Beats and Breaths-Lifelines

Chapter 2

The morning dew clung to their skinny legs as the siblings dashed through the concentric circles of town. Living on the outskirts meant a long run to the center, where they both worked. They had to navigate increasingly rich properties, schoolyards, and hordes of early shoppers. Shan's breath became labored, and Frederik's heart pounded, but not both. They were part of a small, unique group of people called Lifeliners. It was quite a rare trait to have breathing lungs or beating heart. Very handy, really. Lifeliners could work longer, harder jobs. They didn't get exhausted easily. This made them the cream of the crop, even if you were only 11 or 12. Many villagers seemed to believe that if a person could work for a few hours, they could work forever. That didn't mean they were paid better, however. Just paid for the extra hour they worked without collapsing. Shan, who worked with a popular seamstress-tailor, was paid a Wooden an hour. Wooden, Stone, Glass, Granite, Copper, Silver, Gold, Opal, Amethyst, Diamond. Frederik, who was older, got 2 an hour helping a wheat farmer.

Heilach were small, round coins with a single, square hole in the center. 10 Wooden made a Stone, 10 Stone made a Glass, and so on.

After 6 hours of hard work, they made, together, 1 Stone and 8 Wooden. Enough to buy a loaf of bread, 9 sticky buns, and a potful of rice. Not much to feed a family of 5.

It was hard on both of them to be the only people supporting 3 sickly others.

Lily, the youngest, was 5. She had light brown hair, big brown eyes, and small fingers. A thick scar ran from her left temple to lip. She could've been a cute, energetic little child if life hadn't been so cruel to her. When she was born, she had had severe heart complications. At age 3, she fell down a hill. On the way down, her face hit a rock, barely missing her eye. Then her left leg was crumpled beneath her, and never healed right.

Juo, who was 7, had darker hair and lighter skin, presumably from his father. Unfortunately he had also inherited Brain Cancer and a weak immune system from Muma, who's hair and face had aged prematurely.

The sharp needle startled Shan out of her thoughts.

"Ouch!" On her pointer finger, a small bubble of blood swelled. Sucking on it gently, she reached for another scrap of fabric.

"SHANNON-ALICE! DID YOU GET BLOOD ON THE DRESS AGAIN?"

Shan jumped, banging her funny bone on the counter. Then she looked down shamefully.

"Yes, ma'am."

Miss Vespa sighed in exasperation. She snatched the pink fabric from Shan's lap scoldingly, and replaced it with a red one.

Just as a loud bell rang.

Shan hopped to her feet joyfully, tossing the needle and new fabric. Then she held out her hands.

Miss Vespa scowled, and looked down at the girl's small palms and skinny frame. From her side pocket, she pulled a thin, rotting, brown pinchsack.

Shan smiled at the clink of the old wooden coins, but it faded when she counted. Timidly, she said, "Ma'am, I-I think you forgot one.."

Miss Vespa smacked her hand. Then she looked down at her own palm in disgust, and wiped it on her pant leg.

As if Shan was somehow dirty.

"Foolish git! I don't pay people who don't work!"

She inhaled sharply as Miss Vespa swatted her on the bottom. It hurt even more knowing that she knew that her family had been counting on the money. And found pleasure in her family's misery.

If she had a tail, it would be tucked in as she sulked out of the room, slamming the old wooden door.

Her bottom smarted, and she scrubbed a tear from her eye. Frustrated, she sulked over to the nearest rice stall. With less money, she would be hungry that night.

After paying the Riceman 4 Wooden, she carefully placed the greasy, wrapped bundle in her sack. Then she grabbed 3 sticky buns for 1 wooden.

Shan bolted back toward home, determined to meet Frederik at the normal corner on time. Sweat dripped into her eyes, and she blinked them away. Losing her focus briefly, she began to daydream about how nice it must be for the rich kids at school. Free food, and friends? Yes, please!

Busy with dreams and time, she misstepped on the outskirts of the central circle. Shan tripped on a crack in the marble, plummeting toward the ground. Her already skinned hands caught her, but bloody gashes opened on both knees. From the shadow of a nearby oak tree, she heard a loud laugh.

"Oh, looook! It's Shannon-Aliiice! Is she okaaaaay?" The high-pitched, female voice mocked. Gritting her teeth, Shan glared at the gaggle of pink-clad girls. The tallest; coincidentally the leader, had her hideous frizzy orange hair up in a tight bun that looked like it hurt. A hot-pink scrunchie circled her skinny wrist. A splatter of freckles broke up her face. Vaguely, Shan remembered her as Nocha.

Three younger girls followed her every step, gossiping and laughing lightly.

"Don't worry," Nocha snorted to the girl on her left. "She'll be out of our hair soon enough."

"W-what do you mean?" Shan said, her voice quivering, facade crumbling slightly.

"Oh!" She sniggered, "The little child doesn't know!"

"I'm not little!" She yelped angrily.

"Really? How old are you? 7?"

The gaggle of chic girls laughed like it was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

"I'm 10!" She finally snapped, gathering her items and brushing off her skirt. "And if you don't mind, I must be going!"

Startled by her snappiness, 3 of the pink-clad girls backed off quickly.

Cowards.

Nocha, however, just got in her face.

"Really? Guess you're not gonna get much taller, are you?"

Done with her tactics, Shan turned her back to her and began to walk briskly away. Unfortunately, she called something intriguing after her.

"Wouldn't you like to know about the Snuffer, little girl? He comes into every town, looking for little, breathing Lifeliners. Then he takes them!" Nocha waggled her fingers dramatically. "The Lifelines, of course. And-" She laughed, "We all know what that means, don't we, Shannon-Alice?"

Nocha must have seen the terror blossom in her eyes, because she guffawed, bending over laughing. "T-tell that grungy brother of yours, too! Then we never have to see either of you stinking up our town again!"