Short Stories by Me

The Girl in the Jar

Only a street from the bakery, she saw a small group of boys that went to the local school. She looked away determinedly, and quickly got past them.

The baker gave her the bread loafs she needed, and she paid him quickly, walking to the china store to get a new plate for her mother.

As she turned a corner to the street, she stopped. In front of the china shop stood the group of boys she had seen earlier. Sylvie tried to turn around, but it was too late. She heard them laughing, running to surround her. She felt a tomato splat on her neck, and pushed herself harder. She flew through the city, pushing her legs to get to her house on the hill. Her back was pelted with not only tomatoes, but oranges and grapes and squash and rotten letus. The laughing and jeering were coming closer, and it wasn't gradual.

Her scarf slid from her head, and she felt something slimy run down her neck. She tried not to care, to only focus on getting home. It was only a street away. No one was helping her. They didn't want to help her. Sylvie wouldn't be getting help here.

***

That night, Sylvie sat in her room, staring at the wall, wiping her tears away. The bread had been soaked with tomato juice, and that was all her father had cared about when she showed up. Not that his daughter was crying, or that the city hated them, or that Sylvie was covered in rotten fruit. He only cared about the bread.

She pulled the brush through her hair, gulping down any sobs. Sylvie's mother hadn't comforted her in years, she hadn't stood up for her ever. No one stood up for her, really. Sylvie was alone.

But what she didn't know was that there was one person who wanted her to win, so succeed in life. The girl in the jar had been watching over Sylvie all her life, rooting for her and hoping she'd get to her goal. Because really, no one is alone in life. There will always be someone out there, whether you know they exist or not.

And yet, Sylvie didn't know this.

Sylvie got back up, and found the most simple dress in her closet, quickly lacing herself up and getting ready. She grabbed a bag, and carefully put all of the money in the room at the bottom of the bag. With a quick sweep, she took everything of value in the room and added that to the bag, then slung it over her back and (after grabbing one more bag), ran down to the kitchens.

***

The middle of the day the next day, Sylvie had gotten a whole new look with her mother's makeup, as well as much shorter hair. The whole night, she had been out selling, dancing, drawing, and singing. She had doubled her money. Her bag was still full of food. She didn't really know what she was doing, but somehow, no one had recognised her.

Sylvie approached the docks, her bag in one arm. Sylvie had a plan.

***

By the next morning, Sylvie was on a ship. A ship that she owned. She even had a very small crew of three young women. Two of them kind of knew how to man a ship.

Sylvie took a deep breath, looking out over the town she somehow called home for years. She now had a new home.

"Captain!" someone shouted. "We're ready to go. All supplies are on deck."

"Hold on," Sylvie announced. "Two things. One, I love the sound of Captain. Two, I need someone to run one more errand before we leave."

One of the women on her crew nodded, and Sylvie whispered her instructions to her.

***

The sea sprayed Sylvie's smiling face, and she took in the beauty of the sea. The wind was behind them, and they were on their way to another island to expand their crew. The ship was very large, and they needed a bigger crew.