On the way home from school br you and Helen stopped br br and looked in the window br of the pie and eel shop br br where a man was cutting off heads br of live eels br br and then slitting them open br and knifing out the guts br br and then chopping them br up into small pieces br br and Helen said br yuk what's he doing br br to those poor eels? br you were engrossed in watching br br the man's knife slit through br the necks so easy br br that the pieces still wriggled br after he pushed them br br into a bucket on the side br people eat them br br you said br whether jellied br br or in pies br with mash and liquor br br horrible br Helen said br br how could they? br People will eat anything br br you replied br turning to gaze br br at her horrified face br her eyes magnified br br behind her thick lens spectacles br I read somewhere br br that some people ate others br in the Leningrad siege br br you added br she grabbed your hand br br and squeezed it tight br they never did br br you're lying br she said br br her eyes focused on you br and not the eels br br or the man executing them br you saw her lower lip tremble br br and said br ok they didn't br br you said softly br she looked back at the man br br and the eels br and sighed br br and you felt her warm flesh br and her small thumb br br on the back of your hand br and although you knew br br what had happened br you lied to protect her br br from the truth br not wanting her innocence br br undone by brutal humanity br and its wars br br and you kept it br to your 9 year old self br br a whole bundle of facts br like an unwanted wealth.