One of a Kind

Chapter 9

   Sweat beaded on my forehead. We had been dancing for what seemed like ages and all we made were a few coins that some of the city folk tossed to us. Most of those who occupied the city only stopped to watch our show for brief moments, however one man stayed the entire performance. He was young and muscular with black hair and brown eyes. Yes, he had caught my eye and I had caught his, seeing as he had been watching me the entire night. At the end of our last dance he bent down and placed a shiny coin at my feet smiling up at me.

   "Kat, look your first coin!" Castella called to me as she picked up the dozens of coins that were scattered the ground around her. I smiled back at the young man.

   "Your name is cat? Like the animal?" Mr. Perfect asked. Yes, I named him and that is how I will refer to him.

   "My name is Kathryn, and thank you for the coin," I said in gratitude to the Mr. Perfect. 

   Mr. Perfect smiled back, sending me a wink. With that he turned and walkied into the night without a word. I stood there clutching the coin to my chest and staring at the fading figure of the man of my dreams. "He was charming wasn't he?" Castella asked coming up behind me. "Come on, let's go back to our sleeping space." We took our earnings and retired.

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   I laid awake, unable to sleep. The alley was dim from the early morning and Castella slept soundly by my side. She even looked beautiful in her sleep. Figures, I thought to myself. I could not stay there any longer; I needed to take a walk. "Castella," I whispered as I shook her awake.

   "Mmm, what?" she murmured under her breath.

   "I cannot sleep. Do you want to come with me to explore the city?"

   "No, I have been here before. The city is quite lovely; I am sure you will enjoy it. Be sure to meet me at the square before sunset." Castella lazily replied, falling back to sleep. I quietly stood and began to walk down the alley, pausing to look back at Castella's sleeping figure. A wave of caution surged through me, was this a bad idea? I had a feeling that it was but I continued to venture out into the empty streets.

   Castella had been truthful; the city was lovely. It was probably the cleanest place I had ever been to. There wasn't any garbage strewn around the cobbled roads or floating in the water wells. In fact, the water here sparkled.

   This place reminded me of home. The home I used to know before my mother and I were pushed to live in squalor because of that wretched prophecy. I could feel the tears well in my eyes. One broke free as I tried to choke them back. I wanted to speak with my mother. I wanted to call this place home, but it would never be. I continued to push forward. Biting my lip, I knew what I really wanted. It wasn't to call this beautiful city home or to even talk to my mom, what I really wanted was to go home; to go back to before this whole mess when my family was complete and no one crossed the street to avoid me. I guess in a way that was my home, the one I look back at in my fond childhood memories. I wanted to go home. But I knew I was kidding myself; I could never go home.

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   I had spent the remainder of the day wandering around the city, marveling at the slightest things. I had made my way back towards the city square to meet up with Castella for another night of dancing. I did this for days and every night Mr. Perfect watched me the entire time and left me a coin at the end of my routine. Luckily, a few other citizens decided they liked my dancing so I wasn't left with a lonely Mr. Perfect coin. Also, I'm ashamed to say that I'm proud to say that I had pick-pocketed two wallets successfully and seduced a strange. Well actually the guy was drooling over Castella instead of me, but I still have plenty of time to perfect that skill. Soon I'll be the distraction while Castella takes change from their pockets. The last four days have been pretty amazing. Sadly that good feeling never lasts long in my life.