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.
Out of everyone else in town, the twins were the only one's willing to employ her and for that she believed she was indebted to them.
"Morning" she smiled at him fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. He gazed at her wondering what she was doing just standing there. She's known Ashton for a long as she has Lindsey.
She was the big sister she's always wanted and he the guy she'd always dreamt of having.
His dark grey suit was crisp and clean, he smelt drunk but he didn't look drunk.
His silk black curls tousled,lips curved to the right in a devious smirk.
He caught me staring.
She was never one to openly stare at people. It was always considered rude and she didn't like it when people did it either but he was an irresistible sight that must be beheld. She averted her gaze staring at anything else but him.
His hot gaze trailed every inch of her exposing her to his judgement.
"Take the day off" he demanded making his way out the door. There was never much to do when working the night shifts.
All she had to do was serve him and any other visitors he chose to have over. It was more of a private bar if anything. The longest shift she'd ever had lasted a total of three hours only because he had some business to attend to.
"Morning" An overly Enthusiastic voice squealed disrupting the serenity of the atmosphere.
Vicky made her way in,her boyfriend James following very closely behind her.
Her unnaturally fiery red curls flowed down her back matching her matte red lip stick.
One would wonder how she could see or cook with her insanely long lashes and expensive nails.
James made his way towards the counter face smudged with lip stick. His golden brown eyes shun with a glint of amusement.
He was willing to screw anything that could walk so was Vicky but you don't even need to walk for her to screw you.
She brushed past Jane into the kitchen,she was a really great cook and so was James. The problem was, sometimes the ingredients weren't the only things they were mixing.
_________
She sighed, it was already midday and she was still stuck behind this cursed counter taking orders and serving cranky rednecks. What she'd give to take a break from working all together.
The bell above the door jingled. Ashton strolled in, in all his glory dressed in a carefree attire.
Grey sweatpants and a red hoodie. She envied the fact that he looked ravishing in anything he wore. Unlike earlier this morning he lacked his stubble.
Sporting a freshly shaved chin and neatly combed hair he strutted towards Lindsey's office brushing past her by the counter.
Guess her day just got better.
Time, Time was once more of the essence. Now, the same as many times before she let her mind marvel over how bizzare it is for a person, anyone to live in the middle of the woods.
She could feel it as the wind whistled in the distance. The twigs and dead leaves crunching under her aching soles.
These woods were never entirely safe but it was way worse at night.
If she had another choice, she'd probably choose that over running like a maniac under the midnight canvas, half blinded yet hunted by time in pursuit of the distance to be covered.
It took a while before the secluded cottage came to view,swallowed by miles of silva. Fear washed over her in waves forcing her mind to reerect the memories of previous nights similar this one.
It all seemed hazy. She was yet to recover from a hard day's work all with her sprinting through the woods to get home before curfew. Her body couldn't handle the truck load of stress all with her breath coming out in pants.
Shaking the fogginess away, she gulped widening her eyes in attempt to focus.
"No" The hopeless whisper faded, her weak grip on the knob loosening. She slumped down unconcious on the welcome mat. Leaving her defenceless to the darkness of nature.
-lll-
"No breakfast" Josie, her Russian caretaker gruffed. She was a middle aged widow with the attitude a banshee.
The word short couldn't really be used to describe her. The right word in this case would be brief. A word that was fitting for both her height and attire.
A disoriented Jane slowly but unsteadily rose to her feet.
Spending the night on a welcome mat wasn't on her agenda nor was it a good idea. Her sore limbs seemed to get the memo.
Dressed in her work clothes. A simle peach blouse tucked into a black ruffled skirt topped off with a matching apron.
She made her way in itching as she went, her arm a mess of red itchy bumps courtesy of the mosquitoes.
"Well if it isn't Aurora the borer" A hoot of laughter resonated round the stuffy room.
Paul, Josie's companion of sorts. He was back again with his horde of hooligans. You could tell by the smell of cigarettes wafting through the air.
"You better look at me when I'm talking to you" He barked staggering up to his feet. She needed to scurry off to work if she planned on not being late.
"Jane" He smiled at her, a crooked smile. Splotches of grey and yellow tattooed on his teeth.
Josie could do better, A whole lot better than this.
-lll-
The building, A simple all white commercial duplex where she worked two jobs. Conveinietly for her in the same building.
The top floor, a private bar named Roo where she worked her night shifts.
Her employer from her experience seemed to be a man who values his privacy and peace,which is why she barely did anything when working her night shifts only cleaning and passing time.
On some occasions when he had company over or was just in need of a drink she'd man the bar. Those were quite awkward times.
The lower floor was Lyndsey's cafe where she worked her morning shift. It was a lot more hectic than the night shift, the reverse was the case in the cafe instead of not working at all she did most of the work.
Her employers were the infamous Lynn twins of Lindale. More than half the buildings and properties in Lindale were in their name so it was no surprise. They were influential not just politically but socially as well.
The bell at the top of the door jingled, She made her way through inhaling the cafe's signature scent of freshly brewed coffee.
Whilst living with Josie, school was not an option. She had to learn how to read and write all on her own but with no evidence of completing any level of formal education.
It was difficult to find a job, both jobs she'd somehow managed to find in this building were her saving grace.
She wasn't legal yet but in Josie's eyes she was an adult and adults fend for themselves which is why she needed this job.
She was indebted to the twins for helping her when she needed it the most.
"Morning" she greeted snoothening out her apron. Dressed in a dark velvet suit, he smelt drunk but didn't look drunk.
Ashton was the more reserved one of twins. Spoke only when necessary and avoided all forms of human contact. She has learnt the hard way that he was best left alone.
He gazed at her, his stern gaze exposing every inch of her to his judgement. She watched him.
His silky black curls were neatly held in place, lips slightly curved to the right in a devious smirk.
He said nothing, rising to his feet and exiting the cafe. It wasn't the first time nor did she expect a response.
This was a first yes, the first and only time she had seen his face form some sort of expression.
"Morning!" A sickeningly sweet voice squealed. Vicky made her way in with her boyfriend James following closely behind.
Her unnatural fiery red braids flowed all the way down to the curve of her butt matching her cherry red lip stick.
Most people wondered how she could see or cook with her insanely long lashes and expensive nails.
James, her boyfriend,made his way towards the counter.
The corner of his lips smudged with lip stick. She dreaded their impending conversation.
His golden brown eyes shun with a glint of amusement. He had a libido the size of his ego so it was of no surprise that he was dating someone like Vicky.
Vicky brushed past Jane making her way into the kitchen. She was a great cook and so was James. The only problem was, sometimes the ingredients weren't the only things they were mixing.
M~ Updates, every Saturday by 9pm.