MOON GAZE

LAURA

She had been living with the old lady for over a week now. Laura had never dreamt of ever being at peace in her life as she felt while in the elder ladies' home.

The shabby looking house which Laura had always thought the house was, had suddenly become her safe haven and comfort.

There are just so many things that she has wished to learn ever since she came out.

Laura realised that the old lady was good at knitting sweaters and cardigans. Whenever she goes to town, she sells off the knitted cardigan and she would in turn use the money to get what she would need to carry on.

So far Laura'hadn't been doing anything to help the old lady.

"Mrs Rosie, may I have a word with you please?"

Laura asked as she walked over to where the old lady sat on the verandah outside the house. She was working knitting her sweater so she didn't take a glance at Laura when she answered her.

"I uhm, I would like to help you out by getting myself a job." The lady took a quick glance at her in surprise, but continued with what she was doing.

"Mrs Rosie, can you hear me?"

"I'm not deaf. "

Damn! She shouldn't have asked her. There was no doubt that the lady had got an attitude, but then, the lady was the kindest she had met so far.

Just then, she stopped her knitting and focused her attention on Laura.

"You said you wanted to work?"

"Yes, ma'am, I really wish to do something g to help with the expenses."

"Okay, sp what skills do you have?"

"Skills?"

"Yes, skills for you to be able to help, my dear, you need to be good at something, which is why I'm asking you what you are good at.

Laura was totally confused. She had never thought about what she knew how to do, because honestly she had no idea what she had to do.

She wondered how Mrs Rosie would feel if she were to tell her she had no skills. She had spent her life living as a princess, and hence she had no idea what she really knew how to do.

"Well, I..."

"Admit it, you don't have any skills. And honestly, I don't see you as anyone with skills. Your hands are not the hands of a serving girl. You probably haven't touched a thing in your life," Mrs Rose mentioned with pure disinterest.

"I.. I can learn, I mean there should be something out there that I can do."

Rose breathed a deep sigh.

"Course, there are a lot of things you could do even without skills, but it wouldn't be a beautiful kinda job."

"I don't really care about the kind of job I do, so long as I can do something worthwhile, then I am good to go."

"Interesting. I love that, you have guts! But I still have to warn you, little Laura, the world out there is very messy and cruel, and if you aren't careful , you might end up dead. Take that from me."

Laura was quite taken aback at how Mrs Rosie kept talking about how fragile she was and how she didn't know about the world. She sometimes wondered if the old lady knew her identity. This was due to the fact that she had never told the old lady concerning what happened that day, or who she really was.

But then the old lady kept throwing emphasis on the fact that she did not know much about the world she lived in.

"Trust me, Mrs Rosie, I might know more than you think. I know how cruel the world can be, most especially how one can get betrayed by those closest to them.

"That's great then. It's good you know about these things, so you won't be killed out there by a moment of kindness shown by the evil one."

" Thank you Mrs Rosie. I have no idea where I would have been by now, if you hadn't spoken to me, and to come with you."

"Well, I did what I thought was right, and nothing more. If you really wish to get a job, then you will have to go search for it on your own, because I have no idea where or who can get you a job.

"I understand Mrs Rosie, that won't be a problem for me, trust me."

"Very good," Mrs Rosie stood up from the chair where she was knitting the wool.

"I'm going off to bed now. You should probably get some rest too."

"I will, Mrs Rosie. Goodnight,' Laura made her way to the couch where she saw and thought of how she was to go about her job hunting the next day.

Laura closed her eyes. She would soon be able to get a job at no later time, and the bottom line was that if she was to truly live as an adult, then she would have to find a job that suits her.

She can't say a job that suits her, when she has no idea if she suits any kind of job.

She just hoped the rejection wouldn't be much.

Though she hadn't left in search for a job yet, she could already tell that it wouldn't be an easy journey for her to search for a job that might suit her as she was thinking.

Laura gazed at the sky, but it wasn't a full moon yet. She thought it was a full moon so she could gaze at the moon for a while before heading to bed.

She remembered how she used to gaze at the moon through her window back then in the palace. But too bad, that isn't possible now. She was no longer the little fire who waits for every full moon so she could gaze at the moon.

Some nights, she moon-gazed with her best friend Erica. In the garden in the Palace.

Thinking about Erica and her brother brought tears to her face. She wondered what might have happened to them. She must hope that they were safe wherever they were. She really hoped that they would be okay.

She wouldn't forgive herself if something bad was to happen to them. It would be all her fat if really something bad was to happen to them. Laura closed her eyes and prayed silently to the moon goddess to keep her friends safe.