"

"But Damian I'm too hungry to do anything today, can't it wait till Dad finds us some food."

"Ok" he puffs "let me rephrase that, come with me if you want to eat tonight."

What could he mean? Theres no food around at all. Its nearly winter. I sit up in the bed as if to hear better.

"Do you remember that little strem we used to play in when we were kids."

"Yes." I replyed in wondering tone.

"Well, I went to it this morning and it's just full of fish for the taking."

I was suddenly excited. I jumped out of bed and threw on my old leather boots. I ran to the kitchen where Dad was reading the newspaper. Mum was sitting bolt up straight in her chair across from him.

"Did you hear about the Barnes family?" Dad said. The atmosphere grew tense.  Mum looked at him with tear filled eyes.

"You don't think?" She sobbed.

It was at that at that moment she spotted Damian and I lurching in the shawdow of the door way. We knew she had seen us as she was wiping away her tears and weakly smiling. I decided there was no use in hiding so I ventured forth, Damian followed.

"Is it ok if Damian and I miss our chores today. Damian found some fish and we want to go bring you back some food."

Mum and Dad smiled weakly. There was something strange going on.

"Of course." Said my mother, still smiling weakly. "Spend as long as want."

I thank her and walk out the door slowly as so to hear what was in the paper that was so bad. As I closed the door fully I heard them talking but I only heard muffles of speech before Mum started to sob.

We moved quickly as to avoid the guards view. We ran across the street and into the woods. From the safety on the bushes, I watched rhe army of small girls walking to the tall grey building. They wore dull grey uniforms and had two pig tails that were perfectly plaited.

I watched until they got to the building. I often wondered what could have happened if dad had decided to work in the factory and I had to go to that school. I shake the thought from my mine and start walking throught the woods.

It wasn't long till we reached the strem. Damian was right, I could see the fish leaping for joy. We retrieved the rods from are old hiding place, inside the big knot hole in the old oak tree. The rods were just as I remembered them, just branches with some twine and an old bent nail. We never complained, they worked thats all we needed.

We filled our sack full of fish and also gathered some berries that we seen on a near by bush.

As we made our journey home something didn't feel right. There was an uncomfortable silemce. We came to the shack and opened the door. There was no sign of life. We looked around and called them but there was no reply. There was no note, no sign of a struggle and no sign of forceed entry

They were gone