After what happened yesterday, Hilda didn't get any sleep that night, it was already a combination of already been overslept and is now having to look for a job.
She really wanted to put Twig in a good school and be able to afford something else other than cereal and ramen.
She unhappily didn't get to meet Alfur today, he had multiple night shifts scheduled this week, he said. She was told that he likes the job so she would not stop him, otherwise he's not gonna pay her anymore.
Hilda then looked up from the newspaper while she brought out the bowls for herself and Twig's.
Twig then woke and walked down to see Hilda reading the newspaper while drinking a cup of water.
T- Good morning.
H- Mornin'….
T- Can I have some cereal?
H- Sure….
Hilda then looked at the time at the clock on the wall.
H- Oh damn, it's morning already….
Hilda then took a deep breath and began pouring the cereal and milk into the bowls for herself and her brother.
While eating their breakfast, Twig asks Hilda if he can go out with Raven again.
T- Can I stay with Raven again?
H- Uhuh…. You might actually need that, I might look for a job today.
T- Oh! Cool!
H- Yeah, cool. Also did you sleep well? Last night, someone was blasting loud music.
T- I didn't heard anythi-
Someone knocked on the door.
Hilda opened the door and found Raven with a flask and a mug full of hot coffee.
R- Never used the coffee maker I had, so yeah. Enjoy.
H- Thanks… I really needed this.
She grabbed the mug and took a sip, after seeing Raven, Twig was now changing in the bathroom and immediately came out with a smile, running to hug his friend.
R- Oh… So… I-
T- Hey! So, what are going to do today?
Twig said as he was hugging his friend while he's trying to say something out.
R- I was about to do... something alone…
H- Yeah, also can I ask you a favor?
R- Sure.
H- I'm gonna look for a job today, can you look over Twig for today?
R- Well… if it's you who is asking, I guess fine.
H- Thanks!
T- Yay! Thanks Hil...da
Hilda grabbed the bottle and ran downstairs after quickly locking the door.
R- Well I guess I'll be leaving you with Kaisa.
T- But weren't we going we do stuff together?
R- Not today, I have to buy things.
T- But isn't Kaisa a witch!?
R- Who told- Oh, yeah, but she won't charge me for it.
T- Well...okay.
Raven and Twig started going upstairs, with Twig being visibly uncomfortable while Raven with a blank face and his hand right in his pocket.
They finally arrived at Kaisa's doorstep, Raven knocked on the door and picked up a tissue from his pocket, and holding it against his nostrils.
After waiting for a few minutes, Kaisa then answered the door with a very tired expression, this time she was wearing a sweatshirt and loose pants.
R- Hey there Kaisa.
Raven leaned forward as the tissue is now getting soaked with blood.
K- Hey Raven. Hi Twig.
T- Hi…..
K- What's up? Got another gift for me?
R- Nah, I actually need you to watch over the boy here.
K- Oh, you want me to babysit him? Don't wanna sound greedy but do you have any money?
R- I have a pair of brand new boots, want it?
K- Will do.
R- Okay, it's a deal.
Raven then picked the boots up and gave it to her and then simply turned around and went downstairs again, still holding the tissue against his nostrils while he walked.
Twig was now visibly uncomfortable, the inside of the apartment was different than it was before. It was now messier, there were pieces of clothing around and now there are empty bottles of beer laying in the tables and the floor.
T- W-what happened here?
K- Nothing, just…..a party. I guess. The marras did one nearby so my roommates decided it was a perfect idea to have one as well.
T- O-oh… I see….so are they witches too?
Kaisa felt uncomfortable answering that question, given that she knows what they have done before so she decides to dodge the question.
K- Do you like games?
T- I like them! What kind of games do you have?
K- I have Monopoly….Poker, we can play Solitare…if you want.
T- Yeah…. This is going to be a fun day!
Meanwhile, Hilda was now at the bus, she was going to try out the job interviews, perhaps even get one so she can pay for a good school for Twig and pay for the bills.
Then her phone started to ring, at first she thought it was her mom, but it was actually her friend, Frida.
F- Hey there.
H- Hello Frida.
F- So what are you doing now?
H- Trying out for a job.
F- Nice!
H- So, how is life in college?
F- It's fine. How is life in downtown?
H- Like hell.
F- It's just two days in and you already disliked it?
H- Yeah, we met a boy on the block, did you know he steals luggages from the nearby airport?
F- Yeah, we tried reporting him and the police never showed up, didn't even bother to answer our call.
H- Ah….I see
F- Yeah! And downtown is not very well guarded. People steal left and right, and the worst is he is not even poor! He steals because he wants it.
H- Does he have a condition?
F- We don't know, though I call it kleptomania.
H- Okay, makes sense.
F- I have to go to my classes, I hope you are doing fine.
H- Same for y-
The call ended.
H- Well, better get prepared.
Meanwhile, Raven has a much more busy day, winter was approaching and with it, a great opportunity to profit. All the water-related items were going to raise in price really soon, but for now, the few stores who kept selling them all year had the prices low.
If he could afford just a couple of them and wait until they're sold out, he can then triple the price. And that is not even the most lucrative half.
He could clean off the snow off of their gardens, for a price and then immediately push the snow back on the path, forcing people to either hire him again, or do it themselves.
He imagined that he could draw a lot of money solely from doing half the work, but now all he had to do is to buy stuff and unfortunately he was low on money at this time.
Luckily, at the airport there was an entire lost and found section just dedicated to lost wallets.
He waited for the bus and after a while, he hopped in to find Hilda in one of the seats. So he promptly sat on her side.
R- Hello.
H- What the- Where is Twig!?
R- With Kaisa.
H- Who is Kaisa?!
R- Oh, she's the goth on the floor above. Chill, good looking.
H- You sure we can trust her with Twig?
R- I trusted her with my heart, so yeah.
H- Ah…. So where you heading?
R- Airport, to steal wallets.
H- Well I am going to a job interview… A-at the airport….
R- Wish you good lock.
H- Hey thanks. You know, for someone who steals luggage and will most likely be selling heroin to me a few years in the future, you are pretty sweet.
Raven took another tissue from his pockets and started to press it against his nostrils,
H- Something wrong?
R- You got me a nosebleed.
H- Oh I'm so sorry!
R- It's ok, I'm easily flattered.
H- Oh so it comes up when you are happy?
R- yeah….. Maybe a bit too happy but yeah.
H- Oh…. So I'm assuming you are kinda mature already?
R- I commit crimes and I use my appearance to get discount at restaurants, so yeah.
H- So….
R- Yeah, I know.
H- Ok…. Uh… You sure Twig will be ok?
R- Compared to the other people I know, she is an angel.
Kaisa was beginning to doubt if she was doing the right thing.
Most the games were pretty boring with only two people and it was becoming evident that the boy wanted to do something more then just playing board games or card games.
She also didn't had any food that he might liked, she only had some loaf of bread and ham.
K- So uh…. Why did you move with your mom.
T- My sister, actually.
K- Oh, sorry but yeah, I presume you could have just stayed with your mom.
T- Yeah, but….Hilda was with me for so long… I didn't want to be without her.
K- You guys are really close… Talking about that, where is she and that boy? He did say anything about how long would he stay out?
T- No….
K- Huh….uuhhh hey, did you had coffee before?
T- No…
K- I guess it's about time, kid.
Meanwhile, Hilda and Raven were leaving the bus station and are now right in front of the airport.
H- Alright, I can't mess up this time. I need this job- aaaaand that's a hot dog stand.
R- Don't tell me you're not going to ditch a job interview because of a hot dog stand right?
H- I don't know…. I haven't eaten anything but ramen….
R- Hilda.
H- I know but-
R- I will buy a hot dog if you go to the interview ok?
H- Why are you acting like a father?
R- Because you are acting like a kid.
H- Yeah… You are right….Later I guess
They both walked into the airport, and went each on their way.
Raven walked a few bloccks before quickly found the lost and found, unsupervised.
There wasn't much but he quickly got the money he needed to buy the stuff he would overprice and resell.
That was when he heard footsteps, way too heavy to be Hilda's. he knew what it meant and quickly ducked behind a box as the door busted open.
As Raven peeked out a little, it was a police officer looking around.
He didn't dare to check any further, and then the officer left and closed the door behind him.
Raven breathed a huge sigh of relief but now there was now someone in front of the door, and he needed to get out before Hilda finishes her interview.
Without any other options, he carefully crawled into the ventilation system, slowly making his way out the room. The vents have a really strong smell.
After a while of crawling around, he finally found a ventilation opening low enough for him to leave, then waited for Hilda to finish her interview while he goes out to buy a hotdog for him and Hilda.
Meanwhile, Twig and Kaisa were chilling at home. They got easily bored and lunchtime was near.
Twig had just tasted coffee and was now filled with energy he wasn't using. Kaisa realized that it was a terrible mistake when he would not stop talking.
Then someone knocked, and to Kaisa's relief it was Raven and Hilda, Raven with a brand new pair of high heels and both of them holding a hotdog.
K- Ah thank the Heavens…. Why did it take you so long?
R- Lady "can't focus on something for two seconds" had a job interview and I promised her hotdogs.
H- Hey! I hadn't had anything this good since!
T- Hey! You are back!
Twig ran up to Hilda and gave her a hug while Raven handed the boots over to Kaisa.
R- Well, I did what I promised.
K- That's sweet, also here are the boots ypu gave me earlier.
R- Oh...that.
Raven then got his boots back while pulling another piece of tissue then putting it on his nose before leaning forward and walking away.
T- Well...at least me and Kaisa had a good day.
R- Yeah, also here's my hotdog. I don't want it anyway.
T- Thanks. Goodbye, I guess.
Twig and Hilda went downstairs on their own after waving a short goodbye to Raven and Kaisa.
After a while, his nosebleed ends and now Raven threw away the bloody tissue off the block and into the street.
R- I didn't get the chance last night, sorry for the…
He grabbed another tissue again as his nose started to bleed again and held it against his nostrils like always
R- ….Sorry for this.
K- It's ok, at least you are not harassing anyone… Uh… I would ask if you wanna come in but my roommates will arrive soon and…
R- Yeah, I know. So… goodnight.
K- Yeah…and thanks for the boots friend.
Raven closed her door and went to his apartment. He heard talk from Hilda's apartment but he didn't bother to knock. He was already being enough of a bother.
Hilda and Twig are now back inside and then they both ate lunch from the hotdogs Raven bought and both rest for the afternoon.
Meanwhile while resting with Twig, Hilda decides to ask him what he did all day.
H- So, Twig. What did you do all day?
T- Nothing, just hanging out with Kaisa until you came back.
H- That's nice, now tell me who is Kaisa.
T- Well...Kaisais a really nice person. She had some games but we got bored so she gave me coffee.
H- She gave you coffee?
T- Yup, and the taste was nasty! I hate it!
H- Soon Twig, you are so gonna love coffee. Just you wait.
T- But I don't wann-
The telephone now rang and it immediately reminded Hilda of the interview. She quickly got up and answered the phone.
H- Hello?
IT- Hello, is this Hilda Pearson?
H- Yes, that's me.
IT- Oh, good. Now about your resume...
T- Hilda, who's that on the phone?
Hilda looked at Twig and gave hin a gesture of shushing and Twig became silent and just started flipping through the channels in the TV.
IT- Who's that with you? I heard someone.
H- That's just my little brother, ignore him.
IT- Anyways, about your resume.
The interviewer then laid out her resume and then Hilda replied back with the information the interviewer need before telling Hilda that her resume is still applicable for entry, he hen told her that the airport was too overstaffed and they had to put her in a waiting list until the overstaffing problem can be managed.
Hilda was quietly shocked that they had to put her in a waiting list but she understood their concerns and agreed with it and then they both ended the call.
After ending the call, Hilda then walked to the kitchen and grabbed herself a glass of water before drinking it recklessly.
T- ...Hilda?
Hilda then looked at Twig, his face riddled with worry and concern for Hilda, smiled at him and poured him a glass of water as well and gave it to him, and he also drank the water as well.
H- Twig...
T- Yes, Hilda?
Hilda contemplated what to say to him as she was too stressed to even try and explain to him what had happened in the call, so she tried asking him something else.
H- ...am I a bad sister?
T- No, Hilda. You're not a bad sister. No matter what you do, I still think you're the best sister ever.
Twig then comforted Hilda with a hug and Hilda hugged back, quietly sobbing herself as their hug persisted for a few minutes.
H- Thank you, Twig.
T- You're welcome, Hilda.
They then broke their hug and sat near each other in the table, while Hilda poured themselves another glass of water and drinking it.
After a few minutes of chatting what they did all day in the kitchen, Hilda then told Twig that she has to cook dinner and have him prepare for the next day.
Twig agreed and then walked back to the TV, laying down on the couch before letting himself sleep under the static noise coming from the TV.