Winter 61, 518AV
It was hard to tell the time of day from inside their cave home. The light from outside only barely penetrated the entryway of the hole. Thankfully Adriana's natural clock was well trained and adjusted to the days workings. Her eyes squinted open and the darkness enveloped her. She looked towards the general direction of the entryway, searching for the dim light of the morning forcing its way through the dirt and darkness. After a moment it reached her eyes, a grey haze, just light enough to contrast against the dark dirt around her. It was very early morning, then. The sun's few rays bursting through the heavy fog created by the cold mornings near the rivers.
Her eyes slowly adjusted. The room was dark, but she saw the matches stored near the light, easy to find. She crawled over, careful not to disturb her brother who was still sleeping soundly beside her. Pulling a match, she struck it and a flame appeared and danced on the rough tip, slowly eating the ground that held it up. She opened the oil lamp beside her and dipped the match inside. Instantly flame engulfed the oil dampened wick. Light filled the room and she squinted her weak eyes against it.
Bae stirred in his sleep, the light assaulting his closed eyes, but he did not awaken. She would let him sleep as long as he wished. The boys dreams were better than his life.
She looked around the 'home'. The dirt hole was nothing to brag about. A few cloths lay about the floor, serving as sleeping places. A random piece of flat wood sat on the ground, acting as a table to set their foods so it would not get covered in dirt. They kept no food in the hole, not that they had any to spare, so they would not attract unwanted visitors. But other than the lamp by her side, and her satchel near her bed, the hole was bare.
She crawled over to her satchel. She slept fully clothed, the underground got cold at night. They had one blanket, and while on the colder nights Adriana tried to share it with her brother, most nights she let him have it to himself. So instead she slept almost fully clothed, in her dirty and torn sackcloth items.
She would need to start early, go out within the city to try and find some food. She pulled on her shoes and stripped off her shirt, careful not to rip it more. She grabbed her long strip of linen from where it rested in her satchel. Quickly finding the end she held it against the side of her bare rib cage, and with her other hand she began wrapping it tightly around her chest. Her breasts, which as a seventeen year old female, malnourished or not were developed and noticeable if concealed under just only her ragged shirt. So, in order to keep her disguise, she wrapped them, tightly and flat, so she could better pass a young boy, an interest to no one.
She ran a hand through her hair.It was brown and greasy, thick with dirt and grime, but short. Bangs swept her forehead, tickling her lashes. Her hand went through this longer hair and back to the nape of her neck where the hair was ragged and short, cut with a chipped knife. All a part of her attempt to fly below the radar.
She sighed, tucking the end of the strip of linen into the folds, holding it in place for the day. After a while it would become uncomfortable, possibly itchy. But it was necessary. Bae stirred once more, and she brushed a hand across his hair. She would be gone when he awoke, but he knew where she was at, and he knew not to leave the hole.
Her eyes slowly adjusted. The room was dark, but she saw the matches stored near the light, easy to find. She crawled over, careful not to disturb her brother who was still sleeping soundly beside her. Pulling a match, she struck it and a flame appeared and danced on the rough tip, slowly eating the ground that held it up. She opened the oil lamp beside her and dipped the match inside. Instantly flame engulfed the oil dampened wick. Light filled the room and she squinted her weak eyes against it.
Bae stirred in his sleep, the light assaulting his closed eyes, but he did not awaken. She would let him sleep as long as he wished. The boys dreams were better than his life.
She looked around the 'home'. The dirt hole was nothing to brag about. A few cloths lay about the floor, serving as sleeping places. A random piece of flat wood sat on the ground, acting as a table to set their foods so it would not get covered in dirt. They kept no food in the hole, not that they had any to spare, so they would not attract unwanted visitors. But other than the lamp by her side, and her satchel near her bed, the hole was bare.
She crawled over to her satchel. She slept fully clothed, the underground got cold at night. They had one blanket, and while on the colder nights Adriana tried to share it with her brother, most nights she let him have it to himself. So instead she slept almost fully clothed, in her dirty and torn sackcloth items.
She would need to start early, go out within the city to try and find some food. She pulled on her shoes and stripped off her shirt, careful not to rip it more. She grabbed her long strip of linen from where it rested in her satchel. Quickly finding the end she held it against the side of her bare rib cage, and with her other hand she began wrapping it tightly around her chest. Her breasts, which as a seventeen year old female, malnourished or not were developed and noticeable if concealed under just only her ragged shirt. So, in order to keep her disguise, she wrapped them, tightly and flat, so she could better pass a young boy, an interest to no one.
She ran a hand through her hair.It was brown and greasy, thick with dirt and grime, but short. Bangs swept her forehead, tickling her lashes. Her hand went through this longer hair and back to the nape of her neck where the hair was ragged and short, cut with a chipped knife. All a part of her attempt to fly below the radar.
She sighed, tucking the end of the strip of linen into the folds, holding it in place for the day. After a while it would become uncomfortable, possibly itchy. But it was necessary. Bae stirred once more, and she brushed a hand across his hair. She would be gone when he awoke, but he knew where she was at, and he knew not to leave the hole.
Code credit to Itt.