-- Nervously, Alyssa waited in front of her house, jingling the only few coins she had in her hand. She had ended up not going back. Unfortunately, there had been a small child who had fallen and needed medical care quickly. She did not regret helping the child; he was far too young to die, but she hadn't enough anymore.
Pressing back tears of what would happen if her plan fell through, she tried to replay the argument out in her head. He would ask her for the money, she would give him what she had, and pay him back the rest at the end of the day. She had already missed the lunch trays. Depending on how much she had to give to hold the house until nightfall, she was debating whether or not she'd be able to buy something for her parents to eat. Odds are she wouldn't be able to, and she was kicking herself for that. And all the while the argument that had been going on inside her for weeks played through her head, one side saying she should ask for help or quit, the other arguing that she shouldn't, and to figure things out on her own as she always had.
Seeing the large man sauntering his way down the street, she noticed that her stone from yesterday was tied on a string and slung about his wrist. She swallowed as she saw it, the awful memories of that day coming back to her. "Now is not the time." She told herself, and pushed them away. Standing up, she said a silent prayer "Ra, please, aid me just this once. I need help."
She debated going inside; she wanted to hide momentarily. She was not looking forward to the man's anger. She had told her parents to remain inside; should the worst happen, she did not want them to have to face such humiliation. It was her fault, and she should take the blame alone.
"So good to see you." The man said, smiling. His ugly teeth glared an ugly yellow back at her, some missing, others spaced at different ratios. "I'm sure" she said pleasantly, but inwardly quivering. It was more than just her worry about losing her home. She'd seen that face from others before and she knew what it meant. Evil. Pleasure in suffering. And what irritated her most, lust as their eyes as they traveled up and down her body. Sometimes she wondered if the men she dealt with even knew she had a head. Others had been too conscious of her face, trying to get into her mouth. She shuddered inwardly at the thoughts.
'You have my payments then, I presume?" he said. She hesitated as he moved closer. She did not know what had happened since yesterday; it had been a while since he'd acted like this. Then again, It had been a while since she'd seen him. She wondered if he was drunk. "I am afraid that my personal issues have caused yet a later payment." She tells him. "I have a proposition for you, however." She begins, trying to remember the words she had planned out a head of time. "Oh?" he said. "And what is that?" His ugly smile grew wider and his heavy breath stunk. "I have work to return to tonight, where I will also get paid. I can come by later with the rest of the payment, and you can take what I have now with you." She says.
"And what kind of payment would this be?" he asked her, reaching out a hand to touch her arm, two of his fingers under the arm's short sleeve of her dress. "Uh...I mean…" she stammers as she look at his hand resembling a treacherous spider. "Money." She says, pulling away and walking around him as he tries to slide his hand in more. "The rest of the money." She says.
He was drunk and now she could most certainly tell. His eyes were dilated, and she could see the bottle in his hand of the intoxicating drink. He took another swig from his bottle, blinked his eyes, and burped. "You know, there are other ways of payment." He adds. "What does that mean?" she asked innocently, dodging his him as he tried to reach out for her and stumbled. "I could clean your house, if that is what you want." She says nervously. She knew very well what he wanted. It wasn't hard to tell. She couldn't risk his getting offended though; it would most certainly hurt what she was trying to accomplish.
"Or…" he says, letting the question hang their, his eyes lingering on her body. Deciding she couldn't get around it, she said "I'm not doing anything of that sort with you." Her voice was harder than she meant it to be. "Then I'm afraid I can't accept your payment." He said plainly. "But you will have it in full by tonight!" she protests. "I'll even deliver it there myself." She said.
"That does not matter to me." He says. "If you would not like to be in my company, then I'm sure I can find someone else who will." "But-"
"I will be returning shortly to see that you are out." He says, turning away and taking another swig from his jug. As he walks away, she runs up behind him, catching onto his cape. "Please" she says, down on her knees. "I need just a few more hours time. I'll have it for you long before the moon is at it's zenith!" she tries.
"No!" the man says. "Release me, or I'll have you arrested!" She does and gets up, walking in front of him and barring his way. She clasps her hands together and begs him "Please, I need this house. My parents…they are too old to-Oh!" she says as he grabs her hands and pulls her in, placing his mouth atop her lips, hard. She can feel his tongue sliding over them as he tries to gain entry. Without even thinking about it, she elbows him in his gut and kicks him in the shin. He releases her, doubling over.
Horrified, she says "I'm sorry!" "Witch!" he yells at her. "Get out of my house!" "Please!" she yells, entreating him. "I need this house." She holds out the coins she has. "I have half, I can get the other half for you by tonight. Please, I promise to you, I swear it in the name of Ra!" she shouts. "Blasphemy!" he yells. "Don't you say the name of the blessed gods, you filthy wench!" he yells at her. He does, however, grab her money. "Now get out of my house! We had an agreement and it has been broken. I'm taking this as payment for the portion of the day you have spent inside it."
"But-" "OUT!" he booms. Looking around, she acknowledges the loss. She sighs. "Can I wait until the sun has gone down a bit, so that my parents travel might be easier?" she asks, defeated. "OUT!" he roars again and stumbles off, shaking a finger at her. "If I come back ad there is a hint that you were ever there, I will call the guards to arrest you!"
Blinking back tears of sorrow, hurt, anger, and defeat she walks back to what she used to be able to call home. Her parents stood in the doorway. She would not meet their eyes as she apologized and began explaining the situation. "We know." Her mother said, sadly. "It's okay." Her father said. "After what he did, I'm surprised you didn't do worse." She knew this was her father's way of trying to cheer her, and as he placed a calloused hand from his days of work on her shoulder she smiled. Sadly, but still smiled.
They went around then, and were ready to leave rather soon. Carrying the water jugs, one for each hand, and a small pack upon her back of all their belongings, they stepped outside.
The scout that had been told to follow her had witness the earlier events. Deciding that it would be unwise to wait until the evening, he approached an elderly woman across the way. "In the name of the Pharaoh, don't let them leave." he instructed her. "What?" she asked him confused. He looked across, through the open doorframe on the other side and saw them packing the last of their belongings. Slinging the bag across her back, he could see her speaking to her parents, checking to make sure they had everything.
"In the name of the Pharaoh, he whose prayers cause the sun to rise, do not let them leave! I will return shortly and tell you what happens then, but until then, make sure they stay here" he says, pointing towards the ground in emphasis.
"I'll try my best." The woman says, nodding, as her runs off at great speed through the crowd.
"Your sandals are all worn out." The old woman could hear the girl tell her mother. "Take mine." She said, slipping hers off. She noticed that the child's own were badly worn out as well, though slightly better than those of her mother. "We can go to the river." The girl was saying as her mother slipped on the new sandals. "I know there is a place with some shade. You can rest there until I figure out what I'm going to do."
Clearing her throat, the woman called out to her. "Will you come in and do me a favor, child?" Looking around momentarily, she noticed the woman. "Me?" Alyssa asked her. "Yes, you." The woman repeated. "If you would, I just have something up here. I can no longer reach it with my age." She says. "Oh…of course." She says. "I'll be right back." She tells her parents and enters the abode of the elderly lady. "It's up there." She points to a shelf and the young woman goes forth to retrieve the box for her. "Have you anywhere you would like me to set it?" she asks politely. "Just any where is fine." The woman says. "Thank you."
"Oh, no problem." Alyssa says, placing it on the table in the room." "And…if I could trouble you for another thing?" The woman asks, trying to stall for time. "Go ahead." Alyssa says. "It's not like I'm going anywhere important." She thinks to herself. "I heard what you id for that boy, and I was curious if you knew anything else of herbs and such?"
Looking around, she hesitated before answering. "I do know of herbs, yes, and I do know cures for many ailments. I am not an actual doctor, however." She explains to the woman. "But you know what you are doing, correct?" the woman asks her. "Yes, I think it's safe to say I do." She says. "Why, are you not feeling well?" she asks the woman. "Well, it's more my back you see…" she begins.
The scout had been running a few minutes and was short of breath but was rewarded with the sight of the palace in front. He was approaching it fast, making his way skillfully throughout the crowds. He did not slow down as her reached the stair and took them two at a time on his way up. He continued running as he searched the palace for the Pharaoh, finally finding him in one of the rooms with a few other people dressed like nobles.
"My Lord," he said, getting down on one knee and bowing his head, still slightly out of breath from his sudden exercise. "She needs help."