The School of Job and Suffering

Chapter I: Waking Up, Scared

         There I lie, sweaty and shaken, in my own bed. I pull the blankets up close to my face and breathe a sigh of relief as I remind myself it was only a nightmare. I think to myself, "I've been having a lot of these lately, I must be getting into too many sweets before bed" and shrug it off again. The clock to the right of me read 4:37 AM. "Well, there's no use in trying to get back to sleep now." I said aloud as I got up, pulled my shawl and slippers on, then walked out of my room.

        "Good morning Tati!" My brother said to me, too enthusiastically for this time of morning. "Is everything alright? You look upset."

         "Yeah, Nik, I'm fine, thanks," I began with a smile, "I just had another bad dream that's all."

         "Do you want to talk about it?"

         "Well—" I started, but just to be interrupted

        "What's with all these sounds of talking and happiness?" My other brother said as he entered the room. There's no use with him, so neither of us want to reply.

       "Vaud, today we have to report to Natali's office for financial support..." Nikolai said as he hung his head in shame. We don't like to admit it, but with no guardians besides Vaud (who does nothing but sleep and argue) and none of us working we have to rely on a lot of help from old family friends.

        I have known Natali for my whole life, and she has always been such a good crutch. I just know that she won't want to keep helping us. I'm sure she wants to keep the earnings she works hard for, and when that day come I'm not sure what we will do...

       "We don't need her help!" Vaud said angrily.

        "There is no money being earned in this family!" Nikolai argued back, "Without her help, we would be homeless!"

        "Nik, stop..." I started as I pulled him back by the shoulder, "There's nothing we can say that will make him swallow his pride." It's sad, yet true.

        "I'm going back to bed, keep it down." Vaud said as he slammed his door shut.

        "All he does is sleep his problems away. Well, no, actually he doesn't. He sleeps while his younger siblings fix the problems." Nikolai spat out in anger.

         "I'll start looking for a job, Nikolai." I said in an effort to calm him. I'm nearly 17 now, I should get one anyway. If only people were hiring these days...

         "No, I won't let you do that. You shouldn't have to do such a thing."

         "Why not? I don't go to school anymore, so I just sit around the house and do nothing. I can afford to get a job, if you'd only let me try. Please, Nikolai."

          "No, and let this be the end of such ideas. Now, we must be going. Hurry up and get dressed...we have to go"

          Looks like Vaud isn't the only person with pride issues.