Mercy

chapter 1

chapter 1

"Kai get up!" I yell at my brother from the mirror where I'm putting my hair up in a high ponytail to keep out of my face for the day."Uhgg,leave me alone Sara."Kai  moans from under the sheets. "Don't make me come over there!" I warn tuning toward him. He rolls over. "Suit your self." I say as I walk over and pull the sheets off the bed. "Sara!" Kai  yells trying to take them back, but I've already walked away. Defeated, he stands up and starts to comb his hair. "Are you going back to the sewing shop?" Kai asks taking the sheets back and making his bed. "If Barris isn't working!" I reply putting on my boots and heading out the door. "See you tonight!" I yell as I run up the narrow dirt path to the village. Me and Kai made our house out of wood mud leaves and a few nails . We couldn't afford a house like everyone else because either of us have jobs. Kai's 15 and I'm only 14. No one will hire us because we're not needed. But we make due with what little we have. Even though we almost never eat breakfast or snacks, we still can hardly afford enough food for dinner every night. I'm trying to get a job at the sewing shop even though they don't really need another employee, the owner Msr.Nell has taken a liking to me and even gave me a shirt they couldn't sell. Kai is hoping she will offer me a job because the blacksmiths don't pay much since they are never really needed anymore. I walk up to the sewing shop and pull the door open. "Hello Mrs.Nell." I say cheerfully walking up to the counter. "Need ant help today?" I ask trying not to sound too hopeful. "Oh, not today sorry Sara , Barris is back." She says. I nod and walk out of the shop hanging my head. I only have a little bit of money left from yesterday barely enough for dinner. "Oh well." I sigh as trudging up to the produce shop and buy some small discount apples. Then I run back to the forest and search for berries. Along the stream I find late blackberries. After gathering some I take out the water container I brought and filled it up from the stream. Then I run back to our house and drop everything off on the small table we made out of a tree that fell last month. I'm sweating from all that running so I change into shorts that fit three years ago and an old shirt and head to the pond. Kai hates swimming in the pond because the fish rub against your legs when you get in but I don't mind really and it's so hot. September around here always is. When I catch sight of the pond I run and jump from a fallen tree hanging off the ledge. SPLASH! Ahh the water feels great. I swim around for a while and relax. When the sun starts to set I get out and lay in the soft grass to dry, then I get up and run back to the house with the cool air rushing past giving me a chill. When I walk in Kai is already there. "Hey, you work any today?" I ask taking my hair down from the ponytail. "No, I came home earlier looking for you." Kai replied weakly. I turn toward him but he doesn't look up. "Why what's wrong." I ask urgently. Now he looks up, reveling a tired worried face. "I'm sick, started feeling bad this morning but I didn't think anything of it.' Kai says guilty "I don't want you to have to work alone." he says gravely. I stood there in shock. Sick! How could Kai be sick! This isn't fair! Why is this happening to me?!! "It'll be ok, just get some rest.' I say trying to sound calm but what I really wanted to say was, YOU CAN'T BE SICK! WE'RE ALREADY ALMOST STARVING TO DEATH!!! I sigh and hand Kai and apple. "Eat this and try to sleep." I say biting into mine. I'm starving! When we both finish eating I throw the cores out and Kai falls asleep. Even though I probably should have tried I didn't sleep at all that night. Kai was all I could think about.