Snippet #1232394

Erin ducked out of the brothel quickly, she pulled her slightly frayed shawl around her to protect her from the wind that seemed to always whip through the streets. She stood beside the road, and glanced over her shoulder at the building; it was stately and imposing. As if belying it's shameful interior, filled with luxuries for your enjoyment. Erin knew from experience that each little luxury pulled you further down the path to hell.

Realizing she had tarried outside the building longer than she had intended. However she was unable to resist looking back to the building, it's siren call filling her ears, calling her home. She shivered violently, not from the winds, but from the urge to run back to the warmth of the brothel. Shaking her head as if to clear her mind of errant thoughts she headed through alleys and side lanes till she reached a main road.

She straightened her posture slightly as she stepped out onto the wider cleaner cobbled street, she glanced sideways seeing the grand ladies and gents, she couldn't help but laugh lightly at the baby squirming in the elegant pram. She reached up adjusting her bonnet slightly, she tucked a wayward strand of flaming hair behind her ear and made her way to the mercantile.

Inside the store she gathered the few meager items she'd wanted; looking at her list to double check she spoke quietly to herself. "Thread, needles, new thimble..." and pausing before she read the last one "A Bible.." She nodded with self satisfaction and made her way to the counter. Seeing a portly man with a balding head, round glasses, and the most sour look on her face; she cringed internally.

"Hello sir, I'd like to purchase these here items if ye would kindly ring me up." She said with a fake smile, however to the unknowing eye it would appear flirty, confident and downright attractive.

The proprietor was however not at all interested in this slip of a girl, "Do you have the money on you? Or do you want to start a tab?" he responded gruffly his tone one of irritation. One must forgive him as he did suffer from poor digestion.

Erin tried again to be friendly "Tab.. for now.. I'll get paid end of the week." she murmured her body stiffening as she felt the upcoming 'doom'.

"End of the week?" the man's voice was an outright sneer now. "I knew yer type... a whore aren't yah..." all of a sudden the posh exterior falling away "And an immigrant no doubt!" his voice cracked with disgust and rage.

She sighed trying her best to control her temper "Will ye sell me the damn items or not?" she spoke coolly her eyes flashing with fury. "I am from Ireland yes, but I'm only here because yer damn country taxed us dry... taking every thing we had to feed yerselves and make yerself richer." she never shouted, she never raised her voice, she simply spoke.

The man stomped from behind the counter and grabbed the items from her hands, he threw them at the counter and moved to open the door "Get out of here you blasphemous whore!" he shouted. At his words the people in the street turned to look at the woman being ejected so rudely from the store.

She sighed and began the arduous task of finding a store clerk who didn't know who and what she was.