Misunderstanding and Motivating

Cock a doo a doo

The cock crowed as the sleeping city started to wake up and get ready for work. You could hear the voice of mothers and fathers waking up the children for school; the opening of windows and the chattering on the street grew louder and louder as the children in the alley started waking up from my spell.

"Mmm, what time is it" a boy slowly rubbed his eyes and opened them before screaming, "The sun is up! The sun is up! We need to wake up everybody quick!"

Hearing the boy's voice, the children started jumping out of bed one by one as they changed into their work uniforms before rushing past me and into work.

'Hmm? Don't these kids need breakfast?' I thought to myself, after all, you can't work on an empty stomach.

While the older ones were out of the alley, the younger ones, along with Samantha and Old Eddie, too slowly woke up less dramatically compared to the older ones. Like clockwork, the younger ones started digging up dirt from the floor again, adding a little water, and making the mud cookies again.

'Wait a minute; something doesn't add up. If the older ones are working, why is it that they can't afford proper food? If they don't need to pay for shelter and water, they should have enough to eat hardtack instead of dirt'. I thought. Realising that Old Eddie may not seem as good as I thought he was.

Decided to confront him, I went up to where he was and asked, "Where is the money going?"

Still not fully awake, Old Eddie looked at me with sleepy eyes and a nonchalant attitude and asked, "What money? We live on the streets; what kind of money should we have?"

Seeing that he was not taking me seriously, I grabbed his shirt and held him high up, "The money made by the older kids, where is it!" I clenched my teeth in anger and asked.

Fully awake now, Old Eddie realised what I was talking about and angrily retorted, "What does the money have anything to do with you? Aren't you supposed to be living now?"

As both Old Eddie and I stared at each other, deep into each other's eyes, I felt a tug on my robe. Breaking away from Old Eddie, I looked down, seeing that the younger ones were the ones tugging at me. They must have run here after hearing our quarrel.

"Please don't hurt papa. The money is for Emma, Olivia and Charlette, who were previously taken away by bad people that-," said one of the children explaining to me why they had to eat such lousy food. It was so that they could save their sisters.

"George!" Old Eddie shouted at the boy explaining the situation to me as if embarrassed or angry at himself for not being able to take care of them. Realising that I had wrongly accused Old Eddie of things that he didn't do, I put him down and apologise, "Sorry. I didn't mean to".

"How much do you need?" Samantha's voice sounded behind me. Turning around, I could see her holding her space pouch, ready to pay for them.

"I don't need your help. We can do it on our own" Old Eddie gritted his teeth as if his own pride had been trampled on, especially after getting put on the spot by me. Although I usually prefer to stay out of people's troubles, a human life is at stake, no, three human lives are at stake, and this old man still wants to keep his pride?

"We are 100 days short," George replied. Making it clear that the older ones didn't tell them about the money and only the day. Luckily, from what I knew, labour jobs give ten coppers a day, and with ten people doing to work, they make about one silver a day. This means that their 100 silvers are short, equivalent to 1 gold.

"Here," Samantha flicked a gold coin to Old Eddie, coming to the same conclusion I did. Regretfully, Old Eddie did not reach his hand out and grab the coin allowing it to fall to the ground. Thinking that he was being stubborn clinging to his so-called pride, I reprimanded him, "Don't be stubborn; human lives are at stake here; just take the gold and get the children back."

Old Eddie's face contorted as if he was fighting against himself before looking at me straight in the eyes with a look on his face. This look was something I am familiar with. The look that says I need to talk to you in private, and I don't want the little ones to know.

Seeing that look, I told Samantha to look after the children before casting a dark mist barrier around Old Eddie and me. "Speak. What is it that can't be said in front of the children," I asked, feeling annoyed at his actions.

"It might be too late to rescue her," Old Eddie replied with a look of despair and helplessness.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The merchant said that he would only reserve her for three months before selling her to others, and it's way past three months; in fact, it's been almost a year since we saw her. She…may already be sold…" said Old Eddie looking pained at the fact that he was unable to buy her.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" I slapped Old Eddie, trying to wake him out from his negativity before continuing, "What kind of attitude is that? How are you supposed to save people with this kind of attitude?" Grabbing his shirt, I said, "Say it with me. I can save them."

"I can't."

"No, you can! Say it. I can save them!"

"I can save them?"

"NO, louder with more confidence, I Can Save Them!"

"I can save them."

"Louder!"

"I can save them!"

"Louder!"

"I CAN SAVE THEM!"

"Yes, that's the spirit now, lead the way. If there are any problems, Samantha and I will help," I said before dispelling the barrier.