Chapter 12: A new kindness

~ The two suns were brighter once again. Good thing it was only dimmed and wasn't yet time for the full night phase.

I would have to suffer the cold. A Female's body couldn't withstand the chill from the darkness. Our body temperature can't regulate our warmth during the dark phase. During the phase of the sun, our body temperatures are normal. When it's dim light, it may drop some, but it didn't drop enough, where I couldn't keep going.

I knew it was the next day by looking at the sun's rays through the trees. It looked to be going on noon soon. I had walked in the woods forever it seemed. Seeing how it's the next day. Ya I guess, I had been walking for countless hours with feeling my body aching.

I stopped for a moment and looked at my feet. Both were caked with dry blood. I took in a deep breath for the moment and continued to move forward.

Talking to myself out loud, "I think it's time to maybe see if I can get out from hiding in these woods. I believe there should be a clearing up here."

I walked to the left side and saw a small steep hill, and started climbing up it. That was when, I started to feel weak, but I kept walking straight up to find out, I was correct. There was a clearing of this beautiful land with fresh green low-cut grass and tiny patches of white flowers in random spots of the meadow.

I kept on walking dazed by the beauty that swipe into my exhausted vision. Then before I knew it there was a sidewalk, decorated with flowers, and white pebbles on the edges.

I went only near the sidewalk edges like a child learning how to balance following it up. Dazed in my dreamy sleepy-eyed surroundings as if I was walking across a fluffy cloud.

Out of nowhere, I heard loud snapping sounds coming from the woods. Instantly, awaking my senses, I got frightened and run so fast!

Completely, terrified to think that hybrid-man could be after me! As I kept looking from behind me a few times while still running because I am so petrified.

So much that my chest was burning and my head felt heated! I could feel my whole body shaking with sweat running down my forehead! I was so caught up in the moment of my panicked reaction.

Suddenly when I turned my head to look forward again to see in front of me. A small child came out of nowhere and I almost collided straight into this child! But instead, I lost my footing and balance! I stumbled off my own feet from falling hard to the ground! Now hitting once again my broken wrapped arm as this pain streaked up the bone in this horrible agony. I wanted to cry!

"MAMA!!! MAMA!!!"

In extreme pain, I looked up to see the child. Was a small girl calling out to her mother. I tried to stand on my feet to run from the girl, but instead, I ended up back down on the ground. Completely, out of breath and out of fight. It felt like, I pushed myself to the limit. Seeing this shadow of another person coming in from behind, as my arm is throbbing. The pain stops me from being able to run any further.

"Clara! whatever is it?" The approaching mother asked.

Then stopped in shock from looking at me hurt on the ground.

Immediately, she came to help aid me "Oh my goodness you poor thing whatever happened?" In this frantic voice, the mother said. "Never mind that! Here, let me help you!" The woman pulled on the my arm gently up over her shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll get you patched up and get you some help."

I looked around the surroundings and saw this meadow was a small park. It is beautifully decorated in rich fountains, stone rocks, flowers of all colors, shapes, and sizes. There were sitting pavilions and benches everywhere. A massive playground for kids to climb on and run around in. Then there was a ring ball court.

Kids of any age were everywhere. The older teens looked to hang out in the ringball (basketball) court. Little ones covered the playground, playing. Tons of picnic blankets laid out, and hybrid-people, chatting among each other.

There were some hybrid-men on the sidewalks from the roadway, looking around and chatting too, it seemed.

My body was shaking for I was very nervous to even look at them. While this kind lady helped me cross the street from the park to a very large store with many other stores connected going down the street block.

"Clara, help mommy open the door and flip the store open sign to close for me, dear." The woman asked her small daughter.

She spoke so softly and calmly to her daughter. Her store was huge inside, with clothing racks, outfits out on display in different sections of the store, and even very rich gorgeous jewelry display cases.

She took me to the backroom that looked to be like a fancy decent size lounge area. She sat me down on a soft chair. Then I got a better look at her.

She has longish light brown hair that is slightly curly at the ends. Her face was petite curvey roundish. Her nose was small and her lips are average dainty-like. Her eyes are an almond shape that is a light brownish-blue mixture.

She is a very lovely looking lady with such a gentle appearance. Her makeup was done in light brown nude eyeshadow and she only had mascara on her lashes. Adding a pretty shimmer natural blush on her soft facial cheeks. She wore blue jeans with a fancy black belt, and her shirt was odd-looking. It was white, with short sleeves, and had a v-shape neck.

But she weirdly has a soft white blanket wrapped around her. Then I saw on the left was a bassinet and realized, as she walked away from me. She took the white blanket off from around her shoulders and back.

That is when I realized, it was a holder for an infant. She placed her infant in the bassinet. Then grabbed some clean washcloths from off the table near where the baby was and walked back over to me.

"My name is Maria by the way. What is your name?" The woman spoke sweetly.

I gulped softly in my throat! I didn't have a name to give her. Only slave was my name. Trying to think of a fast name...

"I-l m-my..." My voice came out scratchy, fearful, and shy.

Before I could get a sentence out, Maria said gently, "It's ok, you don't have to tell me your name if you do not wish to. Were you being chased by scavengers"

I never heard of a scavenger. I only looked at Maria not knowing what to say. I just felt so lost and too scared to explain my situation.

Being sincere, Maria said looking back at me with a sad face. "It's ok. If you do not wish to answer that either, you don't have to. Just relax." Maria pulled out her phone and sent a message to her husband. "I'm going to get you fixed up. Then call my husband and will get you some help."

I saw she message someone on her phone. I didn't like hearing she was going to contact her husband. Since I see her gold ring had a large diamond in the center between two smaller stones. She also had a golden fancy diamond bracelet on her right wrist. I could tell right away she is wealthy.

As she began cleaning the grass stains and dirt off my legs and arms. Good thing my broken arm was wrapped up, with a bandage to hide my branded slave mark, I had on my wrist. The bandage needed change, it was white and clean. Now it has dirt and some mud stains on it.

Looking over to the right. Was her daughter sitting on a couch playing with a handmade doll, so oddly quiet. Such a beautiful child she is. She looked like her mother so much. I noticed Maria looking at me with this friendly smile.

"That's my daughter Clara and the baby in the bassinet is my son Samuel. He was quite a surprise for my husband and me. We weren't expecting to have any more kids. Until Clara turned to her teens. He wasn't conceived during the time of the moon phase. Which as you know is rare to happen. My eldest son Jake is a teenager. He hangs out with his dad more now. In training. You know how that is." Still smiling, Maria shared.

That is rare for a baby to be conceived outside of the moon phase. Yet, this isn't my concern, I don't know this woman. Luckily, she doesn't even know me.

I didn't have a clue what she meant by training. Guess they were business Kind? But I need to be careful, I need to find the commoners. Since I can't tell if she was one or not. By how she spoke, I was thinking she wasn't a commoner. She kept on talking away to me.

Maria said smiling. "I have no idea what I would do without my husband. My daughter so young." While cleaning up the injured woman. "She still needs so much attention like my new baby. I am so glad he surprised me with some slaves to help me."

Now I am trying to hide my likely pale expressions. With that statement of her's told me. She couldn't know, I was a slave with having slaves herself. Since she owned slaves or at least her husband did anyways. Surely, I needed to leave before he came by. Yet, I need to play it cool and just sneak myself out.

Maria's phone rang.

"Give me a second, I just need to take this call," Maria said, looking at her phone.

She answered her phone walking out of the room. Leaving just me with the infant and child. Maria was just outside the door. Of course, it was the only door and there weren't any windows.

Clara then got off the couch and looked at the woman. "Do you like my little doll, my mommy made her for me?" She asked holding out her toy doll.

While smiling. "Oh, why yes. Your mommy made such a beautiful doll for you. I'm sure that is special. Isn't it?" Then I spoke in a sweet tone.

Smiling so gently back."Yup, I love my mommy and daddy. Daddy works a lot. My older brother is lucky he can go with him. But I can't go. I'll never get to go." Clara replied sadly.

To see that child frowning. "Awe. Why is that?" I asked nicely.

"Because I can't. Daddy told me, I can't ever come with him. I'm to be here with my mommy." With a sad boo-boo lip, Clara said.

Puzzled, I replied. "Oh that's odd, wonder why he takes your brother?"

With her sad little cute face, Clara said. "Because he trains with daddy and one day he will be in security too. Then help daddy keep everyone safe from bad hybrid Kind."

Ok, that's different, I thought. Suddenly her mother Maria walked back through the door.

Now with excitement, Maria said."Ok, that was my husband he said don't worry. We will have you fixed up and he will take you back where you belong..."

"I'm commoner!" Interrupting Maria, I quickly said talking fast. "I just need to make my way back to my family!"

Goodness! I don't believe I've ever thought of a lie so fast.

Maria looked at me with a surprised expression. "Oh, that is fine." She said kinda thrown off. "I will get you cleaned up here and you may pick out some new clothes from my store."

"B-But I have no credits to pay you b-back with?" I stutter.

Showing such care. "Consider it's on me," Maria said smiling so gently. "You owe me nothing in return."

"Thank you so much but I couldn't just take anything that doesn't belong to me. I think I should be on my way now. I don't wish to be any more of a problem. You don't need to worry about your husband taking me anywhere." I said, giving a light smile.

"Nonsense, my husband doesn't mind giving you a ride." Maria looked at me oddly and insisted.

I suddenly got up out of the chair very strange and shaking.

"Really! I should be going now!" I tried to walk out of the lounge. "Thank you for all that you have done!" I said trying to hide my fear but I acted so suspicious and off.

"Stop!!!" Maria yelled.