Of Sleeping and Suffering

It had been years since Entity had seen the sun. It had been decades since her power had flowed through her veins. And It had been centuries since she had walked the world she had created. But it had only been days, since Entity realized her "savior" was ready.
A little human boy. That was him. Avron.
Entity entered her mind and watched the two sides of mind as she often did during her slumber. She felt like she had grown closer to these two aspects of her mind, during the years she slept. They seemed to be becoming less like acquaintances, and more like friends. But these two sides were as much of a mystery to her, as they were to the extremely few people she had told. They looked like her, acted like her, but were in and of themselves different from Entity.
This Side looked into the world, through a blurry glass, and That Side sat at her desk staring at a map.
This Side gave a wide smile, "I think, he's ready! I'm so excited. He's smart, clever, and I'm sure he'll figure out how to wake us up." She turned to That Side and frowned, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." That Side said, picking up a pencil and carefully tracing a path on the map.
"Oh, come on. You can tell me." This Side said, sliding up to her opposite, giving her a charming smile.
"Go away." That Side said, not sparing a glance at the other aspect.
"What're you doing? Can I help? You know I'm very helpful." This Side said, looking at the project That Side was working on, "Wait, why do you have this map out?"
"What's wrong with this map?" That Side asked, setting down the pencil and finally looking up, "Unless things have changed in the last century, I would say this map is extremely accurate."
"It is, but why do you have it out?" This Side eyes widened, "You're not going to give it to him, are you? Please, tell me you're giving it to him."
That Side rolled her eyes and walked over to the blurry glass, she stared out at the bright desert world and watched Avron at the water pump, pushing the handle up and down. Up and down. All the while patiently waiting for water to come out.
That Side sighed, "No, I will not give this map to him, as much as I would honestly like to." This Side waited and leaned forward to hear who her opposite would give the map, too. Her mind spun, going through all the options, but none of them made sense. Only him.
"Are you going to tell me?" This Side burst out, after waiting a whole minute.
"What? Oh, right yes." That Side said, sputtering, "Right, I'll give it to Jeremiah."
Another whole moment of silence passed, when This Side laughed. A loud, boisterous, obnoxious laugh. This Side started to jump up and down and dance around the room.
"Why are you like this?" That Side asked, "You're going to trip over the furniture."
This Side stopped dancing, but her laughing didn't stop, "I'm sorry. I'm just so excited. I can't wait. Have you contacted him yet?"
That Side gave her opposite a confused look, "Contact him? You know I can't do that. He's a...fallen. I can't contact him anymore."
This Side's face fell. She stared at the spotless white floor, disappointed, "Right. I forgot. I forget everyday. Don't you? Please, tell me you do."
That Side nodded, and looked at the blurry glass, "Yes, I do."
Entity sighed. It was getting worse. She could feel it. Everyday she spent in her cocoon was another day that she could forget. Forget everything. And she couldn't do that. She was Entity. What would happen to the world, if she forgot?

---

Avron was tired of everything. Tired of pumping water. Tired of burning and sweating in the sun. Tired of living with his grandma, even though he loved her dearly. And tired of seeing the same dry desert, the same lifeless sea, and the same bright sun.
He picked up the bucket and raced to the trough dumped the water in and ran back to the pump. His arm ached. His back ached. Everything ached. Why did he have to be poor? Why couldn't he be rich? Why couldn't he live that life of luxury he deserved?
"Hey, boy, take a break, now." His boss called out to him, "You'll kill yourself." He placed a hand on Avron's back, "C'mon now. Get. You got a place to be?" Mr. Merton waved him off, and started pumping, "Get your pay. Where it always is."
"Thanks." Avron said, not sounding very thankful. He hurried into the gtavern and went behind the counter. He had just grabbed his money, when a man walked in. He was tall and thin. His face was gangly and long.
The man sat at the counter and eyed Avron, "Glass of water, young man."
Avron nodded and resisted the urge to sigh. Why? He just wanted to go home and sleep. He had worked all day, and now he had to serve a customer? The man couldn't go somewhere else for his glass of water? The water wasn't even that good. He was clearly from out of town.
"Here you go, sir." Avron said, setting the glass in front of the man, proud of himself for remembering his manners.
"Young man," the man started. Avron bit his tongue to resist screaming at the stranger. He continued, "Is there any cleaner water?"
Avron looked at the man's glass. The water wasn't clear, exactly, and it may have had a little bit of discoloration, but surely the man could handle it. It wasn't the worst. Avron nodded.
He sighed, "I see. Thank you." The man cringed as he took the glass of water and took a sip. The man visibly winced as he swallowed.
Avron considered asking if he was okay, but thought better of it, and left the man drinking the semi-clean water. He waved good-bye to Mr. Merton, who was still pumping and not nearly as fast as Avron had. Avron raced back down the dirt path towards his home. The smell it him, like a punch to the gut. He was still a couple miles from home, but the stench was as strong as ever. But why was he surprised? One day at work wouldn't change anything.
Avron walked the rest of the way home, and resisted the urge to take a deep breath, or breath in general. When he arrived at the beachouse his grandmother was on the porch sweeping.
"How was work?" She asked him.
"Fine." he grumbled. Just the same measly pay as always, he thought.He had no idea how is grandmother handled the stench. And he had no idea why she hadn't moved yet. Avron knew he was going to move, as soon as he had enough money, he'd gather his things and find a place as far away from the Lifeless Sea as possible.
She sighed, "Well, dinner's ready."
Avron nodded and went inside before she could say more. He didn't want to talk to her today. All he wanted to do was shower and get a good night's sleep, but that was never going to happen. Sighing, he rubbed his arms so he wouldn't be sore tomorrow and thought about everything the rich kids were doing about this time. Probably having a big meal, thinking of what would entertain them tomorrow, taking for granted everything that they had. Clean water, good food. A home.
He grumbled and stretched. It wasn't fair! How come he got the beachside home near the most disgusting sea. How come he got a broken family! How come he--
"Avron," his grandma called, "dinner.
He stood up from his bed and made his way into the kitchen. He sat down picked up the single piece of bread on his plate. It's fine. It's fine. He kept telling himself. It's fine. It's fine. It's fine I'm poor. It's fine everyone's richer than me. It's fine! His grandma sat in front of him with another piece of bread, and a small ache appeared in his heart. The ache grew when she took a small bite of the hard, stale bread. Avron stared down at his piece, and he suddenly felt very, very small.
Shame and guilt appeared in his heart, as he watched his grandma eat bite after bite. Her wrinkled face tired and worn from working years in the scorching sun. Her hands were shaking as she brought the last of her piece to her mouth. She finished chewing and looked up at Avron.
Avron felt guilty and ashamed for wanting to leave his grandma. She had been nothing, but kind to him, yet here he was wanting to leave her in this run-down, pathetic, little beach house. He gave a small sigh.
"Grandma," he started about to apologize for being rude, when she burst into tears, "Grandma, please don't cry. I'm sorry for being rude. I never should have snapped at you. You didn't deserve it. I'm sorry. I'll do better at work. I'll get more money, and we'll get a nicer place. Together."
But she shook her head and gently pushed him away, "No, Avron, that's not why I'm crying."
Avron stood bent over her, "What do you mean? What's wrong? I'll fix it." All he wanted was for her to stop crying, and for this hurt in his heart to leave.
"I'm sorry, Avron. I'm the one. It's my fault."
"What? Grandma, nothing's your fault."
She nodded and her sobs getting louder, "You don't deserve any of this. You don't deserve to eat stale pieces of bread or to work every day in the sun for a few measly coins. I'm sorry, Avron. I wish I could have given you better. You should be able to have fun. You don't deserve to have this responsibility." She sniffled and wiped away the rest of her tears.
"Hey, it's okay." Avron said, giving her a smile, "I'm fine. We'll be fine. It's okay. Trust me, Grandma, I'm fine working."
She placed a wrinkled hand on his cheek, "You are a good grandson." she said, tears still in her eyes.
That night everything was not fine. Avron lay awake in his bed the sun still in his eyes, the curtains not helping any. He sighed and wished the guilt would go away. A constant ache and pain in his heart, and no matter what he did, it would not go away. Everything in him said he should be grateful to his grandmother. He should be thanking her.
But here he was struggling to sleep all because of some thought he had at work. He turned over knowing it wasn't just that one thought at work. It happened every day. Every time he saw her, he just wanted to leave. Find a better place, find a nicer life. And he felt so guitly thinking, knowing that if his grandma were to die, it wouldn't make much of a difference.
Avron took a deep breath and steadied his heart. He was going to prove himself wrong. He would do something. He would do something for his grandma and prove to himself, to his guitly conscience that he loved her. He truly did. But what could he do? All he could do was pump a water pump.
Everything he thought of would take years to do. He couldn't work harder. He was already working as many hours of the day as he could. Granted he could work more, but that would kill him. And no other place would higher a boy like him. Poor and wearing shirts that were a little too small for him.
He turned over onto his side, and glared at the wall. Behind it was his grandma's room, where he heard her mumbling in her sleep. He groaned and rolled over again, trying to get some sleep before he went to work, all the while trying to figure out, what he could possibly do to give himself and his grandma a better life.