Prologue

"No! No!" Izolde Shirley cried, trying to reach out to her son. Her husband held her back, while her daughter clung dearly onto her hand, asking every once in a while, "Mama, where is brother going?"

Philon Shirley was on the train platform, frequently looking back at his mother with pleading eyes, which sent her into tears again and again. A man was holding his small luggage for him, while a woman was hurrying him onto the train. With a final look back at his family, he took a deep breath in and boarded the train.

As his son stepped onto the train, his wife burst into tears yet again. Dedrick Shirley patted her shoulders and said comfortingly, "You know this has to done, darling. It can't be helped."

The train whistled and started off. Fiala Shirley looked longingly at the cabin her brother was in. Where was he going? Why couldn't she go, too? Suddenly, the bigger hand she was holding felt limp. Fiala looked up at her mother, who had collapsed onto her father. Alarmed, she asked frantically, "Mama, what's wrong? Papa?" She looked imploringly at her father, hoping to get some assurance that her mother was alright. Instead, what she heard shocked her.

"Baby, your brother won't ever be coming back. He's gone to live with that family."

A/N: Just posted this prologue up to test the waters, see if anyone likes this. My first story, by the way, so I hope I can get some guidance from all of you:)