LINDALE

~1~

The wind whistled in the distance,twigs and dead leaves crackling and crunching under her aching soles.

The woods, not the safest route home but the fastest. Hunted by time in pursuit of the distance to be covered.

She had to be home and on time as well. Pushing through her limits the secluded cottage came to view. The only sign of apparent civilization for miles ahead swallowed by Silva.

She hesitated, wiping her feet on the welcome mat. The knob felt cool and foreign to touch. Mustering up her new found courage she tugged it, forcing it forward. Just like many other frustrating nights it wouldn't budge.

Falling to her knees she curled her self into a fetal position drawing her knees to her chest. The welcome mat seemed more of a better option than anything else.

In these woods the true predators were the darn mosquitoes with the appetite of a ravaging vampire. She hoped she'd make it through the night still in one piece.

She might have missed today's curfew but it was worth it.

_______

"No breakfast" Said Josie her Russian caretaker.

No dinner and now no breakfast?

She thought wiping the specks of dust off her black apron and peach blouse. The red swollen bumps courtesy of the mosquitoes littered all over her arms were starting to itch.

Work was all that was on her mind right now, not even Josie's negative attitude could cloud her mind. She twisted her neck to the side wincing in pain,maybe passing out on the welcome mat wasn't a very bright idea.

"Well if it isn't Aurora the borer" They unceremoniously chuckled at his lame excuse of a joke.

Paul and his gang of hooligans were back. One could tell by the smell of cigarettes wafting through the air. The jokes on them cause they didn't need the cancer sticks to pollute the air, they were doing a fine job on their own.

"You better look at me when I'm talking to you!" He barked at her staggering up to his feet. She needed to scurry off to work if she planned on not being late. Whatever he had to say wouldn't even make an atom of sense.

He smiled at her, a crooked smile. Splotches of grey and yellow tattooed on his teeth. She shivered in disgust darting up the stairs. He was a low even for josie.

_______

The top part of the building, A bar conveniently named Dickie's was where she worked her night shifts.

And below that Lidnsey's cafe where she worked her morning shifts. The Lynn twins were popular throughout the little town.

Owning more than half the town's properties. They were influential not just politically but socially as well.
She had been working both shifts, saving up for an apartment. One just opened up a three bedroom flat. It was within a walkable distance to the café and affordable too.

The bell at the top of the door jingled as she made her way through Inhaling the cafe's signature scent of freshly brewed coffee. A drop out fresh out of high school didn't have many opportunities to earn what she could.