Can I have some Cheese?

It was my birthday and my parents were happy as always. I’m an only Child so I enjoyed a lot of privileges. My mother and father loved me so much, words couldn’t explain. Most children either lacked money or affection, but I lacked neither. I woke up to the smell of my favorite breakfast, Pancakes and eggs with cheese. I followed the smell to the dinning table and my father picked me up with a huge grin on his face. “Happy 6th Birthday Eliza”, he said. I giggled as he gave me a big kiss on my cheeks and replied him, “thank you daddy”. My dad walked with me in his arms to the dinning table where my mum waited for me with a chocolate cake and a little candle lit on top of the cake. “Make a wish my love”, my mum said. I closed my eyes and blew out the candle without making a wish, I didn’t think I needed anything else. All the love and material things I needed my parents always gave me. My birthday ended and I was the happiest girl in the world. A week later, my father woke me up to get dressed and follow him. My mother was already waiting by the car with a small bag which I assumed had my belongings. We drove a while before I fell asleep again. I was awoken by the loud sound of a bang and my mother crying. My father drove faster and my mother hugged me closer whispering assuring words into my ear. I couldn’t fall back to sleep, fear crept inside me. The loud bang came over and over again. My father stopped the car and we had to get down, he carried me and we started to run towards a forest. The trees seemed endless as my parents ran as fast they could. After a while we decided to camp for the night, no one told me what was going on, my mother just said we needed to stay away because there was a huge fight. Daylight came and we walked a few miles till we got to a house. The house was small, my father called it a cottage. It was comfortable and we stayed there a while. I don’t know how much time passed but the days went by slowly, although my father said everything was fine, I saw the fear in his eyes from time to time. There was an argument between my parents on a particular night, my parents wanted news about the “fight” but my mother wouldn’t let my father leave alone and my father couldn’t leave me alone. They finally agreed to leave me behind in the cottage hidden in a wardrobe. I don’t know how long I was there but when the wardrobe opened it was neither my mother nor father. Some men in a uniform with patterns of brown leaves etched on every part of the fabric, the shirt and the trousers , took me from the wardrobe and into a van. I was too scared to talk or make a fuss even though I wanted my daddy and my mummy. They took me to an Orphanage where I was expected to stay till my parents could claim me or I was adopted The older kids told me there was a war and we were safe here. They said food and clothes are scarce but the orphanage will take care of us. A few months passed and I still don’t know how the soldiers found me nor if my mother and father were alive.

It’s my birthday today and there was no pancake and eggs with cheese waiting for me. I got served my usual beans and a cup of water. I summoned courage and went to the server and asked,”it’s my birthday today ma’am, can I have some cheese?”