May 1st, 1931      
Today was a day my family and I  never thought would happen. The day my sister gotten Valley Fever, our crops failed to grow, and we had to move…to a squatter camp. It all started a year ago…
March 31st, 1930
“Mom! I’m not a child anymore, I can dress myself!” This is me. Short-ish black hair, fancy clothes that have gold buttons, and dark blue-green cuffs at my dress shirt. Fancy sales man shoes and my satchel. Did I mention the heterochromia I have? Well, one eye is green hazel and the other is iridescent blue. Just like my father.
“Ciel Mc’Gragh! You’ve convinced me to let you go to a private school so you’ll let me chose what you wear!” Aaaand that’s my mom. Same colored hair, longer and neatly braided, a sleek white and red princess dress that hugs her body to her waist and flows off. Nicely done natural makeup except her deep purple lipstick and black mascara and eyeliner.
At the moment she was picking me out something else to wear to the first day of school at Jacob Hawkins Middle School. As stated it is a private school, one of the best. It rates an A+ by our state school administrators. My first attempt was public school and that didn’t turn out too well but I got the private school evaluated and approved.
“Hurry up and get yourself and your sister to school safely-,” my mom was cut off by the sounds of “Goodbye mommy!” from my sister Lisa and a door slamming closed. We lived by a wonderful green forest, that if you look in the gallows far enough you’d get to a huge lake delighted for swimming in. We finally reached our destination to the Academy. It wasn’t very big but, it was bigger than most school houses. I could tell we’ll have fun here.
April 17th, 1930
It has been a week and duties around here are going slow. As here, my family owns an oil/gas company and a corn field. But, more recently my sister Lisa asked for the newest barbie toy and didn’t get it. My parents never reject my little sister, they always giver her what she wants. Lisa isn’t a brat or anything, she’s extremely polite and friendly. She has eyes likeour mom which is brown, has dirty blond hair and always wears a tutu like dress every day. On a more important note business is never this slow…never.
                                                              
June 7th, 1930
My family business is at its all-time low and wind carrying around dust is getting high.
School had been cancelled from the past month from frequent dust storms. Now my suspicion was confirmed. Our crops won’t grow, due to dehydration and drought. The oil company isn’t falling too behind though, in a year or two if this kept going it should plumit down. I should enjoy what I have before its gone.
June 14th, 1930 
We should be moving soon. Me and my family are moving to California in August. I asked my father where we’d go but, all I got was “It doesn’t matter as long as we’re together.”  Just what is going on here?

June 24th, 1930   
I’m pretty sure people might wonder how I know all this adult information. Well, my father teaches me how to business and for examples and explanations he uses our company’s information. With all this practice I’m positive that by the age of 15 I’ll be able to run an efficient and productive business. On the topic of ages my birthday is July 21st and at that time I’ll be 14.
July 4th, 1930  
Today is the birthday of the Independence! Lisa and I were able to have 20 dollars EACH! With that I have the privilege to buy ginger beer or soda pop, candy from high class stores or art supplies! This is the day to celebrate!
July 16th, 1930
Just one week and a day until my special day. This also means finalizing our move to California. I wonder if the house is going to be bigger and better than my old Virginia home.
July 24th, 1930
Today is my birthday! I received my favorite art case that was sold at a premium store from my parents. The case was deep, shiny maroon that is sealed by silver flip gears and dark brown pine wood handle that still looked like its marbled bark. Inside was even better, it had black velvet interior padding holding 15 tubes of primer paint, 3 different soft bristled brushes, 34 colored pencils, 10 oil and chalk pastels, a sharpener, 2 erasers, and a medium notebook sized sketch book. I’ve always wanted an art case like this. I headed straight to my studio and began to create an art piece, testing out the quality of the new material.

August 24th, 1930
Today we moved to the place at California. To say the least I’m disappointed. We were in a squatter camp, a place that poor and underprivileged civilians go. On the contrary, we are the supporters of the camp. To define: my parents (Mr. and Mrs. Mc’Gragh) run the whole place/ warrants of the camp. There are worn down green, brown, unsightenly tents that are scattered about on a fairly grassy patch of land surrounding a finely built log cabin/ house that looks very ordinary and a fresh water stream behind this place. I can tell the rest of the year is going to be a long one…
December 25th, 1930
           Merry Christmas to everyone but me…I found out that I was accepted to a job that I never knew I signed up for. I don’t mind helping around the camp like I already do, it’s just that my parents went behind my back and registered me early to be an adult! I’m only 14! I had 4 more YEARS until I had to be an adult / legal citizen! Now my childhood is gone…I’m not allowed to be a normal kid anymore…
February 12th, 1931
           It’s really bad here…I wished we never moved! My father got into a bad fight with people who don’t accept the squatter camp. Why do people have to be so selfish!? Why are we humans the cruel, brutal, demonic creatures we are?
April 23rd, 1931  
         It’s been a while since I’ve written in this. I have to be honest, today and the previous weeks my life only got worse. My sister had been in a horrible…no, terrible dust storm at her school.
                                                             *Flashback*            
          “Ciel! Ciel!” There Lisa sat in the middle of her school’s field. She was peacefully playing dolls with her friends until a gigantic, rumbling, dark cloud of dust, dirt and grass came into view. Teachers scurry with urgency and panic to get every student inside to safety. But, there is always the unlucky one…Lisa. After the storm had cleared, barns broken, windows busted, Lisa was found coughing violently by a tree. Before Lisa’s vision blurred to nothing, she saw her big brother, Ciel, and hear him whisper a cry “Everything is okay…”
                                                           *Flashback End*
                                                                                                                

  April 23rd,1931
        …We immediately took Lisa to a hospital and were told that her lungs were filled with dirt and a sharp piece of window glass almost punctured her right lung. The doctors were able to get the clumps of substance bacteria from her body and said she’d recover in a few months. Seeing the state she is in, at only 10 years, we know it’s a slim chance without some sort of illness…
                                         *Present Time (May 1st, 1931)*
        Mrs.Mc’Gragh cried, “No! Not my baby girl! Not this! Please…” It was no use, my little sister had Valley Fever. I sat alone in my waiting chair listening to the useless pleading and cries of my mother and attempted comforting words by my father. Valley Fever is vital to the human body. You’re not able to breathe and it takes long to recover from. My emotionless visage seemed to surprise my father because he asked why I wasn’t crying or…doing anything. I didn’t know why either, the feelings wasn’t there. I love my sister dearly, but I just can’t show anything.

May 10th, 1931            
         My life was ruined…my sister is on the brink of death by her illness, my parents have grown tired and unfortunate by the failure of their crops and my father put the oil and gas company into my hands. I’m trying to keep up but life is moving too fast around me. I feel like giving up and watch the world move on. The sun will still rise, water will still flow, there will always be a tomorrow, so Lisa…why not let go? I am Ceil Mc’Gragh and I’m a matured 14 year old giving a final entry in my journal. Goodbye.
                                                                                        Sincerely,
                                                                             Ciel Mc’Gragh
       And then with that I burry the diary with my sister’s corps. That is the last trace of a childhood into a new life. That is Living the Life of Ciel Mc’Gragh.