Chapter One

Time is of the essence. In small moments it seems as though it never ends, minutes turning into hours, hours into days. But in much larger, crucial events, one can’t seem to catch the seconds before they slip away, sliding through their fingers like grains of sand bound to be swept away by the impending winds.

David sat on the thin grass just beyond the porch, staring down at the bustling town below the hill. His hand was wet with moisture from the untouched glass of iced tea he held, the hot sun beating down on the breezy summer day. He swallowed hard as he watched a group young boys play with a worn out ball, barely avoiding hitting other townspeople as they walked by. While is gaze fell heavy on the ball in motion, his eyes were glossy and unfocused, his mind wandering about other things. Slowly he stood up, seemingly unaware that the glass he held was tipping over, the light brown liquid dripping onto the grass.

His house was small but quaint, the light red walls making it appear larger than it actually was. When he walked in, the first thing he noticed was Ana, sitting in the corner by a window. She was curled up with a book in her lap, her head resting against the wall.

“Why don’t you bring a chair over? The floor can’t be comfortable.”

She looked up from the book. “I enjoy feeling closer to the ground. It gets me in a better headspace for reading.”

“Alright.” David sat down next to her, resting his head on her shoulder. He sighed loudly. “I will find a job Ana, I promise.”

Ana sighed, but didn’t look away from her book. “That is what you said yesterday and the day before and the day before that. Yet every time, you come home with nothing but excuses and more bills to pay.”

David looked up and her, his eyebrows furrowed close together. “I will get a job. I couldn’t find any openings this week, it’s not my fault the town doesn’t haven’t anything.”

“How easily lies spill from your mouth. Just yesterday, John Walker asked me why you turned down his offer to be his trainee. He was paying good money!” Ana suddenly jerked away from David, turning her body closer to the window.

“Well I’m sorry I don’t want to be another man’s slave! I have my own aspirations Ana, goals for a real job. Not labouring all day to get paid minimum wage.”

Ana clapped her book shut and stood up. “Tomorrow you will go to town get a job. I am not going to work my butt off all day for you to sit around and do nothing with your life!” She began to stomp away, her cream dress folding around her legs. Swiftly turning around, she barked “And don’t come home until you find one.”

David sat on the ground, pale faced and shrunken. Beside him, his ice tea dribbled over the top of its glass, the many ice cubes having melted in the sun.