Would you read this Book? With part of chapter 1

The passageway was narrow and low. We had to stoop as we shuffled along. But none of us thought of how short, or how narrow anything was--it was preferable to death. All of us were sixteen and above, which meant no mercy. They permitted all up to that age a free pardon, for as children we had no choice in the matter. After that...it was one of the things where you did not wish they treated you as an adult.
The small bricks that lined the walls were smooth and unchipped--a mark of how recent this hiding was. It had not been all that long ago when this had not been necessary.
Sweat beaded on my brow, but my trembling arms seemed locked to my sides as I hurried along the dim hall. The man at the front held a torch, while the rest of us settled for holding hands or touching the backs of the people in front of us. We did not dare to speak or light more torches. It was too great a risk.
At the end of the passageway, there was a room of more stone. We were fortunate in that we had seen the signs of aggression and thought to prepare for emergencies such as these. We had solid, well-hidden structures, while many who had not realized, or hoped that things would never get that bad, had to build as they went. There was no method to their secret places, no secrets to be kept. Some in our group thought that was a better way of doing things; at least, until the people who were hiding got lost in their own construction, or ran out of places to go.
As we all huddled in to the farthest corners of the room, the torch was extinguished. There was now almost total silence. Breaths were held, hands gripped, and eyes shut in fear of what could happen. Even through the stone we could hear faint footsteps, and the breaking of glass and china. At any moment, our secret could be discovered...
At last the voices faded, and a set of taps and knocks sounded. We were safe--for the time being.

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