The door was open, but they, the big people, didn’t know. The two young ones crept up the hall way, not sure what was going on. Lilly was afraid so I had to be brave. I took her by the hand and we tip toed to the door way hoping to hear a little about what they might plan; desperate to hear anything that might help them to understand what was happening. Just two little kids afraid of what fate will bring for them; where the next roll of the dice might lead them. 

To stay together was imperative. They had once had a family of their own - ‘Once upon a time….’ Why does that have to be just a fairytale that happens for so many others but never for little Lilly and her big brother Tommy? Life! A luxury for some. There were the really official looking people standing in the corner, they didn’t say much at all. Are they the bad people? Are they the ones who should be feared the most? A whimper escaped Lilly’s lips as the frightened little girl shuddered, her little mind lost in it all. Her big brother squeezed her hand and looked into her eyes bravely. Silent words of comfort and boldness passed on to his sister through his courageous little eyes.

Last meeting there had been talk of splitting them up. At the mention of that a woman raised her voice and argued against the plan. Little Tommy had curled up and cried him self to sleep after he and his sister had returned to their rooms late that night. He had smiled and giggled, told a story of happiness and hope, talked until Lilly had fallen a sleep. Then little Tommy quietly slipped out of the covers of his sisters bed and slid into his bed. It was cold and empty. He cried a little boy’s cry and sobbed a little boy’s sobs. There was nothing he could do to make it alright. Nothing he could do, he was only 6.

The conversation continued on in that room. Voices were raised, emotions flew and in the cold dark lonely night Tommy and his little sister, snuggle up together for perhaps the last time in their beautiful little lives….