Part 4: The Winding Staircase: Alex and Ava

Alex: Peter, you must understand,
our past is one of hardship,
because for us, there was never a kind, giving hand.
You were born into wealth and glory,
into what we were born,
is an entirely different story.

Peter: My sympathy my friends,
I admit, I know nothing of the sort.
To you my life seems grand,
but to me my luck seems a burden.

Ava: We grew up in the slums,
and it was extremely cold,
I'm sure you can imagine,
as our home was filled with holes.

Alex: Our parents were kind and loving,
but they worked day and night.
They were always so tired,
and never had time for life.
At night they would give us all their warmth,
we slept so soundly, as if we were told,
while they huddled and shook violently in the cold.

Ava: They loved us oh so much.

Alex: We always had so little to eat.

Ava: So while we ate they starved.

Alex: Oh how they grew so weak.

Alex and Ava: Their bodies couldn't take the cold
it were as if they had grown old,
the sickness came and infected,
our only source of love in this
cruel and hopeless world of ours,
in time they passed and we were left,
alone.

Peter: My friends
this is so terrible.
I have no words to express
how much I ache for your broken hearts.
When we get through this,
you shall accompany me,
back to the mansion,
you are now my family.
Please, I must ask,
how did you end up in this terrible task.

Alex: Shortly after our parents passed,
we feared we would never last.
But alas, we came upon this house,
and Elias was kind enough
to let us come in and work to pay
so we could have a warm place to stay.

Ava: We clean the house,
what little we can,
we cook for and feed the children and old man.
About a month has passed since we were taken in,
and today Elias received word from your kin.
Rather than pick a child, more experienced,
he came to us and said it was imperative,
he said all this with a sort of grim look on his face,
apparently we had skills
for which would help you greatly.

Peter: Perhaps your parents trades
are the skills to which he refers.

Alex: Our mother was a maid,
there are no relevant skill which she gave.

Peter: Then it must be your father,
he showed you something i'm sure.

Ava: our father showed us much,
he was an incinerator.