The sunlight began to penetrate the torn curtains. Though it ws obviously morning, many signs of morning-time were missing. There were no singing birds. There was no early bustle of commuters. The familiar things appeared to be quite strange.
The only piece of furniture in the room was a twin mattress placed on the floor. There were newspapers and food containers near the mattress, but it was obviously the resting place of a poverty-stricken being. Atop the mattress was a golden-haired young woman, still asleep. She looked so tranquil, but perhaps one can only be tranquil while dreaming.
A knock on the door disturbed her rest. With a yawn, she rose, as furtive knocking continued. She opened the door, "What do you want?"
An old woman was on the other side. She was quite tattered-looking. "It's the first of the month, rent day."
The golden-haired girl closed the door for a moment, in order to remove her money from it's hiding spot. She opened the door and handed the woman three wrinkled bills. The woman retreated down the hall.
"Damn rent," muttered the young lady. She reached towards a pile of folded clothes. After a moments thought, she picked out a faded yellow sundress. She pulled off her patched nightgown, replacing it with the sun dress. She then adjusted the golden locket around her neck. It was a tiny golden heart with "Reyna" inscribed on it.
She looked in the mirror. "Alright, Reyna, today's the day you find a job." She then practiced smiling in her aged, stained mirror. She sighed after realizing that she could not recall the last time she smiled a genuine smile. "Cut it out, Reyna, life sucks. Just find that job."
She opened the door of her rented room and ventured off. She started down the streets, which to her seemed like ancient ruins from a war that no one could ever remember. She approached a dingy looking club, and entered it slowly. Though it was early in the morning, there was still a drinking crowd. Reyna approached the bar.
"Excuse me," she started to the bar tender, "are there any barmaid positions open?"
The gruff man behind the bar sized her up, and replied to her with a harsh laugh. "You're not fit to be anything but a street walker. How 'bouts a freebie, sweets?"
Tears flowed from Reyna's pale eyes. "Jerk!" she exclaimed as she stormed out of the bar, followed by the laughter of the bartender. She walked briskly down the streets, avoiding the glances of others, especially the men. Why did men only look at her as a sex object? As she was pondering her social gripes, she spied a help wanted sign. It was in the window of a rustic shop. Above the help wanted sign was a piece of cardboard with the word "PSYCHIC" printed neatly on it.
Reyna entered into the shop. Sitting behind the desk was a woman in her early thirties. She was pleasant-looking, with large brown eyes. She had a look of calmness on her face, a look that Reyna had never seen before. The woman had brown hair to her chin, the same deep color as her deep eyes. "Welcome," she said with a pleasant smile as Reyna entered.
"Hello," Reyna started, "I'm here to..."
"Oh, I know why you're here, Reyna," the woman calmly stated. "I've been waiting for you. The job is yours, I need a secretary. My name is May."
"It's very nice to meet you, but how did you know?"
"I'm a psychic, child. I know many things that just might come in handy." She smiled sweetly at Reyna. "You can start tomorrow, be here at nine." She hesitated, "Try to remember your dreams tonight." With a smile, she ushered Reyna out.
The only piece of furniture in the room was a twin mattress placed on the floor. There were newspapers and food containers near the mattress, but it was obviously the resting place of a poverty-stricken being. Atop the mattress was a golden-haired young woman, still asleep. She looked so tranquil, but perhaps one can only be tranquil while dreaming.
A knock on the door disturbed her rest. With a yawn, she rose, as furtive knocking continued. She opened the door, "What do you want?"
An old woman was on the other side. She was quite tattered-looking. "It's the first of the month, rent day."
The golden-haired girl closed the door for a moment, in order to remove her money from it's hiding spot. She opened the door and handed the woman three wrinkled bills. The woman retreated down the hall.
"Damn rent," muttered the young lady. She reached towards a pile of folded clothes. After a moments thought, she picked out a faded yellow sundress. She pulled off her patched nightgown, replacing it with the sun dress. She then adjusted the golden locket around her neck. It was a tiny golden heart with "Reyna" inscribed on it.
She looked in the mirror. "Alright, Reyna, today's the day you find a job." She then practiced smiling in her aged, stained mirror. She sighed after realizing that she could not recall the last time she smiled a genuine smile. "Cut it out, Reyna, life sucks. Just find that job."
She opened the door of her rented room and ventured off. She started down the streets, which to her seemed like ancient ruins from a war that no one could ever remember. She approached a dingy looking club, and entered it slowly. Though it was early in the morning, there was still a drinking crowd. Reyna approached the bar.
"Excuse me," she started to the bar tender, "are there any barmaid positions open?"
The gruff man behind the bar sized her up, and replied to her with a harsh laugh. "You're not fit to be anything but a street walker. How 'bouts a freebie, sweets?"
Tears flowed from Reyna's pale eyes. "Jerk!" she exclaimed as she stormed out of the bar, followed by the laughter of the bartender. She walked briskly down the streets, avoiding the glances of others, especially the men. Why did men only look at her as a sex object? As she was pondering her social gripes, she spied a help wanted sign. It was in the window of a rustic shop. Above the help wanted sign was a piece of cardboard with the word "PSYCHIC" printed neatly on it.
Reyna entered into the shop. Sitting behind the desk was a woman in her early thirties. She was pleasant-looking, with large brown eyes. She had a look of calmness on her face, a look that Reyna had never seen before. The woman had brown hair to her chin, the same deep color as her deep eyes. "Welcome," she said with a pleasant smile as Reyna entered.
"Hello," Reyna started, "I'm here to..."
"Oh, I know why you're here, Reyna," the woman calmly stated. "I've been waiting for you. The job is yours, I need a secretary. My name is May."
"It's very nice to meet you, but how did you know?"
"I'm a psychic, child. I know many things that just might come in handy." She smiled sweetly at Reyna. "You can start tomorrow, be here at nine." She hesitated, "Try to remember your dreams tonight." With a smile, she ushered Reyna out.