Of Light And Shadows

Chapter Two...

Hours later Jia pulled the sandwich out of her bag that she'd made that morning. She didn't dare take more than the two slices of bread and a thin piece of ham in case her father noticed. She ate it slowly, trying to fool her body into thinking it was eating more food than it actually was. She couldn't buy lunch because every penny from her job went towards her tuition and to her father. Too soon, her sandwich was done and she was heading off to work.

She liked the book store. It was a lovely little shop tucked away inside a larger centre. Floor to ceiling oak shelves covered every wall, laden with leather-bound tomes, books on magic and folklore, non-fiction texts and wonderful fairytales.

The shop was quiet enough that she could perch near the back with a book while she waited for someone to come in. She loved organising the shelves and running her fingers over the leather spines of books she could never afford to buy.

She loved her boss too. Mrs Raylen was a small, stout woman with fierce frown lines and greying hair, but her smile was bright and her eyes were kind and she always had time for Jia. It was the one place in the human world that she felt right at home.

"Lisbeth, it's good to see you," she beamed from behind the low counter. "You look tired, dear."

"I'm alright," Jia answered, fighting a grimace at the sound of that name. "Just had a long day."

"How was school?"

"Boring," Jia answered, walking to the back of the store to hang up her bag and pin on her name badge. "I find it much more interesting being here."

"That's good to hear," Mrs Raylen beamed. "I made tea and sandwiches for us." Jia swallowed against the lump in her throat. She knew she was thin. She knew her face was sallow and her eyes were sunken because she rarely ate enough to survive. The old woman took pity on her and it warmed her heart to know she cared so much.

"Thank you." She worked hard to stop her voice sounding strangled.

"It's the least I can do. You need some meat on you, girl." Jia accepted the hot beverage gratefully, savouring the taste of the sweet tea before picking up a sandwich of cream cheese and smoked salmon. "Eat until you can't eat anymore," Mrs Raylen said kindly. "I like to know you're being fed." Jia didn't argue, instead taking a grateful bite of soft bread. "How did you like that book I lent you?"

"I loved it," she answered. "I never knew Demon folklore could be so interesting."

"It's been sitting on that shelf for years. I figured somebody might as well read it. Seemed a shame to waste such a beautiful book." Jia took it out of her bag and handed it to the old woman, running her fingers over its surface one last time before it was taken away. "You know, you look at these books like they're unobtainable treasures. Why is that?"

"Every penny I have goes on rent and my tuition," Jia shrugged. "I can't buy new books. I love reading and I'm grateful to you for letting me borrow some of these. I could never hope to afford even one of the paperbacks in here."

"That's really sad. Books enrich the mind and the soul. A life without books, in my opinion, is one not worth living." The old woman disappeared between the shelves and brought out a smaller book bound in rich red with beautiful gold script on the front. "This is from my own collection," she said, smiling. "It never goes on sale because I've read it a hundred times." Jia looked down and saw it was pristine. "It's a romance. It tells the story of forbidden love between a Demon King and his Angel bride. It's a beautiful story and I think it's right up your street."

"Are you...are you giving this to me?" Jia stared at her with wide eyes.

"I am."

"I can't accept this."