SO sorry for not posting this yesterday. I said I would but I didn't. There is no excuse for that so all I will say is sorry.
October 5, 1000
Los was a head taller than anyone else in the cave. His voice echoed throughout whenever he spoke all could hear him.
"This woman, she is the only one of you lazies that does anything worthwhile! I come and all the work stops. No work, no food. She will be the only one to get food today. The rest of you will get food in the morning if I see some work going on."
He leaped off the barrel he had been sitting on to stand beside the girl. Jia.
Beside her stood Ami and Lich.
"Am I really a.. a hard worker?"
she asked. Her eyelids fluttered as she twisted a corner of her apron in one hand.
"Of course, I was ashamed of them on my return. You though, you kept on as if this day was like any other."
Jia smiled. An emotion she couldn't name welled up inside until it couldn't be held inside. It burst out in the form of tears.
"Crying? What's the matter?"
he asked.
Jia shook her head. Los was seeing her cry! Anything but this, anything. She clasped Lich's hand in hers.
"Am I useful?"
she asked. Los grinned then nodded. He patted her on the back making a tsk sound in his throat.
"You're an amazing girl. Not once have you complained about things or refused to work as some do. You're parents would be proud of you."
Jia glanced up from under her bedewed lashes. Proud. Yes, they would be.
"Thank you,"
she whispered.
Los handed her food wrapped in cloth. She made her way to her part of the cave. Isy sat on a straw bed waiting for her.
"Well, what did he say?"
she whispered to ensure the cave did not echo her words.
"He said my parents would be proud."
Isy grinned. Her eyes crinkled in the corners.
"I could have told you that. You've been working for God right?"
Jia nodded and pulled Ami into her lap handing her a chunk of bread loaf.
"Yes, that's true."
Isy leaned back against the cave wall.
"Well? Don't you think God is proud of you too?"
Jia blushed. Her entire face, even her ears, felt hot.
"Him being proud is so much more... it means more, doesn't it?"
Isy asked.
Jia leaned over and grasped Isy's hand.
"Right. And I will keep on doing things as I have done. It's just nice for a human to notice my work as well."
Isy shook her head, a frown appearing on her lips.
"God's approval means so much more than human. Isn't it said that if you reap the reward on earth it won't be given again in heave?"
she asked.
Jia nodded.
"We can't be hung up on praise and rewards here, on earth. If you do you're sure to get burned at one time or another."
She twiddled a loose strand of hair between her index and thumb.
"Now, let's eat! We've had nothing but moldy bread for two days."
Jia shared her bread. Inward her heart thumped over the reminder Isy had given. She was right, of course, one couldn't live for human praise alone. There was so much more to life and the world. If only she could step outside into the fresh air and blue skies. Then the day would be perfect, a gift from God as it were.
She bit into the bread. It tasted, oh so good! It was fresh, not warm but made that same day.
"I wonder who made all this bread?"
Isy asked. Jia shrugged, mouth full.
"Can you see it? Men standing around the campfires or ovens all discussing just how their wives used to do it and how they can copy it? See them burning it to a crisp before finally,
finally, getting it right? All the while Los looks on laughing at their vain attempts."
Jia giggled around her bread. IN her mind she
could see it all. The men huddled all trying to piece together how to bake bread.
It was good to laugh. How little she had done it since arriving at the cave! Laughter- nature's medicine to those who are losing heart and hope.
