Chapter 1

The light poured in through the hole of the ragged cloth, a poor excuse for a blind. Edwin covered his blue eyes, and groaned. He was fourteen and still sharing a mattress with his two brothers. To be fair, it hadn’t always been like this, five years ago he had a bed to himself.  Edwin knelt up, and shook his blond hair out of his face. He wandered across the small room to the window, where the light of the new day was pouring in. He slid on his tattered clothes and ran out of the house, to start the day in the most miserable way possible, school.
 

School could’ve been an enjoyable memory for Edwin, however the fact he had no friends dimmed this hope. Besides this point, it was the way the other children would go out of their way just to bully and insult him that really made him hate school. However, the single thing that made him jump out of bed every Wednesday morning was music class. Although Edwin couldn’t play a single instrument, their teacher, Father Smith, would play the guitar for the class. The one time where Edwin fit in, where the class would all sing along. Edwin since he was young had always asked his mother for piano lessons, but was always denied due to the price of them. Lunch came quickly, and after the lonely hour, then more classes he went home.
 

Coming home was worse then going to school. Perhaps not in a lonely sense, but an emotional one. Every step, every breath reminded him of seven years ago. He still walked the same path as that day. Still came to an empty house. Threw his bag onto the now ratty couch. Walked to the study room, his fathers refuge. As Edwin slid the doors open he stood, waiting, expecting to see his fathers hanged body once more. The note addressed to him on the study table. ‘Edwin’ his fathers writing, ‘please know that I loved you and your brothers, but I can no longer heave my heavy heart’.
With that, Edwin called the police and cleaned the room and his father’s body. Today he stood with one small tear at those doors. He hated his father. His family was now living in poverty due to his selfishness. Edwin closed the doors on the study, as he did everyday, knowing he’d see it again tomorrow.

Afternoons were spent wandering the city of London. Edwin loved seeing the city and its glory. He loved walking past the bakery, smelling the freshly cooked bread, his favourite smell. His Favourite place however was underneath the train bridge. When the train went overhead, it felt like the place was about to collapse, the line between destruction and adventure. The sun was getting low and Edwin had to get back to cook dinner before his mother and two younger brothers got home. Another night of stale bread and tomato soup, and cold nights sleep shared between three.

Winter’s air brought a chill through the house, and as morning awoke, happiness arrived in the house. The sixteenth of December, Edwin’s fourteenth birthday, and the only holiday the family would spend this winter. Christmas was far too expensive to be celebrated, and the added birthday in the month didn’t help. The day was special for Edwin, not just because he was given the usual present of a baked giant cookie, but also because his grandfather was especially coming to town just for Edwin. Since the death of his father, he’d grown close to his grandfather. Maybe it was because suddenly the death brought them closer, or perhaps it was just Edwin’s way of finding a new father figure. Regardless, Edwin needed a father, and his grandfather needed a son. There was a knock at the door and Edwin ran to answer it.

“Poppy, you’re here” and as he opened the door he hugged him. Poppy was a tall man, six foot high, but slender as a pole.

“Careful sonny, I am getting old, you’ll break my legs doing that,” Poppy joked, “Though I shouldn’t be calling you sonny anymore, you’re a young adult”
The smiles at the door continued throughout the day of celebrations and party games such as hide and seek.

Fourteen candles were lit in front of Edwin’s eyes, and all he could think to wish for was a friend.

“I wish I could’ve gotten you a present Ed, but instead I’ve got a big surprise for you,” Poppy exclaimed “, I’m moving to London, just down the road!”

Edwin literally jumped out of his seat, yelling and cheering, and then hugged Poppy.

The glow of the moon shone on Edwin’s strained face, just trying to hold onto that last glass of water before bed. As he walked out towards the outhouse, his mothers voice froze him.

“Why are you moving here, we’re fine without you” she scolded.

“The boys need a father, I’m the closet thing they have” Poppy argued back.

“And their last father turned out so well didn’t he”

“Don’t you talk about my son like that, if the boys knew the truth…”

Tears were drawing in his mother’s eyes now, “The truth, of how I worked so hard, bringing the money in and he spent it in a foolish book, he was never going to make it”