Chapter 2 Pain

Skylar's mother sighed as she stood in front of the house, it is just another day of wasted effort, she couldn't even get a job not to talk of making up to a dollar. It is a small island with a low population of people, getting a job isn't easy and besides, no one will be ready to offer her a job. She looks so old and dirty, she sighed in tears as she wondered what she was going to give Skylar for dinner, she wiped her tears and took in a deep breath before walking in. She got in and met Skylar in the living room playing with her dog and she hurriedly closed the door because of the lights.

"Mum." Skylar called happily and hugged her immediately. "Hey Skylar, how are you?" She asked trying her best to sound cheerful. "Am fine mum, you must be so tired." Skylar said and pulled her mother to sit on their only couch. "So mum, how did it go? Did you get a job? Were you able to make some money?" She asked with a smile and her mother smiled back but the smile couldn't last as tears begin to cloud her eyes. "Mum." She whispered and hugged her mother immediately as a tear rolled down. "Am sorry, am so sorry, I couldn't get a job, I don't have anything to offer to you for dinner, am really sorry." She cries and Skylar smiled, she creased her mother's hair and whispered soothing words into her ear. "It's okay mum, you don't have to cry about it, this isn't the first time we are not having dinner, right Buster?" She asked and Buster barked in response, her mother laughed and pulled away from the hug. She sighed and Skylar wiped her tears smiling happily. "Oh Skylar, am so sorry I am failing you, you deserve better than all this." She said and Skylar frowned. "Don't say that mum, I am the one supposed to be apologizing for failing you and telling you that you deserve better than all this, am twenty and I am as useless as a five-year-old." She said and giggled, her mother smiled and shook her head. "You just love smiling, don't you? Have positive energy at all times?" Her mother asked and she chuckled. "Just like I always say mother, if you take life so simple, everything will be fine." She said and her mother nodded. "Yeah, I guess so." Her mother replied and she nodded. "I have to go to sleep now, I am so exhausted." Her mother said and Skylar nodded, her mother stood up and walked to her room. She sat in the small living room for a while waiting for it to be finally evening. "Let's go to my room, Buster." Skylar said after a while and he followed her immediately as she headed into the room. They got to the room and she glanced at the time, it was almost 7 p.m and she smiled. She turned a distance away from the window and watched the sunset, she smiled happily and turned back to the clock. She confirmed it was 7 p.m already and she giggled. "Come on Buster." She called happily and opened her window, she jumped out with her dog and giggled. Buster ran ahead of her and headed into the woods but she ran after it and stopped it. "No Buster, we are not going into the woods today, we are going to look for food." She said and he barked in response. She smiled and turned towards the street, she started walking and kept looking around. Buster suddenly barked and she turned to him. "I know right? This is all different, I haven't been here before." She exclaimed looking at the buildings. She saw people all around as they moved and she tried to avoid contact with them "Buster, do you also think all these people are scared of light?" She asked him and he barked. "Yeah, I thought so too." She replied and smiled. "You are talking to a dog." A voice suddenly said and Skylar turned back to see a little boy, he should be eight years old and he was standing with a woman which will be his mother. "Yes, his name is Buster." She said with a smile and bent to his level. "Does he understand what you are saying?" The little boy asked and she nodded. "Yes, he is my best friend." She said and Buster barked. "Mummy, I want to have a Buster." The little boy said and his mother smiled. Skylar saw a bag with the woman and she sighed before standing back. "Hmm, ma'am, I was wondering if you have any food in that bag that you could give me and my dog, we don't have anything to eat this night." Skylar said. "Give them mummy, I don't want Buster to be hungry." The boy said happily pulling his mother's shirt and she smiled. "It's okay dear." The woman replied and gave Skylar out of her groceries, Skylar gasped and smiled happily. "Oh my God, thank you so so much. Let's go, Buster, mum is going to be so happy." She yelled attracting attention as she ran back home with her dog. She got home and got in through her window, she walked out of her room and placed the groceries on the table. "Mum." She yelled happily and her mother walked out of the room looking tired. "What Skylar? Do you need something?" "Mum, I got groceries." She said and her mother's eyes snapped open immediately. "What? Where did you get that?" "From a lady outside." "What? Did you go outside? There are still lights in buildings and you also went around begging?" "I go out every night." "What?" "But mum there are no lights at night." "Oh really? What if someone flashes a flashlight at you?" "Oh, I did not think of that." She muttered and scratched her hair. "And why were you begging? This is not the first time we are sleeping without dinner just like you said." "Am sorry mum, I was just so worried. You looked so tired and I felt bad I couldn't do anything." "It's fine Skylar, I will prepare something with this." She said and Skylar smiled happily. "And don't go outside again, even at night, it is dangerous." "Okay, mum." She lied and Buster barked at her. "Shut up Buster." She whispered and laughed.