London 1835

Shannon O'Brien was exhausted. She had worked twelve hours at the seamstress shop, her feet hurt and her fingers felt like pin cushions. Ever since her mother had passed and they had sold the last of their posessions, Shannon was forced to work. Someone had to provide for them. Her brother Sean was only sixteen summers, and her sister Victoria was barely twelve.

So, at eighteen years of age all of the responsibility fell at her feet. Sean had tried to work odd jobs to help, but Shannon was worried about him running with the wrong bunch. Many of the children in the neighborhood were from impovershed homes. Some lived on the streets, and most were forced to be pick pockets. Filthy street urchins, they were called by the upper class. Shannon knew them only as children trying to survive. However, when caught they were taken to the work house. She didn't want that to happen to Sean.

The final bell rang for the evening so Shannon collected her shawl, wrapped it around her shoulders and stepped out into the cold evening rain. Just her luck, she thought. Thankfully she didn't have far to go. Not that heading to a one room flat, with no heat, and scraps to eat was anything to be thankful for. Well, she mused, it could have been worse, much worse. At least they had a roof over their heads. For now anyways.

She finally made her way up the three flights of stairs to their flat. As she started to insert the key into the door, she noticed it wasn't locked, in fact it was slightly ajar. She pushed the door open gently and entered the room, it was dark inside. Not even so much as a candle was burning, and the blinds were closed to the moonlight.

That was odd, she thought. Concern for her siblings setting in. "Sean!" She called out. "Victoria!"

Where could they be at this time of night, she wondered? They knew they weren't allowed out after nightfall. She turned towards the door, after hearing someone calling her name.

"Shannon is that you, dear?" It was Ms. Edmonds from across the hall. She was an elderly spinster with no family. All she had was a couple of mangy cats for companionship, so she she had adopted Shannon and her siblings. She was very kind to them. She looked out for Victoria and Sean while Shannon was at work, and often shared her supper with them.

"Yes," replied Shannon. It's me Ms. Edmonds. Is Sean and Victoria with you?" She thought that strange as Victoria was deathly allergic to cats, but where else could they be?

"No, dear they are not. That's why I have been keeping an eye out for you. Sean left earlier and Victoria went looking for him a little while ago. She was worried he got caught up with that bunch thats been running around the neighborhood. I told her it wouldn't be proper to go out alone, but the stubborn lass wouldn't listen to me."

"Oh dear, where on earth could they have gone? I guess I better go look for them. If they return, will you please tell them to stay here?"

"Yes dear, I will continue to lookout for them. Do be careful. It isn't safe for anyone, let alone a young woman and children to be out this time of night."

"Thank you, Ms. Edmonds, I will. Do not fret, I am sure I will find them, they couldn't have gone far." Shannon prayed that her soothing words were true. Where would Sean go too? It was so unlike Victoria to venture off by herself, especially at night.

She got half way down the block when a drenched and crying Victoria came running towards her. "Victoria!" She cried. "What is it? Where have you been?" Victoria looked up at her, sobbing so hard she was nearly incoherant. "Come, lets get you back to the room she said," as she wrapped an arm around her little sister.

She rushed her up the block and up the stairs to their room. Ms. Edmonds must have been watching for them out of the window, as she was waiting in the hall with a blanket when they arrived. She wrapped it around the child and helped Shannon get her to the bed. Shannon held her while Ms. Edmonds put the kettle on.

"Now Victoria, can you tell us what happened? Where is Sean? she asked."

"He's been t'taken," she stuttered through chattering teeth.

"Taken! What do you mean taken?" Shannons' worst nightmare was unfolding in front of her. If Sean had been taken to the work house they would never get him out. It took money, lots of money. Money Shannon did not have.

Shannon shook her sister by the shoulders, "Victoria please!" she cried. "Who took Sean?"

"I dont know!" wailed her sister. "When he didn't come back by dinner time I went out to look for him. I couldn't find him anywhere. Then it started getting dark and raining, so I started back. That's when I seen him....

Shannon interrupted her. "Seen who, Victoria?"

"Sean! I seen Sean! He was being taken away by a huge bald man with an eye patch. He was kicking and screaming, trying to pull away. I ran towards him to help, but Sean yelled at me to run. I was so afraid, Shannon. I wanted to help him, I really did. But Sean looked so scared and I knew I couldn't save him myself. So I ran back here as fast as I could. Did I do the right thing Shannon? Why would that mean man take our Sean?"

"Yes dearest," you did the right thing. If you had tried to help you may have been taken too, I wouldn't have known what happened. At least now we know what the man looks like so we can give a description to the authorities.

She used the Calming words on Victoria, but inside Shannon was terrified. She tucked Victoria into bed and sat down at the table with Ms. Edmonds.

"I dont know what to do," she said? "I dont even know where to start. I haven't the money to hire a runner, and the authorities definately wont go out of their way to find him."

At that point, Shannon rubbed her hands over her face in despair, and began to weep. Ms. Edmonds didn't pity her though, instead she grabbed ahold of Shannons chin and told her to stop her bawling. Shannon looked up at her in shock.

"There," she said. "That's more like it. You're a fighter young lady, not some sniveling little miss. You've raised these children alone, when others would have plumb given up. There's no time for crying now. You can cry happy tears when we find Sean, alright?"

Shannon nodded. "Good," said Ms. Edmonds. "Now, why dont you get out of them wet things and get yourself to bed before you fall over. Can't have you coming down with a fever. I'll see you in the morning, we will figure something out together, you'll see." With that said, she closed the door and left Shannon at the table. Shannon sat there staring into the darkness, praying Ms. Edmonds was right.