"Not enough money," I hear my mom talking through the air vents. The heat system is old, and works just fine for listening in on conversations. My mom and dad are in the other room. My pencil hovers over my old drawing pad. I shudder. What if they take us away like they did to our neighbors, the Larsons? When they couldn't pay their bill,
Mr. Larson was taken away to work in the air factories. Without my dad, we would be on the streets.
Just then my little sister Kelli steps into the room.
"Jenna what will happen to us?" She said, tears streaming down her face. Apparently I hadn't been the only one listening in on the conversation.
Kelli was 8, old enough to grasp the situation but unable to find meaning in it. To her, being kicked to the street would mean losing her toys and her dream of singing. But I knew that if are air shut off, they would stop supplying our air masks and we would die slowly as we ran out of oxygen. I couldn't tell her that.
"We'll be fine!" I said, injecting enthusiasm into my voice. "C'mon, les get some dinner."
I coaxed her through the doors

Dinner was small but good. We ate the chicken slowly, making sure to savor each bite. My older brother Jason had just finished when we got a knock on our door. He slowly got up and answered.
"Is this the Jackson residence?" A gruff voice asked from behind a dark helmet. "This is confirmation of the call we received two hours and 23 minutes ago. Is it true you would like assistance for this months bills?"
"Y-yes." My mother answered quietly, a tear sliding down her cheek. I felt a lump in my throat. Kelli broke out in tears and Jason quietly lead her away.
"You know the drill then." Said the officer. If he showed any remorse for breaking up families, he didn't show it.
My dad slowly rose from his chair and went over. "Goodbye Jenna," he said, and then he was gone.

Hope you enjoyed the first real chapter of my book! Sorry it's been so long. Be sure to check out Lek2003, I just won a contest and her books are awesome! Comment what you think ;)