[Automatic] (An Aarmau AU)

[Chapter 29] Why We Fell

I stood shakily at the entrance to the large building. The words Plaza Mall were painted above the doors and many people filed in and out with various bags and items filling their arms.

At first glance, the building seemed old and shabby; a place I would generally avoid. But the nice lady in the market had told me this was where everyone did their shopping, and would be the best place to look for work.

I looked down and the torn poster in my hand, the words help wanted printed across the top of it. It was for a mechanic shop in the plaza, and the pay and hours looked really good. It had been months since I had even touched a screwdriver, but I was out of money and it this was my only hope.

People were starting to look at me strange, as I had been standing there for quite some time. I was very thankful I had found a coat that covered up my arm and kept me warm throughout these cold months. When I left Phoenix Drop it had been summer, so the transition into winter had been less than pleasant.

"Hey kid", a voice yelled. "You lost or something"

I turned around to see a man in a guard uniform starring at me. I had only one run in with the guard before and that was when I had try to steal a bowl a soup from the market.

Panicked, I sprinted off into the building, pushing people aside as I tried to out run the man. In Ru'an you weren't considered a citizen until you were sixteen, which meant I wasn't legally allowed to live alone until then.

If the man caught me, he would ask where my parents were and I wouldn't be able to give him an answer. Then he would figure out the truth and send me to a children's home, which was the last place I want to go.

I started looking for the mechanic shop printed on the flyer, trying not to get run over by the mass amounts of people doing their Sunday shopping. The Plaza was a very big place, and I knew that if I wasn't careful I could easily get lost.

"Excuse me", I tried to ask someone as they walked away. "E-Excuse me?"

Everyone seemed to be ignoring me, walking past me like I was some rodent on the street. I needed to get help if I wanted to find this mechanic shop, but no one would listen to me.

No one.

I started looking for it on my own, but soon found myself lost in a section dedicated to clothes and jewellery. Who was I kidding, the job had probably already been taken, and even if it wasn't who would ever want to hire a disabled kid.

I sat down on an abandoned bench and tried not to cry. Why was I always so damn stupid, thinking I could really live on my own in the big city. I should have just let the social workers take me to the children's home, at least then I wouldn't have to beg for food like an animal.

"You ok?", a deep voice asked me. I quickly raised my head to see an older looking man with a concerned face looking down at me.

"H-Hi", I said wiping my eyes. "Yeah sorry, I just, need to figure out how to get here"

I showed him the flyer and he laughed. "Well you ran into the right person, I just so happen to own that fine establishment"

Xx

I slowly blinked open my eyes, a mild pain spreading throughout my body. Everything around me seemed to be white, the walls, the ceiling, even the sheets on my bed.

"Aaron?", I tried to yell, my voice coming out only as a quiet squeak. "Aaron", I cried louder, my voice still no louder than a whisper.