ra's

the cold, hard floor, but at least it was better than the life I had left behind. The memory of last night....of my mother's tear-

e without fear of someone finding me. With the money my mother gave me clutched tightly in my hand, I made my way to the train station. The tick

t anything like the quaint little town I'd grown up in. It was loud, bustling, and intimidating.

tween two rundown buildings. I walked over to the bu

attention to me. I quickly introduced mys

oking her cigarette until she pointed to th

ooking for a job to sustain myself. I brought out the cash and handed it

such a

glanced at me as she handed me a

l of mildew clung to the air, but it didn't matter. It was a roof over my head, and it was cheap enough to last me a week if I was car

hispered to myself, trying to

y the dirt and grime from the journey. I couldn't afford to look desperate, even if I felt it. With my

. Restaurants, shops, offices....anywhere that had a "He

ow," one manager said, ba

experience," another

to my tiny room, defeated. The next two days were more of the same. Waking up early, walking the s

pon a bar called *The Rusty Tap*. The exterior wasn't impressive...peeling paint and

d the bartender, a burly man with

expression skeptical. "Have yo

id quickly. "I'll do anything. Cle

use someone to clean up after hours. Pay'

tidal wave. "I'll take it.

ag. "You can start now. The

Inez do well to show her around and e

, she looked a year or two older than me, I didn't m

how things were done. I was glad for her help

I explained to you?" Inez as

red wit

ree here, I don't bite and I

ll I said. What wa

e asked as she stared at me w

ur

to know, but if you can't answer, it's alright"

explaining, "I'm 19, you do not have

ld be best friends right now," she said,

all I said. I didn't know what to s

ht into it, we'll

ka

om for misbehaviour or making my boss angry. I need

and his foolish son. By the time I finished cleaning that night, my arms felt like they were about to fall off. The pay b

but it was nothing compared to the fear of going back to that house. I was only sane because of the help I got from my new friend Inez. She seemed too go

kers....It's not really a concern, and I don't pray to fin

her. Was she safe? Was she eating? The guilt of leaving her behind was a constant weight on my

sh on the table. I had to find a way to make more money. The bar wasn't going to cut it for l

ery possible job I could apply for. The city was big, and there had to be som

myself that no matter how hard it got, I wouldn't stop fighting. My mother had sac