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chapter one - unexpected arrival



AS the train pulled into the station and blew its hoarse whistle, she tried her best not to flinch

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AS the train pulled into the station and blew its hoarse whistle, she tried her best not to flinch.

The heels of her shoes tapped lightly on the street floors of Birmingham; fading as white noise compared to the howl of the city surrounding her.

Her loosely placed hair lay, mostly secured with a hair claw near the top of her head - aside from the few hairs framing her face heartfully, around the shaded glasses she wore.

She walked through the ever-moving streets with a slight cocky confidence, her attitude and style contrasting from the bleak, grey streets and people like a sore thumb. Her new, burgundy coat, reaching just above the knee; concealing the clothes beneath, which consisted of a tailored white blouse that flared at the sleeves and a flowing, silk black skirt, reaching just above the ankles, with a daring slit up the side.

A woman of such beauty and grace unlikely to be within miles of this deteriorating city - let alone walking through, unaccompanied.

The thick, charred air spoke with urgency, yelling exclamations of agony at the woman as her feet carried her through the restless space.

Eyes glared at her and words were attempted to be whispered slyly, but all were seen in one way or another by her. Most people weren't even hiding their distaste for her, their reactions could be seen from a mile away. The slit in her skirt was just the tip of the iceberg.

Spiteful women she passed held an odd expression, one she had seen before many times, envy, though she wasn't expecting to feel pity towards them, let alone feel anything at all.

Her feet slowed in pace and soon stopped completely. Once she had halted, the crooked, wooden sign in the forefront of the inn seemed to call her name. This place seemed to be the best shelter nearby from the creatures lurking in the corners of this wretched city.

The sign read 'Easy Inn', and she turned her body at an angle so that she could face the front, this action disrupting those walking on this side of the pavement's previous passage.

The door hung disorderly on the wall, the wood wrongly shaped to the frame, ready to be pulled off of its oak panels with any quick movements.

The gap made when she opened the door was just about big enough for her to fit her delicate body through and close it without much more notice. Although,  before she could do such a thing, a peculiar woman, maybe a few years younger than herself - possibly in her early 20s, attempted to scurry through the same gap made.

The two collided, but in their recovery time, the younger of the two spoke, inhaling and exhaling heavy breaths.

"Christ, you scared the living daylights out of me!"
Her warm coloured, brown hair bobbed up and down as she spoke, the woman clutching her heart dramatically to emphasise her surprise, before glancing at the woman in front of her properly for the first time.

"What's a pretty lady like yourself doing in parts like this?" She queried, her question coming out more like a statement. Her thick Birmingham accent strong as she spoke, looking her up and down once again.

"It's a long story, but I'm so sorry, I wasn't even looking where I was going" The older woman stuttered, an apologetic look striking her face - except for her eyes; which remained doe-like, but unaffected.

"Oh don't be silly, it was me that ran into you!" She said blatantly with wide eyes and a slight smile on her face.

"And I'm Ada by the way, Ada Shelby." She stated, the name ringing a bell in her head but didn't think about it much more as Ada had extended her hand, a grin plastered on her face.
"Arabella", the other woman responded, shaking Ada's outstretched hand gently.

After conversing for a few moments after that, the usual topics coming up; the weather, how they are, but before Arabella could answer a question about her upbringing, Ada checked her silver-coated pocket watch and said that she must be on her way.

One thing Arabella wouldn't have thought to happen in a situation like this was any sort of affection, let alone a hug; which was exactly what she received.

"You should come round mine sometime for a cuppa, maybe then, you can enlighten me on the, and I quote, 'long story' as to why you're even here." She spoke with a smirk on her face. Arabella nodded and bid her goodbyes, continuing on her route inside the antique inn.

"A room with a single bed, please. Do you do meals too?" Arabella spoke without faltering, soon getting herself a room which she paid for weekly, with daily breakfast and dinner for 3 shillings and 6 pence, not including the bath expense.

As she entered through her door, the smell of damp, rotten wood wafted past her, but the interior didn't phase her much as she had stayed in areas much worse than this.

One thing she couldn't get out of her mind was why was a pristine woman like Ada in a decrepit place like this. But another thing on her mind was how she needed to get a job if she wanted to stay here.


























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first chapter over :) please like&comment!!
remember to eat and drink water
brooke x

a wallow in the mire - thomas shelbyWhere stories live. Discover now