an Everlasting Pursuit

prologue

"No-one would hire someone like you, without you whoring yourself out to them."

I was just a child. I didn't know what she had meant.

I would go to work, earn the money we needed to survive, then collect my sister and take her home for dinner. Luckily, as per village rules, we all received the same pay. Apparently, the world used to have currency, but most of it died down after the wolves took over.

We lived by coins or by selling belongings. For seven hours working in the café as a waitress, not including my lunch break, I would receive two coins an hour. I worked weekends, bringing my younger sibling along until my shift finished. Seven days of work a week gave me around one hundred coins. Our rent was eighty-five a week for a one-bedroom house, but included utilities within that. My mother occupied the bedroom, of course, since it was her sanctuary.

The remaining fifteen coins a week, I would save or spend on groceries. A bag full of vegetables, grains or pastas would cost about seven coins. There were minimal tips; it wasn't a required gesture. Sometimes the odd person would take pity on me, and I'd receive a coin or two for that, but mostly it was just kind words.

As we grew older, my sister wanted to work hours after school. She had begged to leave school to help with income more, but I had been adamant that she got her full education with all her friends. I couldn't let her feel like I did.

We struggled sometimes, living on soup or kind gestures from her friends. Sometimes, Mary, my boss, would give me some food to bring home. She had claimed it was because they were going off, but they always seemed fine to me. Besides, I learned to listen well, my ears tuning into the whispers of nearby villagers.

"How anyone could leave their children to fend for themselves is beyond me." A woman whispered.

"Their mother lost her husband six years ago. Give her some credit for raising a child who actually wants to work and look after her." Another would scoff.

The mountain trees around us protected us from the outside, but not from the inside. Despite being a close-knit community, we all suffered in certain ways. Those with more money sat at the top of the hill. The workers lay at the bottom, nearer to the border.

One day, whilst I was working a shift at the café, something had almost knocked me off my feet. The bell dinged, and I raised my head to greet the customer, only to have my breath catch when a practical stranger walked through.

Dressed in a dark green, knee-length dress, her dark brown hair was pulled tight to her head. Her hazel brown eyes were quick to find me, narrowing slightly at my attire. She looked clean, and I knew I was far from that. My fiery orange hair was in a ponytail, but the wild strands never stayed there for long. I was pretty sure I had coffee stains on my apron, my hands covered in different condiments.

"Ailia, dear, why don't you show me to a table?" The woman smiled.

I knew the smile was fake; it didn't meet her eyes. "Mother? What are you doing here?"

She hardly left her bedroom, only for the bathroom or the occasional piece of food. She never, ever left the house.

She laughed at me. "Ailia, dear, I am here to have a pleasant drink."

I swallowed nervously, knowing the tongue my mother had beneath her faux smiles and cheery laugh. I showed her to a table, hastily placing a menu down in front of her. Bending down so I was closer, the smell of cheap perfume flooded my nose.

"Mother, we do not have money to be eating out." I hissed.

"That is why I shall just have a coffee, dear, on the house, right? You can do that for your mother?" She sneered. "Or too busy working yourself for those extra tips."