Chapter 2

Avron crawled out of bed, tired and sore. His hands were blistered and his back ached. He rubbed his eyes and stumbled over to his pile of clothes. He grabbed a shirt and pants and sighed. He had a total of three shirts and two pants. All of them too small. He pulled his clothes and ignored the itching material against his skin and the tightness of the shirt under his arms.
"Good morning." His grandma said, giving him a smile. Avron smiled back, but it was far from happy. "I know last night was a bit rough, but everything's fine now, and I'm know everything will work out."
Avron nodded, but he didn't really believe her. His grandma had been saying things like that for years, but nothing ever got better. The only good thing that may have happened was Avron getting a job, but that had happened a year ago. And they were still living in a shack beside the sea with clothes that didn't fit water the wasn't fresh, and food that was hard and stale.
"Here." Grandma said, "I made a fresh loaf." she smiled and handed him the whole loaf of bread. He froze. The whole thing was for him? He stared at her, then turned back to the loaf.
"Is this for me?" He asked.
She smiled and nodded, "You'll need your energy for the day, and I was thinking after work you and I could go to the market."
Avron nodded, "Yeah, sure." he said, before he hesitantly took a bite of the bread. Avron couldn't think of anything else after that. It was warm and moist. This bread slid down his throat and into his starving stomach. It wasn't hard or crunchy like the stale bread, but soft. It smelled so heavenly and tasted like ambrosia. He took another bite and tried to commit the taste and smell to memory. And before he knew it the bread was gone.
"Glad you like it." Grandma said, seeing his disappointed face after he had finished the bread, "Now, you need to get to work."
Avron gave his grandma a small smile, and hurried out the door, "See you after work, Grandma." He said. She waved good-bye from the porch and went back inside.
"Ay, where ya been, boy?" Mr. Merton asked, as Avron walked into the tavern. He gave a laugh, "Bucket's there." He said, pointing to the broken metal bucket, "Best get to work. An' maybe I'll pay ya extra for not taking a lunch break."
Avron gave Mr. Merton a pained smile. He enjoyed his boss, but sometimes he was less than nice company. Avron set the bucket under the rusty spout and started bumping. It creaked and squeaked that it started to sound like a cacophony of mice. He pumped the water up for what felt like hours, before a small stream of water started to flow out of the spout.
Finally! Avron's arms were dying but he couldn't stop now. Before long there was a steady steam of water coming out of the pump. Once the bucket was filled Avron grabbed it and ran to the trough dumped the water and ran back to the pump. He couldn't let the water sink back, if that happened his arms would be falling off before he could get the days quota in.
One bucket down, seventy-nine more to go, Avron thought. He took a deep breath and grabbed the bucket again, running back to the trough, and back to the pump. Over and over. Again and again.
When he dumped the last bucket, Mr. Merton came out and patted Avron on the back, "Good job there, boy. An' here just a lil something more. Know lunch break, eh? Told you I'd pay your more. Why'd you doubt me like that?"
Avron gave a smile. Mr. Merton must have gotten a couple coins extra, "Thanks, Mr. Merton." Avron said, accepting the coins.
"Yeah, sure, boy. Just help me with the last of these people in here." Mr. Merton went back into the tavern, and Avron followed. The last thing he wanted to do was serve people drinks. What he wanted was to go home and not think about anything. Avron internally groaned, but he still had to go to the market with his grandma. Great, he huffed.
Avron stood behind the counter and started handing out water and ale. There seemed to be a larger number of people than usual. When Avron went back to the counter for refills, he asked Mr. Merton about it.
His boss shrugged, "Well, boy, how should I know? It's business, yeah? An' that's a good thing. Just keep working. Wouldn't want to lose this money." he handed Avron several more drinks for him to serve out. Avron resisted the urge to take the drinks and throw them back in his boss's face. He picked up the tray and started serving the drinks, smiling to the customers.
After another round of customers, Avron notice a man had sat down at the bar. He dressed very richly, but his clothes did not fit the climate. He wore a whole three piece suit with dress shoes. Avron shuddered wearing clothes like that in a place where the sun never set must be awful.
He went back to the counter to start serving refills, when the man tapped his shoulder, "Son?"
Avron looked at the man. It was the man he had served the water to last night, "Yes, sir?"
"I have a question for you."
Avron nodded, waiting for the man to ask his question.
The man paused and looked at Avron, before shaking his head, "Never mind." he said, then got up and left.
Avron froze and stared at the man as he left the bar. Should he go after him? Should he just move on with his life? Was he supposed to say something in response? What was the question? Was it important? Why did the man not ask the question? Why couldn't Avron not answer the question?
He glanced around the tavern. Mr. Merton could handle it. There didn't seem to be very ma customers. He set down the tray and ran after the man.
"Wait! What was the question?" Avron shouted after the man.
The man turned back, and patiently waited for Avron to catch up with him. The man shrugged and looked out towards the never setting sun, "You seem like a smart young man, but I'm afraid you might not be quite ready."
"Ready? For what? I'm ready." Avron said. He took a deep breath to calm his heart and shaking legs, "What do I have to do?"
The man laughed, "See, that is why you are almost ready. You are eager to learn, to do something different. But not yet. Maybe in a few years."
Years? What? Avron could handle it now. He didn't need years. Avron glared at the man, "Sir, I think I am ready. I don't think I need to wait."
The man nodded, "I see." He turned to Avron, "Well, we'll see I suppose, until then don't go anywhere. Stay in town."
"Why?"
"Just obey." and the man continued down the road.
Avron groaned and stomped back to the tavern, where Mr. Merton was glaring at him from behind the counter. He shoved the tray into Avron's hands and pointed at the people who needed drinks or wanted refills. Avron filled the people's drinks, but hated every moment of it.
"Thank you." One of the customers said.
"Never come back." Avron said, "I mean, you're welcome." he slammed another drink on the table.
When his grandma arrived at the tavern Mr. Merton let Avron go. "Just you remember, boy. You work for me. An' I don't want your attitude ruining my business. Okay? Now you go and have fun with your granny, but you make sure you don't every just leave like you can whenever you want."
Avron nodded, took the rest of his pay, and left with is grandma to the market.
"What was that about?" His grandma asked, once they had started walking down the road.
He shrugged, "Nothing much."
"He looked mad."
"He always looks like that."
"I see." Avron looked down at his grandma and quickly looked away. She looked so frail and thin in the harsh light. Her pale skin and weak frame made her look almost dead. He felt a pang in his heart and wished he was ready. Whatever that man had wanted to ask Avron it probably had to do with money. Avron wished he was ready, but according to him he wasn't.
Avron took a deep breath and dug deep into his soul. He tried to pull out whatever reserve of courage, resilience, and self-control he had in him. He was going to be ready for whatever that rich man wanted him to do. And he was going to get himself a better life. And his grandma.

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That Side shouted and stomped across the room. 
"Please be quiet." This Side said, flipping a page, "I am trying to read."
That Side shot a glare at her, "Be quiet. Be quiet! How can I be quiet! Didn't you see what just happened?"
This Side shrugged, "Well, yeah, but I'm sure it'll work out. We've been watching him for a while now. I don't think now he's suddenly going to change."
That Side grabbed the book away from her opposite, "Didn't you see? It was a...." That Side threw the book across the room and stalked over to the hazy glass.
This Side gave her opposite a sad look, "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you want me to say." She hopped off the bed and went to retrieve her book, "I'm sure it'll all work out." 
"Yeah, yeah yeah." That Side waved This Side over, "Look, they're going to the market. What do you thinks going to happen when they go into the market?"
"They'l get food. And cloths?" This Side said, looking out the glass.
"No, they'll meet."
This Side jerked away from the glass as if it had suddenly bitten her, "What? He's there too?" 
"Why do you hthink I was making such a big deal about this." 
"I don't know. I..." This Side paused, "Oh no, this could really ruin everything. The other guy. The one he met at the bar. We can handle him, but--" This Side colliapsed onto the floor and started muttering horrible foreshadowings for Entity.
That Side glared at the glass, "We'll have to be careful. Hopefully he won't get caught up in...everything.'
"Right. Right." 
"Let's see if we can get in touch with anyone. I doubt it, but maybe with both of us trying we can stimulate some of that magic." That Side went over to the bed and sat criss-cross. This Side joined her and they both closed their eyes and concentrated.

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I really don't like this chapter. I think it's boring and not enough interesting moments are in here. I apologize for that. I'll fix it.
And I suck at names so that's why this is Chapter 2 instead of something cooler.