The Community{On hold}

Chapter 2

So here we go...............Chapter 2!

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As Madame Gazelle ushered me into the nearest seat, I was still shocked, I could only stare and gape. Across the room sitting in my favorite chair, was the innkeeper I saw this morning. He smiled and shook my hand.

"Hello Ariana, my name is Seth, I'm the owner of the inn." He stopped to take a breath and then continued. "I saw you this morning as I was making my rounds, brushing your horses, and since I have been looking for someone to care for our horses at the inn, I thought I'd ask you if you wanted the job.You'd be paid of course."

He looked at me, with his sheepish smile.

"Uhm, well, uhm..........." I stammered.

"What my daughter is trying to say, is she'd love to. I've been trying to get her to find a job to begin with and now the opportunity has come." Madame Gazelle smirked, probably thinking that she has gotten rid of me.

I didn't know what to say. Of course I'd take the job! It would be a dream come true to work with horses, and at the inn! I'd meet so many new people! I could only nod my head i response, since my tongue decided to not work, when I needed it the most. Thankfully Madame Gazelle answered for me.

"Great!" He said standing up rather quickly "Um" He was obviously embarassed about his little outburst. " Ok, well be at the inn tomorrow as soon as you can, and I'll show you around" Another sheepish smile.

"Ok I'll be there, thank you for the opportunity" I stood up, smiled, and shook his hand.

"Alright, I'll be on my way now, Bye"

"Bye"

As he went out the door, I sat back in the chair and thought about what I had done. Now I wouldn't have any extra time to rest at all! I sighed.

"What are you sighing about Ariana?" she asked

"Oh, Nothing Madame Gazelle, just thinking about how wonderful it will be to finally have a job" I lied easily.

"Humph, if it was my choice you would have had a job years ago" she said as she strutted into the kitchen.

I followed, knowing she would lecture me about not having a job when I turned 12, as most Community kids would. But surprisingly she didn't lecture me about my job, only about how hungry she was, and how I "had" to get started on dinner right away, so she and Jace could eat.

Jace! I hadn't thought about him all day. He should be getting home from his job at the Blacksmith soon. Just thinking about my "brother" put a huge smile on my face, but I quickly hid it so Madame Gazelle wouldn't notice.

As I got started on dinner, I kept thinking about tomorrow, and how I get to spend the whole day with horses, while getting paid! I was so excited!! I frown. But what if I fail? What if I do everything wrong and Seth fires me. No. I thought shaking my head. He hired me because he saw how good I was with horses. He wouldn't be so mean as to fire me on the first day.

I kept thinking about tomorrow and what could happen, when Jace walked into the cottage. We smiled and said "hi."

"Hey Jace, Guess what" I say tauntively.

"What's up Ari-Bear?"

"You have to guess!" I am making him anxious now, how funny

"OK, you got mated?" He smirkes, knowing that that's not the answer.

My mouth drops open. How could he say that! He hasn't even been mated yet!!

"Uh No! And very funny by the way. No, I got a job!" I say almost screeching

He jumps up and gives me a big bear hug "Congratulations Ari! I'm so happy for you! What job is it? When do you start? Who are you working with? How much do you get paid?" He says without taking a breath in between. Geesh think someone is more excited than I am?!?

I laugh "Before you give yourself a heart attack, let me explain." I say while making him sit down and breath normally. "I got a job working at the inn, as a horse care-taker, I start tomorrow, I'm not working with any, at least not that I know of, and I have no idea how much." Gosh how did he say that in one breath?

He smiled even bigger "I'm so proud of you!" he said while giving me yet another bear hug.

"Jace, JACE! You know I can't breath when you do that, now let me be so I can finish dinner!" I punch him on the arm playfully, and he pouts.

Finally he heads up to his room, to change and get ready for dinner, leaving me to finish cooking.

Jace's P.O.V

I'm so proud of my little Ari-Bear! She finally got a job. I knew sooner or later that mom would make her get a job, but I'm just so glad she is getting to do something she loves doing. I know she already spent most of her time in the stable to begin with, since that is pretty much the only place that my mom won't go, due to "The ickiness, and dirtiness." Plus she can talk to the horses about her past and they won't judge her.

Ugh, I always felt so sorry for her, with what she had to go through when she was little. I never knew the whole story, but I knew that The Assessor's had found her outside The Community walls, just wandering aorund alone, not even noticing the wall. She was then brought inside the walls, and nursed back to health so she could explain what had made her be so far from any other villages. She couldn't explain of course, she was a scared five year old, who was terrified of all adults. Then I was brought in. I was the only child in The Community who was even close to her age(Her 5, Me 7) and  I was told to talk to her and get her to open up. She did of course, since I was a kid like her. She told me her story.

She used to live in a village, with her parents, but something happened that drove them all away from the village. The horrible monsters that had used to protect her village had suddenly turned evil, hungry for the taste of blood and flesh. Her parents were the first to get slayed, right in front of Ari. By this time she was crying into my shoulder. She explained that she had watched everyone in the village get slayed. She said the monsters kept saying in their horrible screechy voice "The Sacrifice's must be made" over and over. Ari was that last person left, and they were about to stick a knife in her heart, but something stopped them, and she took those few precious seconds to run away.

She and I spent the whole day together.We went fishing, rode horses, even played tag. We did anything she wanted, anything to make her happy. Of course we became fast friends, and it was The Assessor's choice that my mom adopt her. At first my mom refused saying that she didn't want anymore children, but The Assessor's soon changed her mind when they offered her, her dream job, a big house, and alot of coins.

I shook my head. Even now ten years later I still teared up, when I remembered what she had told me. I was so glad that she came to live with us. I loved her like a sister, and it might have been more, but things didn't go that way, just the opposite in fact. I smiled. Only Ari knew why. Plus she could only love me as a brother anyways.

I only wish that her nightmare didn't come back. She had had it every night for the first couple of months with us, but then it went away. And now that it's back it worries me. 

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So what did you guys think?

I also had the idea of Madame G as a nickname, but I kind of think it's too plain. I want something that Ari and Jace only say behind her back. Oh well it will come to me

Comment and Vote please!