The Non-Human Society

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Seven - Renn - Charity For The Weary

      "Thank you, oh so much!"

The younger woman took the small basket as if it was her newborn child. She held it closely, and her face was scrunched up as if she was about to break down and sob. My eyes watered as I picked up another basket, as to hand to the next person in line.

This time it was an older couple. They had a single voucher, which Henry took and tore in two. Handing the man the basket, I smiled and nodded as the two gently nodded and continued walking as to let the next person in line get their basket.

Henry asked the next person for their voucher, and I waited until he verified it and tore it before handing out the next basket.

"Thanks!" the young man was missing most of his front teeth, yet he didn't let it stop his huge smile as he accepted the basket.

I nodded as I glanced at Henry who stood next to me. The human worker was usually found in the depot, even though he looked far too old to be doing such hard labor. He, like me, was just one of many in the line. The entire main lobby of the Animalia Guild had been retrofitted and converted into something of a massive vendor stall. We had large booths and tables set up in a way to allow hundreds of people to flow into the building from one end of the room, to out of the building at the other end. Along the way through, those who came here with the little vouches were given what we were handing out as charitable aid. Baskets of food. Clothes. Receipts and vouchers for inns and other safe houses throughout the city, so people who were now homeless or displaced thanks to the creature's attack had somewhere to sleep out of the rain and cold.

"Voucher please," Henry had to once again ask for the next person's voucher. They produced it after a moment of fishing in what looked to be a tiny pocket in their jacket, but they had acted as if it was deep and endless.

"Thank you, bless you," they said as I handed them their basket.

I nodded, and wondered how so many people could be... so thankful for so little.

The little baskets I was helping hand out were honestly, not much. A few loaves of bread, some dried meat, tea leaves and a small metal cup one could use to warm and boil water. A small box of spices, and an assortment of fruits and vegetables. Honestly to me it seemed like only a few meals worth of food... but everyone who, at least so far, I had given one of the boxes to has been nothing but thankful. Some, like the next person in line, were even teary eyed as they took it.

And all of them took it.

It felt as if the entirety of Lumen had shown up to receive aid... It was hard to comprehend just how many people were coming and going, even with me being front and center. Most of the Society members weren't helping on this end, but rather the back. They were managing the people, and supplies. They were overlooking things and giving people orders, rather than doing something so hands on.

Honestly I could be too... but right now...

Well...

"Renn."

Turning a little, I smiled at Lamp who gave me a huge smile back. She wasn't alone, she had a few of the other eastern girls with her and they all waved upon noticing me. They were carrying small boxes, and were heading past me and the long line of tables I stood near. It looked like they were heading towards the bank, based off the hallway they were heading towards.

Neither Lamp nor those she was with stuck around too long. I had to return my attention back to the line in front of me. I wasn't the only one handing out the baskets, of course, but there were so many people that even a single person slowing or stopping in their work caused a backup in the line.

Handing off some more baskets, I tried to focus on the task before me. It was easy to do, even if monotonous and simple... thanks to all the people. The ones coming into the building for aid seemed to be from all walks of life. Old, young, those clean dressed and those in tattered rags. A few children came through alone, with vouchers themselves, while sometimes entire families walked through all together.