章節 2: Hunger

Kaila stood in a small meadow, trying unsuccessfully to catch some fish from the stream. After almost half an hour, the cold water had started to numb her hands and feet as she tried again and again to catch even one fish. A big fat silver fish swam right next to her foot. As Kaila lunged for it, she feels her footing slip on the rocks, making her fall head first into the icy water. Her head smacked on the rocks sending a blinding white hot pain through her skull. Every inch of her skin felt like it was burning from the cold water.

Gasping for air she scampered out of the water and sat shivering by the stream. A pain erupted from her ankle. She musti've twisted it when she slipped in the stream. Anger flared inside her as she sat embarrassed that she was so desperate to catch the stupid fish. But she knew she couldn't go home empty handed again. After finding a stick, she sharpened the end with a small rock to make a spear. Kaila stood shivering in the morning breeze, her drenched clothes stuck to her skin, chilling her to the bone. She raised the spear and sent it forcefully down into a fat fish. The sharp branch pierces the fish's scales and drives into the plump flesh, painting the flowing stream ruby red. Her body numb from the cold, Kaila struggles to pull the carcass from the water and starts to half walk, half limp back towards her home.

As Kaila nears her home, it is clear that the house was old and has fallen into disrepair. The roof had many holes that leaked with water when it rained no matter how many times Kaila tried to fix it. It's stone walls were cracked and crumbling, plants and other weeds making themselves at home within the worn buildings crevices. The yard was kept tidy with a small wilted vegetable patch standing proud in the corner. The inside of the house was just as bad as the exterior. The floor was made of stone which retained no heat. A small kitchen near the front of the house held only the bare essentials and gave Kaila the only comfort in the entire house. She quickly sprinted to the kitchen and started preparing the fish for breakfast. She cleaned the fish and the few vegetables Kaila was able to salvage from the garden, chucking it all into a black pot that hung over a fire, adding a few cheap spices to the brew as it simmered over the warm fire. The heat radiated off the fire in waves, retuning feeling to her body. After what seemed like forever, the soup was finally done.

She took off the lid and spooned a very generous amount into a bowl. Her stomach demanded food but she pushed her hunger aside and walked carefully up to a door, she knocked and opened it quietly. Two small beds and a chest accommodated the bland room. In one of the beds lay a small boy; his honey coloured hair sticks to his almost ash white face. Beads of sweat shone on his face as the firelight illuminated his features. Kaila put the soup down next to the bed and gently woke the boy. His long eyelashes fluttered, his once lively ice blue eyes were now red and blood shot. A small smile spreads across his face, dimples appearing on his cheaks. He stared up at her happily. A small ache pricked at her heart as she looked at the exhausted boy.

"Food?" The child croaked, his voice cracking due to dehydration.

"Kaila you found food" He asked. She smiled fondly down at the child.

"Yep, got some yummy soup, would you like some Matthew?" She asked. He nodded his head quickly, making his expression slightly dazed. Kaila helped the boy sit up and slowly spooned mouthfuls of soup into his mouth. Once he'd finished the bowl, Kaila let him settle back into a restless slumber.

She tucked him into bed, pulling the blanket close around him and headed back to clean up the kitchen. It had been almost 2 years since Kaila's parents had died, leaving her and her brother to fend for themselves. Kaila had gotten a job as soon as she could as a maid at an inn, but the income was never enough to pay for the rent of the house and to feed them at the same time. They were starting to finally get back to normal when Matthew became sick. It started with just a cold, then it turned into a fever. After just two weeks, he was so weak that he became bedridden. The doctor had told her that he wouldn't make it past his 7th birthday and urged her to start making preparations for his funeral. But she refused, Kaila did everything in her power to make sure Matthew survived.

After loosing both her parents, Kaila couldn't even think of what she would do if she lost Matthew too. She stood in the kitchen, staring angrily at the soup as she stirred it. Fighting back her welling tears, she turned to peer out the clouded window. Dawn was near. It was almost time to leave. Kaila rushed around the house grabbed her bag, bow and quiver. She made sure that Matthew was ok and gave him a kiss on the forehead, Kaila slipped out the front door and rushed down the winding dirt road to the forest.