Madison Foster, known as Maddie was 18. Her father, William was presumed dead but his body hadn't yet been discovered. Her mother Joanna along with her brother Jake, 4, and sister Arrianna, 8 months, had been jailed, but she had escaped, finding out her family was to be transported to Australia in 3 days time, so she hid in the luggage compartment of the ship that was bound for Sydney's shores.

The war between Spain and France had been running over a 3-year time span. Maddie lived in Andorra, the country in the middle. The war began because of an ownership argument of Andorra to either Spain or France. As Andorra only had a small population they didn't have the military power to fight against the war successfully. Most Andorra residents had been arrested, because they would not leave their homes, others were transported to Australia to be used as workers on the new settlement. A WORLD OF THEIR OWN !

What a day the sky was blue with white fluffy clouds and the sun was shinning, but there was a freezing wind blowing which blew the clouds quickly across the sky. A large cloud crossed hurriedly in front of her, moving in all directions as if undecided which way to go. Finally it blew north in a jagged movement, heading toward the towering mountain which lay ahead in its path.

It would be cold tonight as the icy wind continued whirling across the wide bleak paddock. She would attain the base of the mountain by sunset but not much further today. With in a hour she had arrived at the foundation of the eminence, and advanced upward through the opaque unruly woodland. Maddie's plan was to compose a woodland hide away, then she would rescue her family and transport them there.

As she walked through the dense forest the night became black. So as she had been taught to do in past camping trips, she dug a deep hole at the base of a tree placed one blanket on the bottom, for her to sleep on, then she threw in another to cover herself with. The third blanket she pegged above the hole as a roof, this would keep her warm.

Maddie awoke early next morning, congressed her belongings, and continued walking. She decided that from here on when she found a place that could be turned into an appropriate accommodation, she would begin building her hide away there. As she was now about 30 km from Sydney's shores. Maddie continued walking west from Sydney until she reached the most beautiful place she had ever seen. It was a small creek flowing north, which proceeded to flow in to a large pool. Gum trees fringed the pool, along with moss covered rocks stacked in statue like creations. She walked right around the pool discovering that it encircled a small island, she then decided that was where she would build her hide away. First she must build a boat to cross the moat. So by entwining saplings and reeds Maddie made a raft large enough to carry 5 people. When she reached the island she pulled the raft out of the water and hid it in an entanglement of vines. After finding a suitable position Maddie began building the hide away. She decided that a house at ground level would be easily seen after crossing the moat, therefore she planned to build an underground hiding hole underneath this would hide them if any one came. As she continued building, Maddie thought about home, and how she and her boyfriend, Ben had gone their separate ways after a heated argument she remembered so vividly. "Mad listen to me our country is going to be over taken by either Spain or France. Even if we lose I want to know I did everything in my power to stop it."

"Ben, but you listen to me I don't want you getting blown to bits for some stupid war.

In my opinion our love for each other and our relationship is worth more to me than anything on this earth. What am I going to do when you go?" Maddie now began to sob. "Maddie please try to see it from my point of view I..."

"Do you think I'm not trying ? Ben I love you so much, remember our pact, 'Nothing and no one will ever come between us ever', do you remember that ?, Or doesn't that matter any more ?".

"Maddie please, I'm sorry if this hurts you, I'd never hurt you intentionally ,but I have to do this, for you, myself, and Andorra. Please try to understand ?". At this point Ben was holding Maddie close to him as she cried in to his shoulder.

" If this bloody war means more to you than us or me, then go, I never want to see you again." Maddie said this as she pulled away from his grip.

"Maddie please let's not part like this." Said Ben as he grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me, I hate you, I hate you so much, I hope you do get blown away in that stupid war, I don't care any more, I just don't care !"

Ben was tall with blonde hair, blue eyes and tanned skin. Ben's family had all been killed in the war. This was probably the reason he felt so strongly about fighting in it. He had no relatives, or friends left except the Fosters. Maddie now shuddered as her mind returned to the work she was doing. Using sharp rocks and her penknife, Maddie cut down saplings, dug four holes in the ground, and placed four posts in them. Then she packed the dirt back into the holes to make a sturdy frame. Now the outline of the house was finished, she began to dig a deep hole in the centre. When the hole became about 2m deep, she began digging outwards and downwards on all four sides. This work took Maddie 6 weeks to complete. By the end she had an underground hiding hole double the size of the house above. She now lined the walls with thin saplings as to prevent it from caving in. When this was done she created a trap door, from mud brick as it would then be camouflaged by the dirt floor. Maddie also built the ground level house in much the same way. When they were both complete she furnished the ground level with a rock table, four chairs, and one bed. The underground she furnished with eight beds, one table, and four chairs. Now her home was complete and it had taken her a total of 10 weeks. Maddie now decided once she stocked up a food supply she would return to Sydney and free her family.