1 Help Wanted

The rain poured heavily deep within a forest. Hidden, under the cover of the surrounding grass, a misshapen body lies unmoving on the ground, discarded like a broken ragdoll. Blood crusted over the skin where the bones poked out. The skin, a patchwork of scales, fur, and feathers. Suddenly a cry filled with pain sounded from the body as it became conscious.

The pain was the first and only thing she could feel as she woke up. For minutes she yelled desperately, wanting for some way to make the pain go away. To feel something else, anything else. Every movement stretched her skin or shifted her bones around her distorted shape. Ripping and tearing her flesh causing new blood to flow. Unable to think she just lie there helplessly.

The cries of torture eventually stopped as the sweet darkness of sleep embraced her once more.

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A woman with charcoal black hair, neatly braided together and syrup brown skin left her small one-bedroom house after reminding her siblings to be good. Raising her hand to shade her eyes from the early morning sun she walked off to work prepared to take on the day.

She cut her way through the market, the square holding a multitude of stands currently closed atop cobblestone roads, and entered a modest bakery shop. Stepping in to greet her boss with a nod and a cursory smile. She threw on her apron, the nameplate saying Tara, and helped prepare and bake more bread for later.

As the day wore on customers came in as they navigated the currently packed market on their own shopping trips. Some who came in were families shopping for some of their daily use loaves of bread, some were travelers from out of town who wanted some bread for their travels. A few even came in for sweetbreads for special occasions. The day though passed uneventfully like most others. When the end of the workday arrived, she was handed 10 coppers for the day's work and she walked back through the market to get home.

As she made her way home her soft shoes clapped against the stones that made up the ground and she started to think about her meager pay and her dwindling savings. With 3 siblings her current income was too low to adequately support herself and them. It would be a few more years before one of them would be capable of working. Well, she thought, I'll just have to sell one of Dad's or Mom's things to tide us over for a little while longer. Almost through the market, she spotted a job posting on the wall.

"Temporary Helper Wanted"

"Alchemist-Assistant for a week and get 20 Silvers"

"No previous work experience required"

"Sign up here to apply. Limited spots available"

At the bottom, there was even a seal of authenticity from the guild showing this was a genuine posting. Quickly she scanned to see how many people signed up already. Several lines already were filled in with their information and she would be the 7th. Not sure if it was too late but not wanting to miss the opportunity, she quickly wrote Tara Smith along with her address, and while she wasn't too sure if anything will come from it, she knew she would regret it if she didn't try.

She stood before the simple wooden door to the house they have called home for the last few years, trying to improve the negative mood that envelopes all her walks home as she thinks about the problematic financial situation they have. After a minute she was able to put a big sisterly smile on her face and she opened the door and was greeted by her three little siblings.

Len, who was just turning 8, had Mom's sunset pink hair. While he didn't remember their parents much, he always liked to hear stories of their adventuring days. Even now he still asked Tara to tell him some stories before bed even though he knew them all.

9 and almost 10 Mindy was standing a little back with her arms crossed. As the oldest when Tara was out, which was most of the day, Mindy felt she had to be mature. Although her bright blue eyes betrayed her happiness that her older sister was back and her reliance on her.

Making her way through the entryway Donna, Len and Mindy followed behind to the kitchen. With not much in the house, it remained clean and orderly. With practiced efficiency each one went to work around the kitchen, helping to prepare dinner.

"Tara?" Donna called while rinsing out some rice. "Princess Sparkles and me were playing all around the house today. We played battle. We played house. We played…" Donna continued to rattle on about all the different things she played with her imaginary friend while Tara played along smiling. Most days Donna would talk about all the things she did that day. Mostly it was playing with her friend, Len and/or Mindy.

When they were done preparing Donna was finally finished with her seemingly endless number of random things and Tara patted her head while making a few remarks about the games she played like, 'Oh. I played that with Mindy too', or 'That sounds like a really fun game. Maybe we can play it sometime', or 'That must have been really cool to see'.

While the food was cooked Tara sat down to retell Len a story from when her parents were alive. She made sure to put all the theatrics into the storytelling and she even acted out the swing of their mom's sword and the sounds and effects of their dad's spells. By the end, Len was wrapped up in every word once again imagining both of them before him.

Giving Len a squeeze Tara went back to set up a few plates for everyone. They rushed over to the kitchen and sat on the floor together. With a plate in hand and a fork in the other, they all scarfed down their food hungrily. First to finish was Tara. While her plate was neither the largest nor the smallest, she was always the hungriest, having to do the most out of the day and only eating dinner most days made her hunger understandable. Soon after the day was nearly over. With the setting of the sun and a very small amount of candle wax habitually slept whenever it became dark, coming together to sleep in the one-bedroom on a single large cot.

As they cuddled together, they wished one another a good night and sweet dreams, and quickly each one drifted to sleep. Well… all except one. Tara remained fitfully awake as she contemplated their future. She was estimating that their savings would run out within the year, maybe 1 ½ if they sold all their parents' mementos around the house. Mindy would only be 11 with a little over half a year to go before she could start working. And while she felt sorry that Mindy would have to work immediately and wasn't able to pursue her dream of being a Bard.

Mindy understands though and is trying to be mature about it. It'll also give Len and Donna a chance to pursue their goals and hopefully give both Tara and Mindy a chance later down the road as well. At least that's what they both hope.

Mentally working through their finances Tara still concluded that it would be really amazing if she could land this temporary job. Her last thought before drifting to sleep was, With the extra money from that job we'll have more than enough money to make it past Mindy's birthday. And maybe we can even save a few of Mom and Dad's memorabilia.

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