3 Living

We arrived in the squaters area. We walked a little further more then we stopped in front of a very small house. The roof was made of thin metal sheets. There were big stones on top of it so the weight could prevent the roof from flying off from strong wind. inside the house, there were no tiles or any cement on the floor. Just hard soil and some places even have rocks stuck on them. The walls are made of wooden sheets that's used for huts.

   There was a small single stove at the left side of the house with a small sink but there was no tap. A double mono block and a plastic table in between. An old type of television where it's so thick you can put some things above it.

   There was a narrow door beside the stove. It was a comfort room consist of  small cubicle and a drum of water.

   Across the door outside the comfort room is a small space where there is a bed for two persons. There were two boxes under the bed and uniforms hang in the wall.

   Granny called me and we sat in the mono block. The food was a canned sardine with a single scoop of rice for each of us.

   My heart ached at this sight. This old lady still gave me a larger portion of the food despite us both being tired from walking from the hospital to here.

   "You can have the rest of my food if you want?" Granny said. I looked at her and noticed she was looking at me worriedly. I realized I was crying when a tear fell from my hands.

   "No, please eat until you're full. I'm not that hungry anyway." I said while wiping my tears.

   This old woman struggling to live in this small house and eating small amount of food made me so sad. I tried hard to push down my sadness and started eating slowly.

   Granny insisted in washing the dishes but I think I should be the one doing it so she can rest.

   "Use this." Granny said beside me and gave me a basin of water.

   "How do I wash the dishes with only this much?" I asked as I pointed towards the small amount of water. She smiled and told me to step aside. I felt embarassed that I told her I should be washing the dishes when she's the one doing it now.

   "You've changed, Athena." Granny looked at me fondly.

   "You were actually lazy and hated cleaning or doing anything around the house besides studying. I also know you were annoyed by me everyday so you're always so hot headed towards me. Now you're just-" she gestured me from my head to toe with her two arms.

   Again my heart ached. I can't believe the owner of this body is so disrespectful towards her grandmother when she clearly did her best to raise Athena. Besides the uniform hanging by the wall is the same uniform as I wore until before my wedding.

   It's a very prestigious school that prioritize education above all. Every year they accept only 5 students that could become scholars and all fees are already payed by the school. Even uniforms and miscellaneous fees, plus monthly pocket money.

   I couldn't say anything to granny so I just hugged her. Taking a bath wasn't also easy. I have to get some water at the free flow across the street. People are strangely taking their bath there or brushing their teeth.

    After getting my buckets full, I started lifting them up but I could only lift one.

   "Let me help." A man that looks like the same age as I was came up to me and helped me bring both of the buckets to the house.

   "Thanks." I said.

   "Are you alright?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow. Who is he?

   "Athena, that's Rick. He's our neighbor and went to the same school as you back when you were kids." Granny said. The man made a confused look and granny told him I actually had an amnesia.

   He couldn't believe it at first but was convinced as soon as he made a weird joke that I think only he and this body's original spirit would get it.

   He helped pour the 2 buckets of water at the drum before granny and I can finally take a quiet bath. It was hard because constant pouring of water to my body using a small bucket with a long handle is tiring my arm.

   After taking a bath, granny told me that the right box is where all my clothes are, even underwears.

   I laid my back at the bed and it hasn't been that long before mosquitoes bit my skin. Even if it's hot I covered myself with a thin blanket.

Granny finished taking her bath. I squeezed myself from the side of the bed so we could fit in.

"Have we always lived like this granny?" I asked. Gesturing the house we are in.

"We had a pretty average house that we were renting a week ago but for some reason, the owner suddenly kicked us out even though we're paying her on time." She stopped for a moment then continued.

"I was also kicked from my job after we were kicked out of the house so I got money only from selling some of our appliances." I got worried because, clearly they don't have anything left so where is she going to get the money?

"Don't worry I'm still looking for a decent job so I can have money to transfer you to another school."

"Transfer?" I asked then she looked at me sadly.

"Sadly, yes, you said you want to transfer out of the school you are attending to because you said you're too embarrassed that your friends might know what kind of life we were living in." She worriedly smiled at me.

How could the this woman think of such things? If her friend finds out they might even help her! If she thinks that her friends would out her from the group when they do find out how she lives her life then I must say those aren't her real friends she thinks they are.

"Can I still go to school and not transfer? How many days have I been absent?" I asked. She was surprised and looked at me suspiciously. Oh no, maybe she's suspecting I'm not her granddaughter based on my change of personality?

"You've been absent for 3 days. I don't think you can go back because I have no money to give to you for transport fee and for your lunch." Ok then, I can still go back. The limit for a student to be absent is 15 days and I still have 12 days.

"I'll come back to school next week." I said confidently. Her eyebrows are knitted so much that I'm sure she's getting very suspicious of me. I told her goodnight and turned my back on her but just as I close my eyes, thunder boomed and rain started falling.

Granny quickly got up. I followed her and saw she was putting basins on the floor where droplets are falling from the holes on the roof.

   I think I have to get help from Jamie. I can't live like this. It's a hard life they're living and I'm just not used to this.