Creating Remedy

Chapter Four

"Lando, get up!" I knew he was awake but didn't bother answering me. "Get up ya eejit, I need to search town for jobs."

He grumbled and rolled to his back squinting his eyes from the unfamiliar rays of sun that radiated upon us. The tiredness was visible in his face, obviously didn't get a good shut eye whilst sleeping on the hard cement and neck-cracking duffle bag. He mumbled questionably and was ready to fall back asleep before I held his shoulders and shook him awake.

"Listen to me, I will go out for late hours. I do not want to see you leaving this place." He nodded and his eyes drifted down. "Damn it lad!" I yelled making him slightly squeak. "I mean it this time, don't go adventuring around the block, don't cross the street, and don't even speak to the old man downstairs. Its better if you stayed right here." This time he was focused and agreed. He looked around slightly panicked from the strangeness and unsettling of this hotel. Last night wasn't that much of a progress to a fresh start and this hotel left not only my brother paranoid but it also gave me a bad vibe.

I leaned forward and kissed his forehead and caressed his soft face as a sign to not worry. I hope I don't regret this.

Pulling the cover's over his shoulders and gave him another quick kiss before getting up and got my old shoes on. I didn't even realize how torn and dusty these shoes were. The back of my foot right above the heal was hurting and it got worse when I put the shoe on feeling the same sting I've been trying to ignore these past days.

The lady from yesterday looked at me funny as I limbed downstairs, "How was your stay?"

I hissed as the shoe rubbed the blister, "Is alright."

She smiled a little then her face turned into a grimace as if she remembered something before rushing to the sides of the room shuffling with objects, still muttering to herself. It was a funny thought imagining her mumbling to herself in her sleep, but I frowned and felt bad for the amount of stress she is handling. Even if one had a stable job they might have it worse.

She then stopped midway holding two stacks of books on each hand that rested on her chest, giving me a little look that created an awkward tension. "Uh.." I pointed at her in confusion.

"Lydia Jones."

I hummed affirmatively and nodded. "But my friends call me Lee." Friend, lovely.

"Lee," I said quietly more to myself, "I was wondering if there is an available job in this neighborhood?" That was uncomfortable. It was obvious that I was hinting if this bookstore allowed in more workers seeing as it was only Lee and her grandfather running the place, which undoubtedly does not get any work done.

Lydia shrugged on the same trench coat I saw her in yesterday with a blank expression, "I wish I could get you a job where I work, but it's not a place for people your age to work at. I'd suggest you step away from those venues." She pressed on her words with a grouchy face as if she had caught a whiff of that stanched alleyway. "Listen, I don't like turning kids down. If you got my store some costumers and made a ten dollar deal with one of these rusty books, the money is all yours." Her voice was flat not believing what she said will ever happen. Human population in bookstores had died.

I wasn't that much of a reader, we had books but they only changed places from time to time for decoration purposes. They were kept clean at least. Not a single crinkle from the sides of the books or dust eaten covers. Lydia took good care of them and no one was there to appreciate it. The least I could do is get this place working. Still, I needed another job that'll get me more than five dollars a month.