Stave 1
Slam! Crash! Eddie ducked behind an old garbage can. If the baker caught him, Eddie would be in prison, so the baker said.
"Come outta there, you thief! If ya don't, you'll be payin' for your horrible acts in prison, lad!" the baker's voice hollered.
Eddie crouched lower behind the boxes and trash. I only wanted some bread, Eddie thought. I haven't eaten in so long!
The old man finally gave up an trudged back inside. The second Eddie saw the baker leave, he scrambled down the alleyway, across an abandoned street, down toward the boat docks, around the bay, and finally to some sort of lean-to made of driftwood, fishing nets, and rags. Nine-year-old Eddie huddled against a pile of rags he had smuggled from the tailor's alley. He gobbled up half of the bread, then softly called out to a small figure in the shadows.
"Anne! Anne! I've brought some bread!"
From behind the fishing net approached a small girl, about age six, dressed in rags. Her blue-green eyes shone from under what seemed to be blond wispy curls. The child, barefoot, gingerly stepped out from hiding.
"Eddie?" she whispered.
"Here ya go!" Eddie handed her a slice.
Anne wolfed it down, and a wave of relief washed over her. With kind eyes, she studied her brother. The boy was also dressed in rags, barefoot, and had pure hazel eyes. His golden curls were just barely visible from under an old cap he found in an alley. His full name, Edward Paul Haynes, was a fearsome reminder of his father, who had the same name. He used "Eddie" instead.
"Eddie, is there more?" Anne asked.
"Sorry, Annie. That's all."
"Oh. Okay. Eddie?"
"Yeah?"
"What were Mama and Papa like?"
"I told you one hundred times!"
"Please?" Anne begged.
"Oh, all right. Mama looked just like you, just older. She was very gentle an' kind."
"Really?"
"Yes. Papa looked somewhat like me, except his hair was straight an' brown. He was pretty nice, too. I remember he took us to church every Sunday in his cart. That was fun, licking the ice from the ice cart in the summertime."
"I love you, Eddie."
"And me you. Now go to sleep."
"Yes, sir." She snuggled against the pile of rags.
Eddie carefully wrapped rags around her feet and hands so they wouldn't freeze. He did the same to himself, and dozed off to sleep.