Do I live only for suffering? ENG version

Lashes

1924, november, same day

- Hey, boy! You alright?

Credence woke up to someone vilolently shaking his shoulders, and the heavy smell of cigarette hit his nose. As he slowly opened his eyes, the black shadows were still dancing before his sight, but he could see, that a bearded, older man in grungy clothes is looking to his face from a few inches. Suddenly he did not know where he is, how did he end up here, and he thrilled with fear under the man's grip. He closed his eyes, then opened again after a few seconds, in the hope of shuffle the black spots out of his sight.

- Are you deaf, boy? I just asked, what is your name? – grabbed strongly the man's fingers his shoulders.

Credence wanted to answer, but a single word did not come out of his mouth, he could just form the words silently.

- I, I...- he tried to say something.

- Step aside, dont you hear me? Dont you see, you scared him? – suddenly a woman's voice interrupted him.

- Excuse me, ma'am, I just helped him! – muttered the man offended, but his grip loosened around Credence's shoulder.

- Let me here! - said the woman, and as she crouched next to Credence, he could see her face. She was middle-aged, with a kind smile on her face, and her clothes were covered in flour, like she came from a bakery. As she looked to Credence, he peered to the ground shyly. The woman sent the fidgety man away, then turned back to Credence.

- Do you know, what has happened? – she asked gently.

Credence shaked his head. He still didnt understand, how did he get on the cold, cobble street. He tried to stand up, but the shadows appeared in front of his eyes again, and he felt, that a sharp pain stab into his head.

- Careful, dont do anything quickly! You must hit your head, when you fainted – she sighed, while shaking her head.

She raised her arm towards him, which made Credence wince. As the woman's warm hands slipped under his armpits, he froze.

- Dont be afraid, I just try to help you up – she smiled at him kindly. Credence loosened his body a bit, and he glanced at her. He didnt expect help from anyone, and this caring voice was also unusual for him. As he felt, she held him strong, he tried to lean to his legs. Although he still felt dizzy, he pushed himself to a sitting position, then slowly crouched to the ground. As he looked down to his feet, he groaned frightened. On the ground there laid his leaflets, wet and dirty from the rain on the previous day. He lifted his sight up, and he faced with the rest of the leaflets covering the whole road in front of him. The cars without slowing down drove off next to them, creasing with their wheels the leaflets even more. He tried to gather the barely entire ones around him desultorily. The woman looked at him doubiously.

- Dont care about those, come with me to my shop, its right on the other side of the road – she said concerned.

Credence barely heard it, his mind was already racing around his punishment. If Ma finds this out...He could lie, that he handed out the rest of them... No, no she would find it out eventually, like she finds out everything else, and then he would get in a much bigger trouble. He always, always has to say the truth. He winced, as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

- I, I cant. I have to hand these out, then I need to go home – he spit it out finally broken.

- You cant go on like this. Come, sit down in my place for a while – she sounded determined. Credence didnt dare to resist anymore, he just nodded. Perhaps, he can sit down for a short while... That cant get him in such a big trouble. As he carefully stood up, he tried not to pay attention to the splitting headache, and he followed the woman to the other side of the road. He glanced back, and he felt a tug at his heart, as he saw the damaged leaflets again.