There were a lot of children that were homeless. I saw some everyday, and my sister saw even more than I did. Republic City was no longer sparkling and new to us, rather, it glowed faintly.

Ever since we ran away- my sister and I- we've been hungry. We've been cold and tired and wet, too. My sister, who is fourteen and very pretty, goes out to try to get food a lot. She likes the garbage cans behind a noodle house the best, because noodles are filling and people order to much, and there are always extra in the trash. Plus, right next door is the bakery, and the baker likes my sister. He'll always give her a bun or two when he sees her.

My sister is also an earthbender. She's very strong. It's fun when I get to have a mini earthquake, just for me… and sometimes, she'll lift a rock when I'm on it. But that's about all she can do.

…

My brother is waiting for me, and I know I need to get back soon. I grin a little when I think of what'll be in store for us tonight.

You see, today I saw an earthbender teaching random earthbenders basic moves for a penny or two. I never really got to learn earthbending, I just made up some moves on my own. I wasn't very powerful. And what I really, really wanted to learn was how to bury oneself into the ground. We could make a little underground shelter, my brother and I, and no longer be cold. We'd stay dry, and we wouldn't get mugged.

My brother was mugged last spring, and he's been afraid ever since. I don't blame him; I'd be afraid and I'm four years older than him.

But now he wouldn't have to worry anymore.

"Okay. Now do this," the earthbender said, and I studied him. When he was done I did what he had done; I jumped up and landed, planting my feet on the ground and thrusting my hands downward. A square of about nine feet by nine feet below me sunk into the ground, and, when I was down about ten feet, I twisted and moved to the left, and a wall of earth covered the hole. I grinned. A candle and a carpet and we'd have a bed and light. I moved to the right and then lowered myself, bringing my body- and my hands- upward. I came up, and the earthbender smiled. He was missing three teeth and hadn't shaved in a week, but he was nice enough.

"Thank you!" I said, and pulled out a penny I had found earlier and gave it to him. I needed to get home; it was dark now and my little brother would begin to get scared.

He continued to hold out his hand; and I frowned. I gave him my last penny, (I was lucky today; I had found both of those in a gutter,). He continued to hold out his hand.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't have any more…" I looked at the ground. He laughed. His laughed was hard, and I cringed a little.

"That's alright." He said, and I looked up. His eyes were hard, and his mouth was twisted into a sick smile. I took a step back, remembering the tales I had heard about the streets.

"You're a very pretty girl…" he murmured. "You can repay me in some other way…"

And, before I could scream, I was swallowed in the earth. I heard his laugh, and I closed my eyes…

…

"You're home!" I had been worried about my sister all day. She had left when the light had begun to shine, and it had been a long time since it had grown dark. She offered a weak smile, and tossed a box at me.

"Here," she said. "I got three rolls today. No noodles." I sat down and started to eat quickly, saving a roll and half the noodles for her.

"I have something else for you," she said. She stepped into the light a nearby street lamp offered her, and I noticed she was more disheveled than usual. I didn't think about it anymore, though, when she jumped up and came down, and made a hole in the ground.

"Get in," she said, and I hopped in. The hole was deeper than I had expected, and I fell and a wave of hurt made its way up my legs. It stopped, though, soon after.

She leaped in after me, and moved in a way that made a ceiling come over us. I laughed and clapped in delight when a candle was lit. She smiled wearily at me.

"Tomorrow I'm going to get a carpet of some sort. Okay?" I nodded. "For now we can just curl up in a corner." The walls were smooth, and she sat down. I went and laid against her.

"I wish I was an earthbender." I said, and then paused. "No, wait. I wish I was a waterbender. No! An airbender. No, no! Wait! A firebender!" I shouted, and jumped up. My sister laughed a little as I twirled and punched the air. "That would be so cool!" I finished showing her the moves I would use as a firebender and sat back down.

My sister pulled me closer. "Let's go to sleep now." I closed my eyes, and pretended to be asleep. Sometimes, when I pretend like I'm asleep, I'll hear my sister talking to Mom. She never talks to Dad, though. I asked her about Dad once, because I don't really remember him. She just tightened her lips and said, "He was a terrible, terrible man." I think he killed Mom.

But she didn't talk tonight. Tonight she just cried.

I fell asleep to her quiet sobbing sounds.