Solemn

"Mom," I was saying in the dimly lit pathway deep in the colony. "You don't have to do this job. I-I'll take care of money, I'll do anything. Please stop sleeping with those bastards."

My mother had huge dark circles under her eyes, and wrinkles on her face due to her job. She barely got any sleep.

"Ignis," she said, extending a hand to my face. Her voice sounded tired. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, I really am. But we have no other choice. We have you and Ember to feed, for god's sake. What your father makes is not even half the fee the leader demands, and there's no job you can do that can make enough. I have to do this for our family."

"No mom, you can do anything. Anything but this," I was saying, knowing it was in vain.

"Ignis, listen," She said, kneeling down so her face was in front of mine. Her voice was dead serious now, "Don't... Don't keep saying this bullshit, you understand? We need to survive. Even if our life is hell, we need to do whatever the fuck we can to get food in our mouths, even if it means swallowing their shit and semen, we need to do whatever we can to live. You understand, Ignis? We... We need to fucking survive."

I was nodding my head, tears forming in my eyes.

"Alright... Alright, now go back to the sleeping room. It's almost sunset," she said, getting back up before walking down the path to the room she worked in.

That bastard... Tonight, he was going to-

I clenched my fist.

We need to fucking survive.

I unclenched it. There was nothing I could do. I was just a powerless kid, after all. I would have to shut up and take it, in order to survive. I had Ember to protect, after all.

I walked back upstairs to the sleeping room, emotionally numb. The people were settling for the night when I entered. I walked towards my sleeping spot, passing Ember on the way. She smiled up at me as I passed, and I couldn't even get myself to smile back. I sat down on the floor, exhausted as Ember approached me.

"What's wrong, brother?" Her voice sounded concerned.

"Nothing, Ember. It's nothing."

She stared at me for a moment, thinking. "Is it about mom?" She asked, sharp as ever.

I looked at her, finally able to manage a small smile. "It's nothing."

She didn't look convinced, but she stopped asking me questions, saying good night before heading back to her spot. I didn't say good night back.

I closed my eyes when I heard the scream coming from outside the room. I heard a woman run into the room, breathing heavily.

"What happened?" Someone asked her.

"It's Raste," she said, panting heavily. "He's hidden behind the agriculture room. He- He doesn't have a fucking head."