Oblivion

Chapter 1 part 2

Everlost was not the place a young girl should be on her own. From afar Everlost looked like a oasis to all those weary travelers who have traveled a long way, with it's green trees and homes and grazing animals, but that was only an illusion to lure unsuspecting wanderers. Everlost lured them in with the promise of food, water, and shelter, only to rob them blind. Everlost was a home for thieves and beggars and only those who can handle the risk of getting their things stolen. Being in Everlost as a young girl was never anything easy, girls risked getting raped, stolen from, ripped off, and kidnapped into sex slavery or hard labor; most women and young girls stay and work in the whore house. But that wasn't the life for me and it never will; I was pretty good at bartering and selling crops, I've been doing it for nearly five years.

        Many years ago Everlost had once been a thriving city, but years of drought and famine had tore the city apart to nearly nothing, but Everlost did have a dingy, little school that was open for anyone who wanted to learn. I've only been in there three times when I was younger and I didn't step in there again after my mom died.

      The person who owned and sold drinkable water was a man by the name of Henry Jones. He was deceptive, rude, and a conman, but he was the only guy that sold good, drinkable water. I pulled on the reins of the horse and got her stop, before I slid off the side and tied her to one of the posts inf front of a small run down building that looked nothing more than a shack. Untying the small sack of money and food from the saddle, I pushed my way into the building. Inside it was filled to the brim with scrap metal, old car parts, and anything anyone could imagine, but it doesn't come for free. There was one or two other people in Henry's store, a woman with matted grey hair and blackened teeth scuttling around the shelves and another man walked through the shelves leering at the woman, but he wasn't Henry.

      "Ah- Addie! So nice of you to drop in again! Unless you're here to punch me again?" Behind the counter was a ratty looking man with big teeth and a balding head.

        "Addieca. And no I'm not here to punch you again." Last year he had tried to con me out of house and home all for a tiny bottle of pain killers for my dad and I had socked him in the face.

Henry smiled at me and he leaned forward, "Ah-good, good! What can I do for you Addie? More pain killers?" he asked me, pulling out an orange bottle of pain killers.

I sighed, Henry always had a bad time calling me by name but there was no helping it he would still call me Addie, "No not pain killers, water."

     The two people in there stopped what they were doing and looked at me, Henry shifted awkwardly from one foot from another.

Henry laughed and said loudly, "Ha Ha Addie you are a funny girl! Funny, funny!" his eyes flickered to the two people in the store and he only stopped laughing when the two lost interest in our conversation.

He leaned towards me and whispered, "You can't do that Addie! You haven't been here for a little while and I can't risk people knowing that I'm selling drinkable water."

       "How much are you selling for?" I asked quietly, picking up random objects off his counter and looking them over.

      "A hundred."

I sputtered and dropped the item in my hand onto the counter and whipped around and looked at him, "A hundred for a jug!?" I hissed.

He nodded, "Two hundred for two jugs."

      "You know I don't have that much money, no one has!"

       "Well... there is another way for you to pay." and he leered at me, wicked smile formed on his face as he looked me up and down.

A tight smile formed onto my lips and I leaned towards him.

     "Oh I think I understand how you want me to pay you." I reached over the counter and pulled the collar of his shirt.

     "D-do you?" he smiled a toothy grin.

I smiled at him, "Yeah I do." In an instant the smile dropped from my face and like a time bomb I slammed his head into the counter and pulled a rusty pair of scissors from his desk and pressed the tip to his throat.

      "You want me to not slit your throat right here and now? That's a good price isn't it?" I hissed at him, my anger bubbling over.

     Fear sparked in his eyes and a weary smile play on his lips, "Okay, okay Addie, I was just messing with ya! The real price for my water is whatever you got in your pocket!" Henry said it like it was a bid surprise.

I smiled cheekily, "That's very kind of you Henry." and I reached into my pocket and pulled out my pouch of money pulled out a couple quarters and dropped them on the counter before going to the back and grabbing four big jugs of water.

      "Hey- hey the amount you gave me only covered for two jugs!" called Henry bravely.

I turned back to him and I again shoved the scissors at him, "You bet that's enough for your crappy water." and I left his store, still burning with anger. That dirt-bag thought I would sleep with him for water! He should have known better.  I thought as i tied the water to my saddle. If he tries that again next time, I'll spay and nutter him.

      People were standing in the shade of buildings buying or selling foods, clothing, and other little trinkets. It was loud and noisy and it smelled like garbage. Heat had stole away some of the kindness in people and left them frustrated and angry with each other. Hopefully I won't be seeing this town till the harvest season.