She held his hand as she walked through the dirty streets. She had no no worries now with his promises of warm meals and soft beds. She had overheard her friends recieve simular promises and they had never came back. Surely they must be happy if they hadn't returned. Maybe she'd even get to see some of them again. The thought of such a reunion added a skip to her small step. He continued on smirking at her joy. Soon they came to smaller streets that she had never seen before. He lead her up one last ally way and in through a small door. Through the door she could hear the last clips of conversations disappear from frightened faces as the large man lead her in. They all stared at her in sorrow as he turned and left. Soon as he was gone the largest of the boys stepped up. We in the chimmney You on the machine Soon you'll feel a new hunger 'tis unlike any you've yet seen Not in your stomach But in heart and soul You feed not your mind Making patchwork and scrubing coal Then another stepped forward rubbing his blackened head. Having reached nine he was the eldest. He spoke softly and with resignation. He speaks the truth We have no fun But we do have porridge When the job is done And no longer do we seach And it no longer enters my head That I may be chased at night When a household objects to their door being my bed A hard nosed girl then came forth. She pushed the older boy and he did not resist. Your porridge is thick water Made from the same dust that you sweep And the bed you speak of Is the perfect place for mice to sleep Such a bed I share with many And only 'cause I am kind Else four others would sleep In what ever pile they might find Then another child came up. His face covered in tumors still wore a smile. He held her hand as he walked her to a small stash of hay poking through its wrapping of linen. Together we keep warm Things are not all that bad For that little warmth Is more than what I once had I have no fear of hunger For thin meals fill a thin bod' And I have no fear of the end For loving lives please loving God The girl was scared for the boy but could not form a frown in front of such a happy smile. She considered what she had learned and decided that she had been naive bit that she had lost nothing. She thought may yet find friends in this bunch. Then came a hush as a small boy was rushed into the room with a large smile on his face.