Tears of A Soldier(BWWM)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

unedited

{Two years ago}Raven POV

'' Raven are you sure you want to do this?'' Skar, Raven's best friend, nervously asked. '' There has to be another way.''

Raven eyes connected with her friend's anxious brown eyes through the wall mirror she was using to apply her red lipstick. She could almost feel the fear and anxiety radiating from her. She understood why her best friend feared for her. Hell, she is terrified herself. But it needed to be done. Her mother and sister would never do it. They possessed too much: Pride. Self-respect. Morale. Good ethics to live by but not in their district. It was survival of fittest here. And she was all about survival.

Done applying the lipstick she close the tub and went to sit next to Skar on the bed.'' You know there is no other way, Skar.'' she replied. '' This is the only way for a woman to feed and protect her family. The only way for me to help my family.'' And it was the truth.

Ever since her father died their lives have been one disaster after another. The food was scarce. Days would go by with her mother and sister not eating. Instead, they would force her to eat the little they had managed to gather. They were beginning to lose weight dramatically. And were becoming sicker as the days went by from malnutrition. Clothes were needed for them. Their clothes were dirty and so tight they were barely able to breathe in them. Medicine even more so. And yet they endangered their lives for her survival.

Now it was her turn to sacrifice something for them.

Like many homes in her district, the man was the main money maker. Since she was a female not many options were available for her. It wasn't like women didn't want to work; they weren't given the opportunity too. Women, that lived in the ineffectual district, were deemed weak. Useless. Simple minded. So many male-less women turned to one of two lifestyles. One was prostitution. The other baby breeding. Prostitution being the most popular choice. The more appealing the female the more money and protection she would be offered. Many men had made offers to her mother and sister. Even to her. Her mother and sister would turn down every offer in disgust. Annika would sometimes protest more loudly and sometimes violently.

Baby breeding- well it was exactly what the name implied. A woman would be paid to produce a certain number of babies. No one knew what happen to the babies. And honesty the women who volunteered didn't care. The money was more appealing to them. Not to mention the comfort that was offered as well. They were given plenty of food. Clothes. And the best medical care.They would still reside in the district but in a tall secured apartment building. Protected by soldiers.

She would never go into the baby breeding program so that left only one option for her- Prostitution.

Tonight Raven was going to sell her virginity to provide and protect her family.

Skar grabbing her hands yanked her out of thoughts. Turning her head she looked at her friends' face. Concern. Nervous. Fear. Skar was always easy to read. '' But you know how dangerous it is. And you are doing this alone. Many others have a people to protect them. A group or man to watch over them. You need to find a people and join them. For your own protection.''

'' To join a group would mean sharing my profits. I can't do that. I need every coin made.'' she said. Shaking her head.

'' What about all the reports of the missing females we heard about. How will you protect yourself?''

Annoyed. She pulled her hands from Skar's. '' I can protect myself.'' She said as she stood and walked back to the wall mirror. Facing the mirror she checked herself for any last minute changes. True be told she just needed to distance herself from Skar. She knew Skar was right about needing a people for protection but she couldn't offer to pay them for it. Her family was in dire need. Besides she planned to work in Eden-Rose - a much safer avenue then the other streets.