Birthdays, very exciting days.
A beautiful blue sky, a slight cold breeze and the really hot summer sun, the bright red color of the balloon that's a bit blinding, even if it's kind of scary to be out all alone...
But being 7 is exciting, being big boy, they call this...
Why can't I remember this..?
The memory is foggy, you can't remember how the sun felt, when your hand was let go...
When you were dragged to that van, the cold floor of that weird place that felt too humid to not be a basement...
The moment the other children surrounded you when you cried...
Just a few weeks ago, you were happy in your home, your father planned your party and your mother prepared your favorite food...
You lay in the cold floor... The room is dark and you can't seem catch your breath, there are maybe seven or eight different children around your age and maybe a bit older...
You're held by the kids... They've been here longer than you after all.
He's thin, his hair is greasy and is getting long from the little you can see through the darkness, "I... Have a piece of bread..."
They barely feed the newbies, the ones who've been here longer have earned their meals... If you can call them meals in the first place.
Being with those kids... It's... Warm again...
And... Safe...
And...
"Sleep for now, I'll wake you up later..."
_______________________
You're woken up pretty early, it's pretty difficult to sleep like this...
"Is this going to be our new home..?" — A kid, barely your age, asks — "No, I heard they might let us go if we behave!"
Hope doesn't kill anyone, even if most of them look like they pity you at the thought of escaping...
Even if you ARE set free... It's not going to be soon, this is your new life now.
