The Thief

The Bath

"Shh, don't wake er. She needs her sleep." One of the mothers say to the children, she saw her come back a couple hours ago, she looked like she was run through with a washing pin.

The kids groan and grumble as they go wonder off to play someplace else as the mother goes up to Shima and tucks her in. The poor child has no family, no love ones, nothing, but yet, she does so much for this little village, she brought life and joy to this once depressing, starving, disease ridden place. She just suddenly showed up once day. One could say she was an angel sent from above, Only missin the wings and just to think, her 20th birthday is tomorrow. I left her be for the time being to help the others. Lots to do, never a time to rest after all. Not till your dead.

In turn, Shima slept through the whole day to the surprise of some and unsurprised to others. She would of slept more if it wasn't that she got woken up by a surprise,

A murmer of voices went around Shima, waking her slightly from her sleep, she groans as she starts to listen to them, "1...2...3." She hears whispers among the group before suddenly a massive "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Filled the small space that they occupied, Shima jumped and clutched her chest, her heart feeling like it could just hop right out of her throat at that very moment,

"Jesus Christ! You guys scared me." She laughs as Some of the kids jump on her supporting the laughter, "happy birthday shimie! You look funny with your hair like that" says one of the little girls.

"Yeah! You look like a boy!" Comments another child, this time a little boy in overalls too big for his body.

"Hey now," Shima responds, "I can be a boy if I want, there's nothing different between being a girl or a boy." Shima finishes, giving them a disapproving look

"But girls are icky." A boy says as he sticks out his tongue

"But, girls can do the same work as the boys." Shima comments

"Nah huh" the boys say as they ran off.

Shima laughs as they go off, "happy birthday dear." A mother interjects as she offers a piece of cake

Shima smiles, but then starts to worry, the cake looking like it cost a lot, "You really didn't need to go all out Sarah."

"Don't worry, we didn't spend too much." They reassure her, "we promise"

"If you say so." Shima said unsure and took the slice, "man, it's hard to believe that I've been here for 8 years already. I actually forgot that it was this week."

"To be expected, you've been working nonstop lately."

"And with coming home at dawn, does give the body a lot of strain."

"You've been sleeping since last morning."

Shima stops midway through cutting into her cake, "what?! Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!"

The ladies laugh, "it's fine Shima, no need to worry yourself. We did fine. You can relax today since its your birthday."

"Ok... But that's going to be hard though..." she responds and the ladies laugh,

" I'm sure you'll find a way."

"We'll leave ye be while you try to find a way. Goodbye shimie." The ladies laugh as Shima rolls her eyes while smiling,

"Goodbye and good luck" She say back, once they were out of sight, Shima sighed and fell back down on her bed, " what am I going to do?" She ponders, "i can't remember the last time I had a proper bath. I think there's a place near here that I can go to. Yeah, I will start there, then I'll be well rested for tonight, I'll have to work thrice as hard anyways." She decides, feeding victorious

Having her mind set, Shima left the village, leading to the bath house.

---

Shima slams her hands on the counter in anguish, "What do you mean I'm not a lady!?" She yells

The guy behind the counter looks over her once more and puts an eyebrow up, not having it, "Sir, I've seen guys like you try to pull that trick."

" then can I please talk to a female worker to prove that I am indeed a woman?" I ask, exasperated, I just wanted a bath here.

The lumber Jack of a man grabs my collar, "fine, if you insist; if you do any funny business with my wife, I will end you." He spits in my face as he lets go to yell for his wife

"Beth! Come here!" He yells to the back room and soon after a mousy woman appears

"John, stop your yelling, what do you want? I was cleaning." She snaps, fire in her eyes

Her husband is a bit taken aback, "well.. This man is tellin me that he's a woman," he explains, his demeanor back to what it was before, "and now he wants to prove it and he doesn't want to prove it to me, so I called you."

She glares at him, then sighs, looking back at me, "Yes dear, come, follow me to this room." Beth tells me as she becons me and I follow.

She sighs again as she closes the door, "men, they define women by the size of their breast and the look of their makeup." She says to herself and I giggle

"So, do I really need to prove that I'm a woman?"

"No, I could tell from the first look. I've seen a lot of different folk that's comes in here and some I doubted myself that they were female." She jokes and I laugh with her

I smile, "I feel you. Doing the things I do, I have doubt it too. But we shouldn't stay too long in here, your husband threatened to have my head if I did any funny business and staying in too long can get suspicious." I reason and she nods in agreement. She reminds me of Molly Weasley

"Yes yes, we can't stay too long."

Beth opens the door and lets me out,

"So, is he tellin the truth?" John says as he eyes me down again.

"It's a she and yes she's telling the truth. Now, if you excuse me, Im going to continue cleaning." Beth then disappears into the back room again and I take the moment to pay

"Alright, so, I owe you 8 pounds?" I ask cheerfully

He squints at me once more before he sighs , "Yes. I'll have one of our workers to send you to a room."

"Thank you sir." I nod

He dings a bell and this time a guy comes from the back, "yes?"

"We have a customer, take her to one of the bathing areas."

"Yes sir." He bows then looks at me, "follow me miss."

He takes me to one of the rooms, I thank him and went in. It was one of the freshly cleaned ones. I smile as I take off my clothes and put them off to the side, I slipped into the bath moaning as the hot water touches my skin, Couldnt remember the last time that I had a warm bath... Or a bath in general.

short chapter, I know. The next should be longer, then we are going back to short, I'm sorry, but that's just how it is....

-dirk