The streets of Occam await you

Chapter 2

There’s no glory here

I walked..

And walked..

And walked…

Until I couldn't feel my feet anymore..

Pain..

Agony..

And silence..

No words could really explain how I felt, but all I knew was I couldn’t stop, Not now, not ever. As much as my heart belonged back there with what remained as my whole world, my soul cried a scream I had never felt before. An aching pain but one that made me want to swallow my pride and move forward, I yearned for my parents comfort but I knew I would never feel it ever again. I wanted a gentle hand to guide me, but in the other hand I wanted to just destroy everything in my way, I wanted to show them my hatred. So conflicted by so many different feelings and emotions that I didn’t understand at the time that I was heading straight toward a dark path, a path that I could never turn back from. There wasn’t any time for me to process the things I should have done, Instead I walked and walked and walked just wanting to be as far away as possible so that I didn’t have to see that again. Panting, feet hurting, rain hurling down, heartbroken, unseen tears, shaking with fear and hatred, my body dropped to my knees and I went numb. Darkness took me, and I don’t remember anything in between that moment and waking in a city I had never seen before.

It felt like an eternity until my body woke up, I heard voices, many voices, conflicting and arguing. As my eyes opened up I saw three people around me, there was a woman dressed finely and very pretty. A man in a cloak not showing his face and another man in very basic attire, he looked right at me as the other two continued to argue.

“Any word on the parents?” the woman spoke, “Dead” the cloaked man said. The woman looked shocked, “She should stay with me, my girls will look after her”. “And what.. make her a prostitute?” the normal looking man said. “Listen.. I know it's not a life I would wish for anyone but at least with me she's safe.” she sounded like she was begging and pleading with them to listen to her. “The black market is good for child **** labor at the moment.. we could split the money we make off her?.. no trace back to us she’s out of our hands.” the cloaked man spoke low and soft. Meanwhile the man in the middle shook his head. “She’s just a child.. she didn’t ask for this.” he looked resentful and disgusted by what he had said. “Please..” the woman pleaded, “She’ll make me lots of money once she's of age, I mean look at her eyes. She’s a half breed no one will accept her kind anywhere else, she’s a beautiful girl and I’d like her to be a part of my brothel.”. After hours of talking and not getting anywhere, they fought with one another. I rolled off the small bed and coughed, they stopped and the woman tried to help me up, “Oh my poor darling.. you’ll be fine” she tried comforting me, my immediate reaction was to push her away.

“Don’t touch me.. I heard it.. I heard it all.” shoving my way past them I ran away, I found an exit and ran. “Don’t run.. we’re trying to help” she said again reaching out, I looked back and shouted. “I control my own destiny.. ME AND ONLY ME” shouting loud and screaming with tears in my eyes, “Now leave me alone.” after escaping I found myself surrounded by the people of the city. It was busy and horrifying, people shoving me left right and center until I looked up to see a bright and beautiful day, something I hadn’t seen in a long time. My father always said “After the rain comes the sun” and my mother always said after that, “Out of the darkness comes the light.”. Thinking about them brought it all back to me, unwanted memories and emotions. I decided I had to bury them deep that day, I would cry no more tears for them after that day. I held the locket and promised to always keep them in my heart, but I would protect my mind I needed to forget them for now. I had to think about how to survive and quickly, I was already feeling fatigued from yesterday's stupidity and I was **** for water. I roamed the streets and looked as best as I could trying to find scraps, I begged for water but It made me feel weak and pathetic. I hated it, this was not the life I had wanted for myself. Why ask when I can just take? I questioned my motives and answered them almost immediately with a resounding resolution. A wide smile spread across my face, “Yes.. Take.. Take from them.. what they took from me, No one will stop me.” An uncontrollable laugh escaped from my lips as I walked forth towards my unsuspecting victims with no honor or glory in my actions. Today's the day they’ll know who “Rayne” is, I will use this as a pillar to start my reputation. People will know about me whether they liked it or not, I’ll make them regret walking in my direct path.

As I fled away from the people who thought had control of my life I realized how much control I really did have, a strong sense of will starting forming in my heart and all I could think about was all the freedom I had now not having anything or anyone holding me back. As I walked through the streets and the sun had dimmed down night was fast approaching and kept myself on my feet ready to prey on my next target. I watched as a small and dirty boy held an apple and some bread, my tummy grumbled, I hadn’t eaten in days and what I did eat were scraps to scrape by with. My instincts took over me as I leaned and dashed forward grabbing the poor boys food, “Oiii.. ya slimy beggar.. knife ears, KNIFE EARS GET HER..” the small boy yelled as small party of lads became hot on my pursuit. Adrenaline filled my body and I smiled like a crazy fool as I laughed at their pathetic attempt to catch me. The boys couldn’t catch me I was always ahead of the game, I always had a natural fast run and could keep the pace too. It was only until I reached the next corner I felt a hand wrap itself around my throat, **** and gasping for air I flinched and kicked the man in the air. He looked like a rich peasant, wearing a worn out captains jacket and a bandanna across his head, half his teeth missing and the smell of a rotten skunk filled the air. The young boys dropped to the floor bowing to him, “Master.. Master this thief stole our food.” they looked scared as they begged and pleaded with him not to hurt them. His grip tightened around my throat as he chuckled and stared into my eyes with his murky blue ones, “Ohhh really now.. Looks like Aden can’t keep his food safe again.. hahaha stupid imbecile.. That kid never learns.” he cackled and stared at the boy I took the food from. He stood arms crossed looking very angry and stubborn, “It's not my fault this bloody knife eared demon took me food..” Obviously these boys had strong street accents and slang, very rough and ready it seemed.

The alleyway ahead of me filled with dirty bedrolls and blankets, I had ran right into their little camp without even knowing, shame on me indeed. The man held me at arm point and was definitely not budging anytime soon, he scowled at me and looked me up and down. “Your kind ain’t from round here, state your name and purpose er lassy?..” he pulled me closer to his face to show he was being serious. “Piss off..” I spat in his eye, “Ya dirty old pervert.. and what's the matter with him can’t he fight his own battles.” I was talking about the boy from before now wondering why he needed an entourage to fight his battles for him. The man angrily threw me to the floor and put his foot on the top of my chest pressing down, gritting my teeth and coughing from the pressure on my chest I angrily tried shoving his foot off me. ”Know your place.. half breed..” he glared at me his blackened teeth and stench filling my lungs as I gag a little from the smell. After failing and laying on the floor hopelessly for a while the young annoyed boy pushed his way through the other boys, “I say we teach her a few a few manners.. or beat her as punishment for messing with us boys.” he say punching one fist into the other. “I’ll gouge your eyeballs out and shove my fist in your throat ya great lump..” I shouted shaking my fist up at him, “Enough of ya.. I hate to admit defeat Aden but the girl has some fire in er and I admire that..” he took his foot off me and shoved me to the side like a piece of dirt off his shoe. “I've had it with ya.. Aden she’s your responsibility since you got into this mess..” the young boy had a strop and stomped his foot with anger and furiousness, “But.. But.. Master she’s no concern of mine and I hate girls.” he whimpered. “She’s your responsibility until I say, Ya hear?” he swung back around and backhanded the small boy. “She stole ya food.. she’s got bigger balls than you lad” he threw him some bread and walked out into the shadows not to be seen again until a few days later.

“So.. Knife ears ya part of the gang now.. don’t be upsetting the master ya hear? Us boys own these back streets and have to keep riff raff away from our things. Don’t ask me for any help, ya get none from me after the stunt ya pulled today.” Aden huffed and walked off with his hands crossed. I crawled back to the wall and ate the food I stole, my treasure, my goal for the day, but I was in a bit of a pickle now. This man thinks he owns me and these here boys, my eyes shifted left to right as I read their every move, most stayed and kept glaring as I ate my food. Aden had his eyes away from me looking down the alley with his hands in his shorts, I could tell he was a broken kid at heart but maybe he held the same fate as me I wondered. He spat on the floor and wiped his nose of snot and dirt, readjusting his little cap he put one leg up on the wall and held face for all the on goers passing by the alley. In the corner of my eye I notice one of the boys reaching out to touch me, instantly my leg moved up and stomped his hand to the floor. “Don’t.. EVER touch me..” my eyes burned into them as I kicked his hand away and spat some hard bread over to another glaring at me, they scuttled off and one went to Aden. Watching his mouth closely I saw what he said to him, “She’s horrible.. why’d the boss want er?..” Aden shook his head. “She's like us, scum, peasants we’re the dirt of this earth.. if she keeps pissing the boss off though she’ll be gone soon enough.” A boy came and whispered to my ear afterwards “Sorry.. we’ve never had girls here before its always been us lads forgive my friends actions he’s just not used to newcomers.” with a quick nod I told him to go and grabbed a dirty blanket before taking a short nap.

From now on I’d have to sleep with one eye open, no one was to be trusted especially these thieves. I lay my head as I prayed for some kind rainbow or glimmer of hope at the end this storm, or maybe help was closer than I had ever anticipated.