1: My fresh and early days

My eyes fluttered open, and I let out a piercing cry—after all, I was just a newborn. I came into this world in a filthy, abandoned barn on the outskirts of the Lyverian countryside. You might wonder why I was born in such a place.

My mother was a prostitute, and I was just an accident—born from a casual hook-up. I never knew my father, and I don’t care to. Why did my mother end up like this? The answer is simple: poverty. Struggling to make ends meet, with little to no money, she works at a bar, selling herself to satisfy the whims of immature men.

After I was born, my mother took me to a nearby river to clean us both—luckily, the water was clear and clean. It was her first time giving birth, yet somehow, she seemed calm about the whole thing. It was strange, but honestly, I didn’t really care.

She used a piece of white cloth (which was bloody due to her delivering me to this world) to cover my body, I was still crying and it frustrated her. She carried me on her arms and her eyes wandered around—it was a cold, eerie night, which sent shivers down her spine. But there is no time to be scared because of the dark. She ran out of the abandoned farm to the neighborhood to seek shelter for a night. She didn’t really have a home anymore, having failed to pay rent after her pregnancy made it harder to please the men she relied on for income.

“Help!”She screamed.

“Please! Me and my baby needs shelter!” She screamed again, while walking down the streets of the now-asleep neighborhood.

It was the middle of the night, and anyone else who might have heard my mother's screams might have thought it was some creature lurking in the dark, waiting to lure in an unsuspecting victim. But an elderly couple, kind and brave, ventured outside to investigate. They found my mother, hesitant at first to trust her, but when they saw me—a helpless baby—they chose to believe in her and took her inside the house.

An elderly woman kindly asked my mother to sit on the sofa and rest while they washed me. My mother was out of breath from all the running, but she had just given birth... Wasn’t she supposed to be resting? Surely, that wasn’t safe. Though my mother had tried to clean me at the river, the rain had muddied my body again. The elderly man gently washed away the dirt, making sure I was truly clean this time.

Meanwhile, the elderly woman sat beside my mother, her eyes filled with concern, and began asking gentle yet probing questions. “Where are you from? How long have you been out here?” she asked softly, her voice a mix of curiosity and sympathy.

My mother hesitated, unsure of how much to share, but the exhaustion and relief of finding kindness loosened her tongue. “I've been wandering for days,” she admitted,

“I lost my home... I had nowhere else to go.” The woman nodded, listening intently. “And the baby's father? Is he helping you?” she asked, though the answer seemed clear from the pained look on my mother’s face.“There is no father,” my mother replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “It's just me.”

The elderly woman sighed, her expression softening even more. “I see... it's a hard life, my dear. But no one should have to go through it alone.” She glanced toward her husband, who was still carefully washing me. Then she looked back at my mother, her eyes firm but kind. “You can stay here for the night—rest, and recover. We'll figure out what to do the next morning.”Tears welled up in my mother’s eyes, a mix of relief and exhaustion. “Thank you,” she whispered, her voice trembling. The elderly woman patted her hand gently. “No need to thabk us. You've been through enough. Let's get you and your baby safe first.”

As the rain continued to patter against the windows, the old couple set about making my mother comfortable. For the first time in what felt like forever, my mother allowed herself to rest, holding onto the hope that maybe, just maybe, things could turn around.

On the other hand, I was cleaned and wrapped in a lukewarm, damp towel to ward off the cold. As the gentle warmth enveloped me, I was handed to my mother, who cradled me in her arms. Safe and secure, I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

As the night wore on, the warmth and safety of the elderly couple’s home began to restore a sense of calm. My mother, though exhausted, allowed herself to sink into the sofa, her eyes growing heavy with sleep as she held me close. The gentle glow of a nearby lamp cast a soft light over the room, contrasting with the stormy night outside.

The elderly woman busied herself in the kitchen, preparing a simple meal and some herbal tea, hoping to provide some comfort and nourishment. The elderly man, having finished washing me, checked on my mother periodically, ensuring she had everything she needed.

Around midnight, after ensuring that my mother and I were settled, the elderly couple retired to their bedroom, leaving the soft murmur of their voices and the occasional crackle of the fire as the only sounds in the house. The storm outside continued, but within these walls, there was a semblance of peace.

But so—I began to cry, as the usual normal newborn I am. My mother was awoken by the loud noise I've created. She sighed in annoyance, her peaceful sleep interrupted by a mistake (me).

My mother stayed at the elderly couple's house for at least a week, spending her days recovering until the feeling of "after giving birth" wore off. Just after the stay, she resumed to work at the bar and do her deceitful ways. She brought me along with her, and used me to earn more money by a pathetic way—Using me as attraction. Making the rich men and women inside the bar feel sympathy, or perhaps, empathy.

Her co-workers adored me and also felt sympathy for my poor, poor mother. One of them, who is as well as a prostitute named Kathryn—offered mother a rather lavish apartment in Blue Moon City. Of course, My mother's eyes widened, her eyes filled with surprise and a broad smile spread across her face. If I had been aware at this time and age, I might have recognized the growing greed within her.

“But how about the rent? I do not have the cash!” My mother asked, her voice filled with excitement and hesitation.

Kathryn chuckled, “I'll take care of it.”

Mother's eyes widened again, her excitement growing. “Oh, so kind of you, Kathryn! But you don't really have to...”

Kathryn shook her head and convinced my mother that she had to. “No, no, please accept the offer. You really need it. My mother was a single mother just like you, she was treated horribly!” — “And I don't want to experience the same fate.”

Mother jumped in joy and excitement, “Oh, oh, thank you, thank you!”

“Of course, of course...” Kathryn said before giving my mother the hug she needed, the scene started to get emotional. I was set in a cozy chair where I spent most of my days. The typical baby, I made noises and was confused of the scene in front of me.

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