Hardship 1

My grandmother coughs as she comes up behind me, pulling me from my thoughts. I

was lost in thought, reliving the stories of my childhood and the tragic events that

unfolded in the years between. She grabs my hand, making me look at her. Her pale

face holds a knowing look, like she knew what I was thinking. I never doubted her

ability to read people. She often knew me better than I knew myself.

I dry my hands on the towel before letting her drag me to the broken table that sat in

this tiny rundown kitchen, the place is falling apart, the paint peeling on the walls, the

benches made of chipboard were flaking and crumbling, the place falling apart, none

of the appliances worked but the fridge, not that it had much in it. Even the roof was

sloping inward from the water damage caused by the last storm. Rundown was an understatement, this house was condemned and abandoned a long time before we

stumbled across it, in a search of somewhere semi-dry to sleep.

Sitting in the chair across from my grandmother, the legs wobble and I sigh heavily,

worried about her deteriorating health. Her purple eyes had lost most of their light over

the years. When I was a child, they used to burn brightly, almost glowing.

Now, they look dull and lifeless, almost hollow. Yet also knowing and wise, as she

had seen a lot over the years. I knew her memories haunted her like a bad dream.

We hide our eyes mostly, hoping to blend in with the humans that survived the wars.

Better to be human then hunted down and killed like they did with the Witches.

Her once shiny black hair turned white as snow, hanging to her hips. My grandmother

used to be the strongest person I knew, but years of hardship had taken its toll on

her. She was now frail, barely able to walk without support, her muscles shrinking to

shadows of their former selves, leaving her looking like a skeleton with skin.

“What are you thinking, my child?” she asks, her eyes softening as she looks at me.

“Nothing grandma, but I will go get something for that cough. It has lasted too long,” I

say worriedly.

I can’t afford to lose her too. She was all I had left in this world. My

grandmother shook her head, but I stood up, not taking no for an answer.

“Elora, we can’t afford medicine, dear. I will be okay,” she tries to reassure me. She is

right, we can’t afford medicine, but I know I can find a way. I always do. Grandma

must have known what I was thinking as she tries to stand up but sat down quickly,

her coughing taking her breath away as her body heaved with each breath.

“You can’t, it was your mother’s,” she says, before coughing again. I rub her back,

trying to help before grabbing a glass of water and handing it to her. She sips slowly,

trying to catch her breath.

“Here take this,” she said, pulling her wedding band from her withered old finger, it

slipped off easily, much too big for her frail finger. The ring was one of her most prized

possessions, with intricate vines wrapping around the band.

“I won’t allow you to sell any more of your mother’s things for me.” I hold the gold

band in my hand. It was another family heirloom that was given to her by her late

husband, my grandpa. Passed down from his mother. I close my hand before dropping it

into the pocket of my jeans.

“I will be as quick as possible, grandma. Try and stay warm,” I tell her, trying to put her

mind at ease.

I grab my coat, throwing it on as I walk outside. The snow is sinking into my holey

shoes, making my toes go numb. Winters were always unforgiving, and this winter felt

extra cold. We lived in the city in an old abandoned shack. It isn’t much, but it at least

keeps us dry and away from the elements. I say shack because it certainly isn’t a

house. One side had collapsed in on itself after a storm, making only half the place

liveable. On the bright side, it has running water and a working toilet, so it is better

than the last place we lived.

We wanted to leave the city, but the Dragon lords refused to let anyone leave. Guards

are stationed at every checkpoint, and in our opinion, it wasn’t worth the risk. The

Dragon Kings had killed off the last two elders when they tried to escape and she

was the closest one to the castle, forcing us to live in rundown abandoned houses.

We have been lucky enough to go unnoticed for as long as we have.

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