The ball was coming. The shop's trade was prosperous. After school, Hannah was busy to buy the cloths with Noah. When they passed the crowded street, someone jogged Hannah and she unwittingly heard he called her name in a soft voice. She was shocked and recalled that it just as a little boy jogged her when she was small and they looked at each other for a short while...

  "Hey! Hannah!" Noah's cry made her back to the reality, "What are you looking for?"

  She shook her head and looked back. He had already vanished into the crowd. But he's voice still echoed in her mind.

  'Who's he? Why does he know my name?' She wondered and felt that he was looking her in the back of the crowd.

  The following two days, Hannah went home after seven. The street was silent as the grave and quite dark. She was a little bit scary. after all, she was a girl and was the only one who walking at the street. In addition, she always felt that there was somebody fellow she. When she quickened her steps, he did it, too. She quickly turned her back but saw nothing. All in sudden, something was budge in a tussock, which was not far away. She walked to it. As she looked down, a beggar cried blue murder,

  "Ah!"

  "Ah!"

  "Who are you?"

  "And who are you?"

  The beggar frowned and said,

  "Go away. Don't hinder me to sleep!"

  The following day, many nobles from different town came here. All of them were resplendent in apparel. Hannah looked at the nobles entered one after one. Even if she was envy, she had to go on working. From the day, she brought Noah home, her mum had been coughing, but it was especially serious today. Thus, Hannah had to manage the shop.

  The cough sound was increasingly spreading from the bedroom. The mid-age woman looked at the tissue, which in her hand, was almost spread over blood. Her hand was trembling and not believed in what she saw. Suddenly, someone knocked the door. She quickly wiped away the bloodstain in her lips.

  "Come in!" Noah opened the door, she asked, "What's matter?"

  "Are you okay? You have been coughing all day." Noah said.

  "No, just have a little bit cold. I'm fine." she said, “No need to care for me. Go and do what you want to do."

  When Noah exited, she slacked off.

  "I can't tell this to Hannah," She was anxious, "God! What should I do? What should I do?"

  When Hannah came back, she asked Noah,

  "Where is mum?"

  "She said she went to see the doctor.”

  But till the midnight, she was still not home. They waited and waited and slowly they slept. In the morning, someone desperately knocked the door increasingly. Hannah waked and hurriedly went to open it. She figured that it was mum originally. However, as she opened the door, she saw Claire was gasping.

“You have letter to me again?” Hannah jested.

  "No! Your mum..." Claire was still panting.

  "What is the matter with my mum?" She began to be impatient.

  "When I passed a street not far, I saw so many police there. So, I crowd in to and saw your mum..." She paused a second before she said, "She's dead."

  In a trice, Hannah felt vacant and then she said,

  "You must be kidding me! My mum won't die." Her eyes filled with tears. She cried.

  "No, I am serious!" she said, "If you don't believe, you can come with me."

  At the mortuary, Hannah could not believe that was her mum.

  Her mum looked icily cold and didn't found any smiles in her face. She wept again and continuously called her mum.

  The funeral was very simple and had only Hannah, Noah, Claire, a parish priest and some relatives attended. As the funeral accomplish, Claire gave her a letter again.

  "If you got problem, find me, I will help you. Don't forget me! Bye." They waved to each other until they could not see each other.

  After that, they lived with their aunt Lucy. Aunt Lucy is a kind, amiable, nice person. However, her husband is opposite to her. He fascinated by gambling, pornography. One time, he intended violate Hannah, but it was found by Aunt Lucy fortunately. Worse, everyday, there were dozens of creditors found him to repay the debt. One day, Aunt Lucy eventually said to her,

  "Sorry, Hannah. I can’t raise you anymore. As you can see that there are many creditors finding us to repay the debt everyday." Hannah nodded, so she went on, "So I have found a job for you and Noah, I know Noah still small. But first you didn't worry about three meals there."

  "So what is it?"

  "It is a servant job." she said, "I have already tell my friend there, she will help and take care you."

  The following day, as they began to leave, Aunt Lucy chased out.

  "Oh dear, take care of yourselves on the journey. Here is fifty pence. I think it is enough for you to buy something to eat in the way to there. See you!"

  In the way, she suddenly remembered something, so she took out and read,

  Dear Hannah,

  How are you?

  I am sorry to hear that your mum was gone and I know you must be grieved. But stop crying, because your head will like a pig one if you still cry and I don't want to see you like that. I think your mum must feel the same.

  Where are you now?

  Can you reply a letter this time? At lease, tell where you are.

                                                                                                               XXX

At that time, she felt tender and genial.