Chapter One:
The Special Day:
Christmas Is always a special day, with its peculiar cold weather yet warm, as the overwhelmed feelings of love, affection, and happiness heated the core of each and every house of the city.
The trice the day began your ears would detected no more than greeting and delight wishes danced from a tongue to another, and a glued smile on each feature. You could feel the radiant excitement of giving and receiving gifts, the happiness of having a special dinner with family, and zeal shone the eyes of the kids anticipating Santa Claus.
Indeed it's a very special day, but unfortunately not quite warm for everyone.
As the sun hid behind the tall buildings glowing soft orange color in motion to disappear again, the mass of people decreased. It was early but the majority headed to their nests preparing for the nice long night, except for Kaia who dragged her foot down the street with no intention to return because unless no soul left outside beside hers her job would not end yet. And then she could still spot men and some women here and there, it was an easy task as men –in her century- wore long black coats and dark big hat over their heads, for women's clothing a tighter-fitting garment, a very large skirt that trailed to the ground and a headdress –often a small hat with veil- it was much more complicated than that but Kaia never had the chance to wear such a dress so she never known.
She glanced down her dirty, simple and long dress before buttoning her tiny red coat; she absolutely didn't want to frighten her customers, then she marched over a man and throws him a bright smile she mastered over the years "Do you need one Sir?" Kaia shoved a basket full of matches over him but he completely ignored her, she shouted his back a look full of plea like he could see her, afterward the soreness from the slipped chance invasion her 'But this could have been worse, right?' and yes, people –normally- shoved her and at the best insulted her verbally or arrowed her with nasty glares.
Her desperate attempts came to an end when shadows amalgamated into one darkness, the wind streamed in streets, "Time's up" she murmured shivering at the cold's stings from outside and inside her malnourished body, before she studied the three coins sat on her pale palm which weren't enough to cover up the requested money her –father- demanded her to get him. He probably –in a certainly way- would beat the crap out of her and let her starve.
'The day couldn't possibly get any worse' She hissed making her way to her inevitable punishment, after awhile she stopped when small white and soft balls start falling "Just Great!" She uttered sarcastically. Honestly, she totally didn't hate it, her head rolled up, eyes filled with fascination, it was as if the dark bottomless ocean above snowed 'hope', even if it was in small potions it was still there.
After awhile of blanking stares, the voice of a little girl dragged Kaia's mind to reality, "Wow! Mummy prepared all my favorite dishes, she's the best."
Kaia's face darted to her left side, when realization hit her that she was standing across an opened window, she wanted to move however her body disdained.
Her two glassy balls reflected the warm small family.
She felt the world cupped in the view in front of her.
"How about Daddy?" The man said in a jealousy tone as he grabbed the little girl and sat her in front of him.
"Emm…That does depend on the gift," She spouted sheepishly, a grin adorned her figure.
"Daddy's sad now" He started tickling his daughter with a pout over his face.
"He he… Aya was joking you're the best Papa in the world."
Kaia's eyes widened when she saw her past self in the girl, her mother setting table and her father teasing her non-stop, it was a light trick yet squeezed her heart.
"Are you Santa Claus?" She was confused at when the little girl approached the glass and before she thought of an answer the mother glared at her while closing window.
Kaia's ears detected the last words,
"Aya Santa Claus isn't dirty."