• Chapter 1


    Luna was walking home from the village market on a beautiful midsummer evening. Her bare feet pounded against the main road, causing dust clouds to follow her along the dirt path. She enjoyed living in Sugar Haven Valley, a small village located between London in the north and East Sussex in the south, both five hours away. To the east was Surrey and the west was Kent, both a few mile's journey. Nearing the residential part of the village, she could hear the small children laughing and screaming. She walked down another dirt road following its winding path towards her family's small cottage. Her long and usually messy brunette hair was combed and plaited into a braid down her back. The 14-almost-15-year-old raced up the path while trying to keep her plain green dress from getting dirty - it was the only one that fit her long, graceful frame these days. She opened the door and stepped inside. "I'm back from the market!" she said to whoever was home. "Welcome home, dear! Did we sell anything?" her father, Cecil, asked. "Yes, all of the crops. Our profits for the week are twenty-seven pence," she answered with a weak smile on her face. They happened to be the poorest people in their village. The closest thing to wealth that Sugar Haven had was the Johansen family, and they had fifty-four pounds and sixty-one pence saved in a huge bank in London. This was the money that the Johansen children would use to go to university. All her family had saved was fifty-five pence. Now, they had eighty-two pence. "I'll take this to the bank tomorrow," her father stated. "I guess this means we'll be able to eat tomorrow," her mother, Mary, stated. "Hurray! We can eat again!" Luna's two little brothers, Thomas and Michael, cheered with joy. "Maybe Sarah will become well again," Luna said, mentioning her little sister and the youngest child in the family. Luna walked up the stairs to her room and plopped on her bed. For the first time in almost ten years, her future looked bright. She fell asleep with a smile on her face.

    Chapter 2


    Luna looked out her window the next day wondering if there was anything she could do to help her family financially. She walked downstairs into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. "Mum, when is Sarah gonna join us down here for a meal?" she asked. "I'm not sure," Mum stated. Sensing the tension in the room, Luna switched subjects. "Where's Dad?" she asked. "He's in London at the docks, looking for a job," Mum answered, "He's trying to earn some extra money." "I'd better get going. The market opens soon," Luna said. "Alright. But I want you home as soon as the market closes. And could you take those dresses over there and sell them to the woman who owns the dress shop? I would go myself, but I have to watch your brothers and sister," Mum replied. "Yes ma'am. I'll be home as soon as I can when the market closes!" she responded. She grabbed the dresses and walked towards the center of the village where the market was located.

    Chapter 3


    As she reached the market, Luna could easily see how much of a toll England's poor economy was taking on her fellow villagers. She walked up to the dress shop and walked to the counter. "Excuse me, miss," Luna said. "Yes, how may I help you?" the shopkeeper asked. "I noticed you were in need of more dresses for sale, and I was wondering if you would like to purchase these for your shop?" Luna asked. Mrs. Askerton, the shopkeeper, looked at the material, amazed at the quality of the dresses. "Yes, I'd love to purchase these fine dresses. How much?" Luna desperately wanted to give her a high price, but she knew her mother would be ashamed if she cheated someone out of their money. "How does one pound sound?" she asked. "Very reasonable. How would your mother like to come and work for me?" Mrs. Askerton asked. "Oh, I'm sure she would, but she has my brothers and sister to look after, and my sister's very sick..." she explained. "Not to worry. I'll have a delivery man drop by and pick up the dresses and send her the types I want in the post," Mrs. Askerton said. "Thank you, Miss!" Luna said as she took the one pound and raced back home, whooping with joy.