If there was ever a moment I could live forever in, it would be now.

Her curious mind wandered within a serene state of mind she had never before experienced, bringing her back to what felt like an entirely other life.

A rusty metal floor as freezing as the mists’ touch; it was all she knew in a city as forgetful as those drunk in a bar. With a single window that showcased a pitiful alleyway, one would wonder why even bother building a window there in the first place. The inside décor held only the absolute necessity: sleeping rugs, a chair and a table, and a firepit with a cooking pot hovering over.

A method to cook, a way to maintain warmth, and a sliver of comfort for sleep: that’s all she had to worry about.

“Traz, could you start on preparing the leftover food before your brother gets back from work?”

A young, albeit worn out woman called out to Traz as she watched over two identical kids only a few years younger than Traz in the midst of a game of chase all while breastfeeding a baby.

“Yes, mom!” She nodded without hesitation, springing upward in her apron sewn from scraps of cloth. “And if Taisa or Taila give you too much trouble, I’ll be sure to tell my brother on them!”

The twins, distracted upon what Traz mentioned, collided into one another, and each gave a worried glance in unison.

“Traz…”

“Meanie!”

Traz took a firm step forward, causing the two to shriek in slight fear.

“Mom has to take care of Tetz, and it would be much easier to do without the noise you two create. You wouldn’t want big brother Teryl to find out, would you?”

The two immediately ceded to Traz by bowing their heads.

“N-no ma’am…”

“Anything but that!”

Traz smirked in satisfaction, finally putting some sort of leash on the boys until their bigger brother returned. She returned to her pot of stew, and began stirring once more. Survival with nothing was impossible, but with family, even the stones of probability can be positively manipulated.

The days were fierce. Times when food was scarce were especially toughest, where even miscellaneous thinking became difficult without any thoughts of hunger.

But her elder brother always returned after a few days after work, and even brought some leftover kill found on the job to bring back for the family.

“I’m back.” A voice cracked from the entrance, followed by the door slamming. “Brought ‘er a couple baggins’, too!”

“Teryl!” The younger twins Taisa and Talia cheerfully exclaimed.

Traz stirred her pot of stew, keeping her gaze of excitement to herself. Boiled water and spoiled potatoes could use an added flavor, so the yields of Teryl excited Traz greatly.

“Dear,” their mother called out, which was often referred only to Teryl. “I'm starting to worry about your trips.”

“Momma!” Teryl let out an exasperated, yet strong cry. “I've been through this again and again with you, every bit of the trouble is necessary. All for the sake of the family! For the sake of you!”

Mother retreated from her pressure, but remained with a worried expression. “I know, I know. But still, it pains me to know my baby is doing so much at a young age.”

“Hey momma!” Teryl readjusted his hat before he raised his fist with a bag clenched under his grip, revealing an assortment of dead spring worms and ravagers. “Betcha Traz there ought to wrap up somethin’ tasty for the lot of us!”

“I’ll try!” Traz exclaimed with a shining smile.

The days when Teryl returned were always the best. Sure, a resupply of food was always good. But what Traz valued most was the quality time she could spend with her family. The smiles, the laughter; all of what really embodied the ideal happiness for her.

If possible, she would have severed any other dreams to remain in that euphoric place. To wisp away probabilities of any other reality, she couldn’t care if they were worse or better in other lives. Because she was content with the world she had now.

“Traz, my time to take leave is comin’ real quick.” Teryl said, packing up supplies and rations while Traz was in preparation of starting dinner like any other time. “But Teryl here knows best what little ole Traz can do for this family. That may be why you deserve a knockin’ gift for your birthday comin’ up!”

“My birthday…” She thought back, trying to remember what that meant. “What is that again?”

“Aw don’t tell me…! The day you came from momma! You’re gonna get a few gifts from me because of it! ”

“From mom? That just sounds like any other day to me. And we shouldn’t waste any unnecessary things for such a silly day.”

“Another day my ass! It’ll be your day! YOUR day, ya hear?! We may all have the same color of hair, but it still is YOUR day! Imma’ find you a gift no matter what Traz, ‘cause that’s what you deserve for bein’ with us for 7 years now.”

“Teryl, I…” Traz couldn’t resist the heat flushing her cheeks. With no victory in sight, she gave into her brother. “Fine, but you can get me anything and I’ll be fine with it, so don’t go out of your way.”

“Are you’ kiddin’?! I’ll go through a nest of cave crawlers to get ya something fancy, so you better get ready!”

“Teryl!! You better not!”

Traz raised her cooking spoon with her shout. Teryl took a quick few steps back as he grinned, before turning around and running out the door, where Traz could see him escape from the window watching the alley. She chased him, but only to the front door, and watched as he left.

But before he disappeared among the shadows, he turned to face her, and shouted “Tell mom an Taisa an Taila an Tetz I’ll be back real soon!”

“Kay!” She returned the batter.

Teryl sprinted into the upper town, eager to leave their poor town immediately, and disappeared.

Traz may have endured the town's quality in return of being around those she loved, but for him, his mother or siblings weren’t enough.

He wanted more.

More than just loafing around the house, or being used as an aid for his family whenever needed.

—He wanted action, craving the thrill of his life being put to the test. That’s why when he found opportunities of hunting overpopulated creatures, such as spring worms, and when they started over-populating nearby the town, he jumped on the first second of opportunity. Getting time away from the trapping home environment, along with getting paid, proved the job to be a savior.

Traz always knew her older brother hated this town, but to risk his life for escape, she never understood his values, or what Teryl really strived for in life. But she kept her mouth shut, and followed in supporting her family every way she could.

Traz’s birthday arrived, or she figured it did by the way everyone around her was acting.

Mother helped her for the special occasion by stirring up a special stew. It meant the world to Traz, being she always handled cooking alone, even if the stew’s only difference was additional stirring.

“Momma, do you suppose Terly will be back in time for dinner?”

Traz began humming to herself as she swished the wooden spoon around the giant pot.

“Something like that.” Mother replied as she cut the meat of Spring worms they had saved just for this day.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Hmm, I wonder if he got me anything from the caves? Like maybe a pretty gem, or cool treasure, or…!” Traz couldn’t help but let her mind wander from possible gifts.

“All he’ll find are bugs and worms. Best you could get for monetary value are the eyes of Spring worms.”

“Mom!” Traz cried out with a frown. “I don’t care if he brings me back the entire bug. As long as it’s something, I’ll cherish it.”

Traz smiled, humming to herself with blind joy.

“Well, I really doubt you’d be too happy with worm guts.”

“Momma!” Traz pouted, crossing her arms towards her mother's expressionless gaze. “The present doesn’t matter to me in the slightest. Just knowing he got me anything makes me happy!”

Traz smiled, turning back to her pot of stew. She focused on her meal, oblivious to the frown of disgust forming on her mother's face.

As they remained in silence for a few moments, a knock on the door broke their concentration.

“Teryl’s back!” Traz grew excited; so much so she couldn’t help but rush across the house to get the door.

“Traz, you mustn't run indoors!” Mother shouted from behind, but she ignored her, and opened the door wide open to greet her brother with open arms.

“Welcome home bro—“

“—Excuse me…”

Instead, standing before the door, was an older man with a worn coat and torn top hat. His face bore the similar empty expression all adults seemed to wear..

His eyes fell on Traz’s, and there she noticed he even had the same look in mothers eyes.

“…but is this the family home of Teryl?”

The girl, who knew nothing, tilted her head. From behind, she recognized a thump of wood hitting the ground, in which it sounded vaguely as that of a wooden spoon.

“No…nononononononono—“ Mother fell to her knees with her mouth agape. Traz couldn’t grasp what was happening, so she asked:

“This is. Did...is he in trouble?”

She pressed her own wooden spoon against her body, which in its own length nearly a quarter as long as her. An anxiety welled from inside, and continued to as her mother's cries only grew louder.

“No.” The man coarsely said, and shifted his sights toward mother. “I am here today to report that your son Teryl has been found and notified as deceased.”

Traz watched as words she didn’t understand came from the man's tongue. She held her spoon as if it relieved her. Relieved from her mother's wailing.

“It can’t be—it can’t be—it isn’t!!! My son!! My son!! My…”

Mother screamed.

She screamed with a pitch she never knew could reach such heights. She wanted to clutch her ears hearing her mother cry, and escape the welling pain from watching the tears flow from her cheek.

“Momma…?” Traz reached for her hand, wanting to comfort mother in any way she could.

“—NO!!” She screamed, swinging her hand sporadically in the air, hitting Traz with impact against her palm. “Lying! You’re lying to me!! Teryl’s coming back! As his mother, I know he’s coming back!!”

Ma’am, I’m sorry, but what I bring is the truth.” he said, backing away from the door in a sly manner. “Take a moment of time to handle grief, but stay strong for your children.”

Traz gazed back and forth, from the man, then back to mother. She did so repeatedly until her eyes grew dizzy. Mother slouched in a corner as she wept, while the man seemed nearly restless to leave.

“I’ll be taking my leave.” He announced, and fixed his hat before shutting the door. The wood hitting against its encasing frame vibrated across the cheap house.

Then, silence was all that was left. It crushed Traz’s heart with anxiety, knowing her mother couldn’t be comforted by her, even so much as hitting her away.

“Mamma…?”

“What’s wrong mama…?”

The twins sheepishly leaned leaning against one another while rubbing their eyes.

“Did something happen?”

“When’s Teryl coming home?”

Hearing that name, a final fuse went loose inside, and Traz watched as her mother’s last flicker of light extinguished in her eyes. She lifted her head up along her shoulder, and her eyes were filled with hatred as she stared into Taila.

“What’d you say? Taila, you should know when to keep your mouth shut and know when to speak.” Mother sternly growled. Traz felt something was wrong, but it seemed like she was the only one to notice.

“But mama! I just wanna know when Teryl—!!”

In an instant, mother leaped on Taila, pinning her down to the ground. She had Taila’s mouth tightly cupped over her hand, and pinned her right leg against Taila’s body with immense pressure. A ferocious look of anger was present, and she screamed with seething hatred pouring out with anger.

“—Listen you little shit; know when to speak, and when to shut the fuck up!!”

Mother pushed harder and harder against Taila. She held nothing back, using even her weight, as an outlet for the loss of her son Teryl.

“M-mama!” Taisa cried, running up to mother. She pounded her little hands against mothers side, but her frail body could hardly do a thing. “Please momma, let go of Taila! She doesn’t deserve a punishment! This ain’t fair!”

Traz soon followed by trying to push mother off. But all she did was piss her off even more.

“Fair?! We talking ‘bout fairness now?! My only baby boy didn’t need to be taken away this soon! How the hell is that any fair?!?!” Tears swelled around mothers cheeks. She fell along side Taila, who showed no signs of moving. “Fine. I’ll be back later, and show the lot of you how fair life can be.”

Mother sluggishly picked herself up, and measly left without saying another word. Traz looked at her younger sister, Taila, who still had not made any movements since mother left, and then towards Taisa, who stared at her twin sister with an empty gaze, repeating “c’mon Taila, wake up already. Just hurry up and wake up…”

Hours later, Taila still had not moved. Traz wondered what she could do for him, but before then another problem arose: Tetz. The youngest of the family being a young year old, cried from her nap.

The remaining two children looked at each other, where Traz figured she would have to take care of Tatz for the time being. At least until mother returned.

“I can do this...at least for a while.” Traz awkwardly muttered, holding her baby brother Tetz, who had been non-stop crying ever since. “I just have to wait it out, until...until mother comes back.”

A day passed, and there was still no sign of her. Traz continued to watch her pot of stew while keeping watch of Tetz. Taila still had yet to move, while Taisa endlessly loomed over her. A foul stench had begun emerging from him, but all they could do was ignore it until he woke up.

Traz checked her compartments for anything to use in her stew, and saw they were nearly all out.

At this rate, they wouldn’t have enough for a meal the day after tomorrow, and would need to find something else. That, or unless Teryl finally arrived. Traz wondered when her brother would arrive, even eagerly sitting next to the door with Tetz asleep in her arms, for the time their big brother would arrive.

—However long it took, they would wait patiently by the door.

Or they would have, if mother had never returned with guests.

It was the second day, just after dinner. Though, it was pretty much just Traz who mostly ate. She spoon fed Tetz of course, but Taisa insisted she keep watch over Taila, which made both not eat. Traz was just in the process of preserving their food when the door flew open with a sudden force. There, shrouded by people covered in garbs and masks, stood their mother, pointing directly at her children.

She raised her voice with a raspy sprain, and a sinister expression. “Have them. Take ‘em. Do whatever the hell you want with them! I lost my only son, the rest can go to the above for all I care. Just take them out of my sight.”

“Momma!” Traz happily exclaimed, running towards mother with Tetz in her arms. “I’m so happy you finally made it back! Did you get any news of Teryl? When’s he coming back?”

Mother’s previously joyous smile faded, and instead morphed into a hateful gaze.

“Why you little bitch.”

She raised her arm, and slapped Traz across the face, nearly causing her to drop Tetz. She then pointed at Traz, as she said:

“Get that one first,”

And not a moment later, two bodies of mass sprinted, tackling Traz with the baby still held tightly. Tetz started crying in a horrific way Traz had never known existed, to the point where she couldn’t take the sound and covered her ears. The men toppled above her were way too heavy for her to even struggle, and her arms were tightly gripped.

“Holy...this one seems to be decent. Really decent! How much do you think this’ll sell for?” A woman spoke in such a speedy manner, Traz was hardly able to keep up.

“A good scrounge I reckon. Let’s see if we can get a high price at the auction with this one, and just quickly exchange the others at a market. My guts telling me this girl would sell for exotic prices.”

“Well we ought to bring her. Hurry hurry! I can see us getting off well from this one, so hurry and let's take her.”

With her arms now tied, Traz was dragged across her own home floor, crying from the unknown pain and fear of what was happening. She looked to her mother, who stared back with dead eyes, and cried out to her. “Mom! Mom! I’m scared; where am I going? I want you mom, I want you!”

Traz squirmed and wriggled with shaking force, enough to where even her captors lost grip of her.

“Dammit, girl!” They yelled as they reached out.

“Mom!” Traz started moving towards mother, crying out in hopes she would help, but a cold hand grabbed the collar of her shirt, and pulled back. The pressure on her throat caused her to choke.

“Trash…” Mother silently muttered with an unchanged expression. “All of you were just trash.”

Traz cried and screamed, terrified of where the scary captors were taking her. She was dragged, pulled onto the tough rocky floor from out her house, and thrown into a splintered wagon with walls barring her from escape. Through tiny crevices, she peered onto her family's stead, and saw her mother looking back. She said, or did, nothing, and merely watched with empty interest as the wagon started up.

“Mom! Mom!”

Traz continued calling. But, mother turned her focus away, and along went in with other captors. She saw her sister Taila taken away, as well as her baby brother Tetz. She saw nothing of Taisa, but probably because she lost sight of her home after turning a corner. She lost her sight of home from there on, she closed off her mind from the world for a while, and instead focused on the cold splintery cage that was set to be her new home for a long while.

Eventually, she was sold to a group of people under an older woman’s rule who seemed enthusiastic to have her. There, she traveled with them in a new cage, going wherever they went, endlessly bored of taking out pieces of wood sticking from her body.

However, she would keenly listen in, observing into her new captors conversations. She grasped onto new concepts of words, and tried making sense of them all. She listened, observed, and learned the majority of everything she knew from the captors, of whom she knew by the people.

That was her life for a long while until Mr. Rye came and broke her free, allowing her to freely explore the world with him. Sure, there were a lot of scary things; but even so, something about the unknown absolutely thrilled Traz, and she made it her goal to become knowledgeable of everything she failed to understand.