The Pain and Beauty

Chapter One

"Hello Mrs.Shila, how are your kids doing?" I ask the nice market lady. She hands me my new necklace I bought

"Well I wish I could say good but I'm worried that I won't have enough for them to go to school" "oh my, how expensive is it?" I respond to her comment. "About 400" she said looking down "I'm afraid I'm a little off budget" she continued "Well I hate to see such a lovely family down in the low please take this to help out" I said giving her a 600 euro.

She grabs both of my hand and thanks me. "Zoe you are a true blessing to us in this world." She tucked the euro in her pockets and waved to me bye.

I walked to the meat and vegetable stand. "Hello namdi, how is your day?" I ask. "Well it's going ok sales are not going so well today since that man came her with that "meat"." He replied "Another man selling meat came? How rude kicking you out of business" she huffed.

The man ar the new meat stand looked her in the eyes and smiled "Mis are you looking for real fresh meat?" He yelled across to Zoe. "No thanks this nice man is the best meat seller in this village, Im fine" She politley gave up his offer. He glared at her and grined. "Arnt you a pretty thing?" he said walking up to her and putting his hand under her chin.

She pushed him away "Thank you but im sure of it you are to old for me" He answer her in the most impolite way. "How old are you then woman" Every woman around him and her were shocked he had asked such a rude question. "Im 17 thank you very much" She replied brushing off her skirt

"Still very beautiful" He said as he called over a young man about her age. He had Dark brown hair with bleeched tips and was about 6'1. He had very pretty green eyes. "Im sorry malady for his rude manners." The boy said. "Its ok just dont ever do it again. . . .Its weird" Zoe replied.

The men walked off and I paid Namdi his money and walked home with a basket full of groceries. "Mother Im home" I called from downstairs. "Zoe welcome home, come here please I need the bread for our lunch" Mother called from the kitchen.

When I walked in I saw my sister working on a short story that read "If time is to long, I will wait for you forever, No matter the cost, Il be there whenever". I would tell my little sister this everynight before bed when I was really little. " Aria how do you know this " I asked her she looked up at me and smiled with a tear. "You used to say it to me before I went to bed when I was a baby." Aria said.

Mother smiled and said to them both. "Dad would be so proud of who you both became." Mother struggled a little to stand up for now she was getting a little old. Zoe helped her up and also helped with lunch. After lunch Aria helped clean up while Zoe went to the river and washed laundry. she sang an old song she heard before."As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the starry crown?

Good Lord show me the way!

O sisters let's go down

Let's go down, come on down

O sisters let's go down

Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the robe & crown?

Good Lord show me the way

O brothers let's go down

Let's go down, come on down

Come on brothers, let's go down

Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the starry crown?

Good Lord show me the way

O fathers let's go down

Let's go down, come on down

O fathers let's go down

Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the robe and crown?

Good Lord show me the way

O mothers let's go down

Come on down, don't you wanna go down?

Come on mothers, let's go down

Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the starry crown?

Good Lord show me the way

O sinners, let's go down

Let's go down, come on down

O sinners, let's go down

Down in the river to pray

As I went down in the river to pray

Studying about that good ol' way

And who shall wear the robe and crown?

Good Lord show me the way"

Song above if you dont want to read.

While Zoe finished the last note of the tune she knew she tied the close to the line from one tree to another, She put them there to dry. Zoe whiped sweat off her head she cupped her hands and drank the water. The last thing she did was wash all her dishes in the river and left them to dry. Across the river she saw a deer drinking the water as well.

The doe was beautiful, An ash brown with pretty eyes and a nice white tail. "Zoe lunch is ready please bring 3 plates." Mother called from the house atop of the hill a few feet away from the river. "Ok mom ill be up in a min." Zoe yelled back. She grabbed 3 plate and walked back up the hill lifting up her skirt with her free hand.

After lunch they did chores around the house until dinner. Zoe went back down to the river to get one last bucket of water to bring home for water. She splashed her face with water and got home and to bed sleep and sound.