Journal 157

It was a long cold winter. I kept Cain a secret and I prayed for spring. Each time I went to Cain I told myself I was never going back no matter how hungry I was. The kids of Bear Country continued with daily food hunting excursions, but we kept coming up empty handed. After several days without eating, I had no choice but to return to Cain. He was the only source of food I knew about. Each time I knocked on his door he would smile and invite me into the den of disgust. The cost of food kept rising. Cane forced me to do more and more awful things. His temper was short. His friends weren’t any better.  If I refused a request I was beaten and pushed out into the cold with only half the food I was promised or none at all. I explained my bruises by telling my friends someone attacked me on the street.

My nightmare ended when the snow melted. Shortly after the last time I knocked on Cain’s door I heard a rumor that he was killed in a freak accident. Cain had more enemies than he had friends. I guess the rumor was false.