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Home The leaves of autumn
fall… Another year has gone by, and I am still lost… A
slender woman, of about twenty picked her way carefully around the growth on
the forest floor. She had no home, no money, and no hope. The woman glanced at
her old, chipped dagger, and wondered if she had the courage (or cowardice) to
sink it into her heart. She kept walking as she pondered self-destruction, and
day slowly turned to night. I will decide in the morn… Right now, rest… The
sun was too beautiful, the next morning, yellow filtered through the earthy
hues of the autumn leaves, to die. The woman took a deep breath, and after
bathing in a frigid stream, set off in no apparent direction. At
length, she reached a small town. Weary as she was, she did not head for the
inn. She shuddered as the images of massive, intoxicated men filtered past her
eyes. Besides that, she was weaker than she had been before, and wondered
weather she had the vigor to labor for the innkeeper in order to pay for her
lodging. What hope is there…? The
woman was started out of her morose thoughts by a hand on her shoulder and she
whorled with lightning speed. A huge pig-looking woman with overabundant
make-up stood in front of her. "What
be yer name, girl?" asked Pig-woman. "Aarivas.
Don't go starting people like that. I'm only even telling you because I haven't
spoken to a soul in days, and I am actually longing to speak to someone, and
hear them say my name, so I know I still exist." Came Aarivas's reply with
a glare and flash of her eyes. The pig-ish woman looked slightly taken aback, but
she quickly recovered. "I was jus’ wondrin’ if yah might need a place ter
stay… Aarivas.” She grinned, a nasty grin, her yellow, rotting teeth showing. Aarivas
shook with relief, the fear in her face melting, as she looked into the eyes of
the woman. She is positively terrible looking… from the
outside her heart looks gray… But her eyes! So kind… She looks as though she
could be my mother. Finally,
Aarivas nodded. “Yes… I do need a place to stay.” |