Dear Mama, I will never forget the day I left when I walked up to the train platform clutching my small suitcase and a parcel of food for the journey. A grey haze filled the station as we bustled through the crowds, past other mothers and other children. Some were crying whilst others clutching tight to one another as if they could never bear to let go. A whistle blared in the distance as children were gathered onto the trains. I remember looking back to see you waving. I waved too, before a wave of tears washed over me. I couldn’t stop, but then as soon as I blinked, the train was out of the station and you were out of sight. When the train pulled into Hawkshead station, I stepped out with some of the other children. We found ourselves put into a single file line and lead to a large building. We stayed in this strange building until an adult came and chose us to stay with them. After the second day, I was chosen by an elderly man named Mr Burton, who lived in quite a large house just
outside the village. He already had three other children in his care – Thomas, Harriet and George. Thomas and George are nice enough but Harriet is incredibly annoying. When I told her my name, she laughed and said it was a stupid name. I know it cannot possibly be stupid as you came up with it and you would not give me a stupid name. Hawkshead is a nice village and there’s plenty to explore although I always have to finish my jobs until I’m allowed to go exploring. Every day I wake up at six sharp and boil the kettle, then I feed the chickens and Aggie the pig. After that, I get George ready. He’s only three but he’s very well behaved – probably better than me! Then we all have breakfast, me, Georgie, Thomas, Harriet and Mr Burton. We’re free to do whatever we want after we’ve finished our jobs, so long as we don’t make any trouble. I usually take Georgie to the fields to see the sheep. Oh Mama – there are so many different animals – so many I’ve lost count. There are the sheep, horses and cows in the fields, chickens and pigs, and any number of birds! Oh those lovely birds, swallows and sparrows, magpies and ******** and at night there are owls! I love owls, with their beautiful feathers and their huge eyes. I don’t know what Harriet does but Thomas usually joins us in the fields and carves small logs of wood with his pocket knife. He’s really good at it too. Georgie likes to feed the sheep while a sit in this huge oak tree that towers over the stream and the hills. I can almost climb to the top now Mama and Thomas and I are going to try and make a treehouse in it this Summer. We’ve already got enough wood and I found some rope in a cupboard. I do miss you Mama, and I miss home, but I seem to be settling down here. I hope you and Papa are okay. You will write back won’t you? I will write back soon- hopefully when Harriet hasn’t stolen my pen.

With love from,
Your Eden.