Chapter 1

"Switch, wake up."

"Momma?"

"Wake up, my girl. Come. We must hurry."

Momma was whispering, urgently.

"I'm tired, momma."

"We must hurry. Come. Get up."

"But it's night time, momma."

Switch sat up in bed. Momma was stuffing clothing into a sack. The little girl rubbed her tired eyes. Momma threw an itchy brown dress at her.

"Put that on. Hurry."

"Not the itchy one, momma! Where we going?"

"Put it on, my girl. Hurry!"

She sounded afraid.

"I don't wanna wear the itchy one, momma! I want the pink one."

Momma hurried to the bedside, grabbed her night shirt and yanked it off of her head. She tugged the itchy brown dress onto her, mercilessly dragging the rough clothing over her delicate skin. Switch whined.

"We've no time to fuss over dresses. We must hurry!"

Now there was an edge of anger in her tone.

"Momma, I need to pee."

"We must leave now! There's no time."

"I need to pee!" whining again.

"Hurry then!"

Momma's hands were shaking as she stuffed the remaining clothing into the sack.

"Momma, it's too dark. I need the stone."

"Pee in the dark. We must hurry!"

Her voice was shaking. She was listening, constantly looking at the door. Switch stumbled into the corner where her chamber pot sat.

"I can't see!"

"Well then piss on the floor! Hurry, Switch!"

"I want the light!"

Momma dropped the bag she was filling, and lifted the light stone from the chandelier. She threw it down at Switch's feet and the chamber pot rang with a hollow ding where the stone struck it. Switch peed. Momma went back to filling the bag with their clothing and other possessions.

"Where we going, momma?"

"The king has decreed that all children are to leave the city of Morlind. I'm taking you to the children's refuge by the sea."

"Why, momma?"

"Just you hurry! I'll tell you on the way!"

"But it's night time. Everything's dark. How will we walk in the dark?"

"We were supposed to leave two weeks ago, with the caravans, but your father wouldn't allow it. He still won't. He's gone out now. That's why we have to hurry!"

"But I don't want to leave, momma. I'm tired!"

"Switch! Now!"

Momma's voice was a loud angry hiss now. Her patience had worn down to a rough edge. Switch stood there, tired, and confused, looking around at her little room. Then she started crying."

"I can't find my shoes!"

"Keep quiet, Switch!"

Switch cried louder.

"My shoes!"

Momma, whose patience had already worn out, suddenly rushed forward and slapped her hand over the child's mouth. She pushed her backward into the wall and glared fiercely into her eyes.

"Your shoes are by the bed. You will put them on. You will stop crying. You will come quietly with me and do everything I tell you, when I tell you. If you do not, I will punish you very badly. Do you understand?"

Switch's eyes, shining with tears and terror, peeked out from over momma's hand. She whimpered, staring back into momma's angry eyes, blinking.

"We must go, now," momma said.

Switch nodded. Momma let go of her, her hands still shaking, and looked over her shoulder at the door.

"Hurry then." Momma grabbed a bag of coins from a jar on the mantle and stuffed them into her bag.

Switch put on her shoes. The girl and her mother crept down the stairs. Her dress was itching already. Why did she have to wear this one? It was horrible--like being wrapped in ropes! Why couldn't she wear the pink one? It was so much prettier.

Father was not home. The lower quarters were quiet. The lightstones were veiled, and everything looked very dark and brown. She hadn't been allowed to leave the house in many days, not even to go shopping with momma when she shopped. This room had been her whole world for so many days she'd lost count--more than five for sure. Momma hitched the sack higher up onto her shoulder. It looked very heavy. They crossed the room and momma opened the door and peeked outside. Switch saw the sky in the doorway above momma's head.

"Switch, listen carefully. When I count to four, you run out the door and run across the street into that alley. Do you understand?"

"But momma!"

"Don't argue with me, child! If father or anyone he knows catches us, we'll be in desperate danger. We've got to get out now. Just do what I say. When I count to four, you run for the alley."

Switch looked around one last time, feeling anxious. Her life was suddenly changing. Her world was being yanked away from her. She had no say in the matter. She just wanted to go back to her little bed and go back to sleep. Her head was fuzzy. Her eyes were heavy. And the dress itched like dirty old ropes wrapped all around her.

"But..."

"One..."

"Momma!"

"Two..."

"Please, momma! I don't wanna-"

"Three..."

"Oh no..."

"Four!"

Momma opened the door and Switch ran. She ran across the street, under the dull grimy glow of street stones in their lanterns, over the bricks of the walk, slipping a bit on the slime of the street, and into the alley on the other side. It was dark over here. She ducked behind a barrel and looked back for her momma. Momma was peeking out the door, looking left and right, and then she came out, shut the door behind her and hurried across the street as well, to where Switch was, stumbling a bit and staggering under the weight of the bag she carried. She fell against the wall beside Switch, panting.

"Right. Good running, Switch. You did well. We're out."

"Momma, I don't want to leave."

Switch's tiredness and confusion were catching up to her again, now combined with fear. She began to cry again. Momma was not as angry and impatient with her this time though. They were out of the house, safe in a dark alley across the street. Instead, she hugged the little girl.

"It'll be alright, Switch. We've got some sneaking to do, and then a little swim, and then a long walk, but we'll be alright."

"A swim, momma?"

"We can't go out the main gate. We'll get in trouble. Children were supposed to be gone long ago. I shouldn't even been walking out the main gate at this hour, but all other gates are shut. Be a brave girl. We'll have an adventure, alright?"

"I'm tired. Can we sleep here and go in the morning?"

"No, Switch. Come on. Let's get going. The further away we get from anywhere father can find us, the better."

Momma got up first, slung the great bag over her shoulder, and started down the alley. Switch had no choice but to follow. She hurried along behind her, trying to keep up, trying to grab her hand, but momma shook her off and moved the bag from one shoulder to another.

"Why do the kids have to leave, momma?"

"The city is too dangerous, too many bad people. Little kids were getting hurt. King Morlind decreed that all children under seventeen years old should be evacuated to a refuge by the sea. It's many miles away."

"And we have to walk all the way?"

"Yes. We hope some stranger will let us ride on the back of a cart, but it were best that we talk to no one until we are far away from the city. Father may come looking for us."

"Why doesn't father want us to go where it's safe?"

Momma didn't know how to give a soft answer to that, so she spoke plainly.

"Father is one of the bad people, Switch."

"I don't like when he hits you, momma. I don't like hearing you screaming. It's scary."

Momma said nothing. They walked on, creeping tight against the wall, heading down a long dark alley, listening for danger. Switch didn't like being afraid. She wished she had her Granstone.

Suddenly she stopped.

"Momma!"

"Switch! Keep quiet!"

"Momma! My Granstone! My dolly!"

"No! Switch! No! You didn't forget your Granstone!"

Now Switch was crying fully, and nodding. Her Granstone was a calming stone that her momma had sown into the tummy of a little rag dolly for her. She'd had it since she was a baby in the cradle. She could not sleep without it.

"My dolly!"

Now, momma was crying too, silently. They weren't even out of the first alley and already the journey was stalled, near tragedy.

"Please Switch, let's go. We'll send for it when we get to the refuge. We can't go back! Don't you understand the danger!? We can't!"

"My dolly! My Granstone!"

Momma dropped the bag and slumped against the wall, closing her eyes. A tear welled and spilled down her cheek. Switch stood there crying, beyond consoling. She'd already been confused, tired, afraid, and now she was filled with desperate sorrow as well.

Momma wound up her strength once again, and spoke firmly.

"Switch, I know you love that dolly, but we can't go back now. We're away. It took us four weeks to get a chance like this, when father was away at night, but he's only to be gone an hour. That hour is nearly passed. We can't go back! I'm sorry!"

Switch would not hear it though. A panic filled her, swelling up in her suddenly, and she turned and ran for home, back down the alley they'd wandered into.

"Switch!"

She wouldn't stop though. Momma dropped the sack, and pursued. She caught up to her in the mouth of the alley, grabbed her and threw her against the wall, shaking her hard.

"Foolish child! We won't get a chance like this again!"

"I want my dolly!"

Switch's voice echoed in the alley. Momma slapped her hard across the face. Switch cried aloud, horrified. Momma had never hit her before. Her cheek suddenly stung, and glowed hotly.

"Forget the doll! We must go!"

"No! Dolly!" Switch hollered again, loud enough to be heard all the way to the street.

Momma grabbed her, and hugged her face into her breast, scanning frantically for anyone who might have heard them. She pulled her into the shadows.

"Foolish child!"

She was more afraid than angry this time.

Switch moaned into her chest, struggling to be free.

"Switch, stop! If I go get your dolly will you be quiet and be good?"

Switch nodded.

"Goodness. Saints protect me," she said, stammering. Switch could feel her shaking. "I'll try to sneak in. He may be home already. He may be out looking for us, but I'll try to sneak in. Saints protect me."