The Eyes Of 'Rah

A New Job

Seraphine drifted off to sleep while keeping a close watch on her father. The chirping sounds of birds and the rustling leaves stirred by the morning breeze woke her. Concern etched on her face as she checked her father, putting two fingers near his nostrils to confirm if he was still breathing.

The poor job she did of tying the long piece of clothes around his stomach showed by the amount of blood soaked in it, which could only mean she was unable to tighten it strong as it should.

Looking at how empty the house is, there was not a single thing her father could eat except water, careful not to wake him up, she stepped out of the house to seek Mrs Montgomery.

"Seraphine, what happened?" She asked with concern, seeing the rough state she was in.

Her lips quivered, the emotion of yesterday when she thought she was going to lose her father came rushing back.

"Father _" unable to complete her sentence, Mrs Montgomery embraced her.

With no regard for the fresh linen of apron she just sewn, Mrs Montgomery allowed the poor girl smear it with tears and snot, feeling her tears had subsided, she listened as Seraphine explained what happened.

Without hesitation, she followed her to her house where they met her father still fast asleep. Feeling his temperature which was higher than normal, she applied some herbs she was thoughtful enough to bring along on the wound.

Subconsciously, Patrick winced when he felt being touched on his wound, not sure whose hand it was but he doubted the hands belong to Seraphine by the tight hold of the cloth around his injury. Relieved that the pain he felt earlier had reduced, he drifted off to sleep again.

"Thank you, Mrs Montgomery" Seraphine clearly saw the lines of pain which had earlier assembled on her father's forehead disappeared gradually and also for the loaf she had brought along.

Few hours later, her father woke up, "how are you feeling?"

Softly he spoke, "a little better, did someone come by?" Checking how his wound had been redressed.

"Yes, Mrs Montgomery came. She even brought this"

"Oh" Patrick flinched in pain as he tried to sit up, with Seraphine's help, he was able to sit.

Distressed on the  thought of how else to survive, he knew if he didn't get back to the factory on time, he might be replaced since the number of labourers were more than the labour and he can't afford to wait till in line being the sole provider, he just had to get back to work.

He looked at the bread which would only last for a day and half, he decided to stay home just for that day and resume the next day.
*************

"But you're injured!" Seraphine exclaimed the next day when she saw him preparing to go to work.

"It's just a shallow wound" masking his pain which kept growing the more he moved, "see, I'm fine" he showed her before blood could soak the new cloth he just added. As soon as he gets to work, he would ask his fellow workers where to get a cheap healer for his wounds. 

"Ok, how about I work for some days while you rest?" Thinking it as the perfect solution.

His laughter turned into a series of cough as he watched the serious face of his daughter, "how old do you think you are?"

"I have seen some of the kids not as old as I am selling things in the village, even some of Cohen's friend" although the thought just occurred to her now, knowing the chance of people buying things from her is impossible, but that didn't mean there are no other ways of getting money. "I can persuade Mrs Montgomery to allow me assist her in the bakery in exchange for food supplies"

Patrick knew the kind Mrs Montgomery won't be able to decline her offer, he also know it would be unfair to her because the food supplies they would need will be more compared to what his daughter's little hand could do.

Faking to be in a deep thought, he replied, "you're right but let's try it this way. If I'm unable to get my job back or work due to my injury, I'll persuade Mrs Montgomery on your behalf to allow you work while I look for other job or rest"

Doubtful of her father, but decided to let go for now, "all right then"

Ruffling her hair, he walked slowly when she wasn't looking to get going.

"What are you looking for?" Seraphine asked as she noticed him searching for something.

"My jacket"

"Is the blue one with a hood? But you didn't buy from the woman because she didn't agree to sell it at the price you wanted"

Patrick's eye widened, "how did you know that?"

"Because you told me"

He didn't recall telling her something as trivial as that and neither had their conversation geared towards that direction that he could have brought it up.

Curious, he asked another question which had been gnawing at him "how did you find me that night?"

"I was just worried you weren't back on time so I went looking" shrugging, because she had no intention of telling him she saw him in her dream. Without asking further, Patrick went to work analysing her response. Where she found him that night was quite a tricky place to be found. He had chased them to a path that they hardly trail which could make finding him almost impossible, perhaps he was just lucky to be found, he concluded.
********
"I'm sorry to hear about your predicament but there's nothing I can do" Patrick stayed where he was left by the manager for a long time, he knew his job might be gone since he was just a cheap labourer.

While thinking of what else to do, he overheard a group of people talking about a job in the town. He moved closer to them, "I'm sorry to interrupt but I heard you talking about a job"

"Yes, since the wretched manager already gave out our job, not minding that the reason we couldn't make it yesterday was because we were robbed"

"You too?" Patrick looked at the three men in amazement, wondering how possible for the four of them to be robbed on the same day.

The three men nodded before one of them spoke, "I heard the evil manager was behind our misfortune. He is working with the people who robbed us, taking his share from the money"

"What a devil bastard!" Another one spat!

Patrick was too weak to react, he only needed to know if there was a job better than the one he just lost before thinking about how Seraphine was going to adjust with living in town. His daughter's wellbeing had been one of the reasons he hadn't thought of the idea of working in the town.

Another reason was because their village had been devoid of any other creatures except human. He knew the town would be filled with different types of creatures.

"A new factory is just opening, so there's a lot of people getting jobs, as long as you can work" one of them supplied.

"There's even a place to live for some time before getting a permanent place of your own"

Seeing the look on Patrick's face, one of them asked, "is there a problem?"

"I have a daughter"

"Oh, how old?"

"She's just ten"

"Oh. What about the mother?

He only shook his head in response.

As he walked back home that night, his pace, slower than normal because of his wound, his mind went back to his discussion with the men. If truly the pay was good, he can afford to get a place for him and his daughter after few months of working.

But where will she stay while he works in town?

Suddenly he thought of Mrs. Montgomery, perhaps he could persuade her to allow Seraphine stay with her for some months. He would come for her as soon as he gathered enough money to get a suitable place for them both, with that he mind, he took a detour to the bakery.