R-18 Profanity

I stand here, watching as the diggers throw dirt on to the cloth sack that is now a burial shroud and coffin in one. Hot, angry, miserable, tears just fall in streams down my eyes. First momma, eight years ago, now Mrs. Vathy by the undercarriage ague.

Mrs. Doris Leah Vathy, my mothers friend, and my refuge, has joined my momma. I remember how lost I felt when Mrs. Vathy showed up with ol' doc Barnaby, and how I went to wake momma. Mrs. Vathy snatched me into her arms something fierce. When doc checked her pulse and shook his head, I didn't believe it. Even Mrs. Vathy tried to deny it at first. We sat there on the bed next to momma, crying in agony. Crying for the part of our soul that was taken with her last breath.

Mrs. Vathy kept me there to live with her, refusing my father access to me, when he finally found out that me and momma were not at home. I peeked out the missing knot hole in the wall and watched as Mrs. Vathy stood there fearless, screeching and belittling my father.

"MURDERER!" She had screamed at him. "YOU BEAT YOUR WIFE TO DEATH, TEN DAYS AGO! YOU'RE JUST NOW SHOWING UP?! YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THE GALL TO DEMAND I HAND YOUR DAUGHTER BACK TO YOU?! WHY?! SO YOU CAN BEAT HER TO DEATH TOO! "

The look that crossed my daddy's face, his face had fallen in guilt, to only become pinched in grief. It almost had me running to go give daddy a hug. Almost. Then his face changed and got ugly again.

"If that little bitch of a girl hadn't stole my money and handed it to her mother to protect her, this wouldn't have happened!" He shouted.

Mrs. Vathy scoffed, "NOW, YOU LISTEN WELL AND GOOD, ARTHUR LANGRIDGE. NO ONE STOLE FROM YOU, YOU DRANK YOUR MONEY AT YOUR PUB THE DRIPS, DRINKING SWILL ALL DAY! I had half the damn bar already confirm it, and they confirmed you came back with more coppers later! "

Mrs. Vathy, even with her crooked, hunched spine, was an imposing and frightful sight to watch seething rage as she yelled at my father.

"You took your rent and food money for the week from your starving wife and daughter, just to feed the spirit demon endless hunger in you! Plenty at the pub have told me! They've all stopped by to pay their condolences to me and that little girl in there. You however...just found out?" She wrinkled her nose, snarling at him.

"Fuck off, Doris. You need a new man to put your ass back in place! Now, send my daughter out here NOW!" He shouts getting in her face, raising a fist that freezes in the air.

"Tsk...tsk...tsk... Arthur, you forget who you're talking to? You think you're a man? YOU'RE NOT EVEN WORTHY OF BEING CALLED A BASTARD! You want to act like you know what a man really is? HA! Why don't you go find out what a real one is first. You want to be a man? Then go SOBER UP and be one, a good one. Then, I'll THINK about letting you SEE your daughter. NOW PISS OFF! NEXT TIME YOU COME AT ME LIKE THAT, I'LL SLIT YOUR GULLET OPEN FOR ALL THE WORLD TO SEE YOUR DARK INTERIOR! That's a promise to the elements." Mrs. Vathy pulls her hand down and a metallic sheen of a blade catches my eye as daddy quickly walks back, afraid and humiliated.

"I'll show you, Doris, mark my words."

Mrs. Vathy just spits at his feet, making him turn and leave the street that was quiet and full of gawking eyes and ears.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARING AT?!" He shouts at them, making them jump, look away, or hurry away.

Later on, over the years of washing clothes and linens together earning a wage, I had found out that Mrs. Vathy used to be part of the Bladed Cogs. The Bladed Cogs were a gang here in the slums that used to be so feared by the law, that the military was sent to the undercarriage to dismantle them. That's how Momma and Mrs. Vathy got married though too, to the military soldiers that were sent.

Momma was a good girl though, she wasn't part of the gang. She was hired to do the laundry of the soldiers, that's how she met daddy.

Mrs. Vathy said, in the beginning, my daddy seemed like a good man. But, as soon as the ring went on after they said I do, he began to change, slowly getting worse. The more he drank with his fellow soldiers after work, the more often bruises and limps would appear on momma.

Little did I know, I have three elder siblings that never were given the chance to live. Daddy had beat her while he was enraged and drunk, making her miscarry them. Mrs. Vathy helped keep momma safe, when she was pregnant with me. That's how Mrs. Vathy met her husband, that she ended up killing by poison. He had helped drag an incoherent daddy, back to the shanty and was taken by Mrs. Vathy's beauty.

OF course, Mrs. Vathy warned me as well, "A man will tell you whatever it is that makes your heart flutter fast, so you stop using your head and wind up under their ass. Don't ever judge a man by what or how he speaks, love. You judge a man by his actions, make him prove that he's the man he thinks and says he is."

Of course after marriage, her husband did almost the same thing to her. Only she, being in love with him, told him the truth about her involvement with the gang. He did not take the news well. Her back was broken, and it's a miracle she's able to stand, let alone walk, with what he did to her. A metal fireplace shovel for ashes, still covered in blood, was laying on top of her when momma found her. Some neighbors helped ol' doc get her into her bed and examined her.

Mr. Vathy could not be found for two months after this. Once she healed, with help from momma, nursing us both at the same time, Mrs. Vathy was able to find him and poisoned him. She was a strong and brave woman.

Mrs. Vathy had grieved with me, loved me, taught me how to earn an honest living, and showed me how to defend myself. Now, I'm all alone again, in this filthy world where the sun is dimmed by the steam and vapors of the piping and other works that power the upper echelons. Those that live and tower above the slums on their giant platforms. Living with us out of sight and out of mind. I'm only fifteen and now I must survive on my own.

My heart aches from the desolation of being alone. No one is here to comfort me, love me, guide me through this life. I'm truly all alone.

Dropping to my knees in front of Mrs. Vathy's freshly covered grave, adorned with a crude metal cross, marked with her name and date of death, I claw at the earth.

Crying and moaning, "Mrs.  Vathy! Tell Momma I love her! I love you too! Why does everyone I love leave me?" I sob uncontrollably, clawing at the dirt like I can uncover her and bring her back to life with my cries.

A hand comes to rests on my shoulder, it's an offering of unspoken comfort. I turn to to see who's there and only see it's male through my blurred vision who pulls the hand back.

"My apologies, I'm truly sorry for your loss. You are Rakara Langridge, I presume?" The soothing warm voice of the middle aged, trimmed but bearded male inquires.

"I am. What can I help you with, Mr...?" I sniffle wiping my eyes and nose with my handkerchief.

He stands a little bit straighter, and I see he's a well dressed man. Not rich, but definitely not a resident of the undercarriage.

"Atwood, Ma'am. Rufus Mortimer Atwood, of Atwood Legal Firm. I'm here to offer not only my condolences Ms. Langridge, but to go over some legal papers that require your attention. Is there a place we can talk?" He asks and that's when I notice the leather bag in his hand.

Nodding and standing with the help of his other steady hand, "Yes, please follow me, Mr. Atwood."

We arrive at Mrs. Vathy's shanty, and I quickly wash my hands in the basin.

I let him sit in the better seat at the tiny table of Mrs. Vathy's and offer him some dandelion tea.

"Thank you, Ms. Langridge." He takes a small sip before his eyes light up. "Oh, you make a wonderful dandelion tea, my mother used to make it like this too. You dip the blooms in boiling water before drying them, correct?"

I agree with a nod, "That way they're not so bitter when you brew them." Mr. Atwood spoke at the same time, the exact same thing. We both smiled and laughed at that.

"Now, how can I help you, Mr. Atwood?" I ask once the room had become quiet again.

"Ah, yes." He places the leather bag on the small table and takes out a few files, each full of paperwork. Opening the first one, he begins.

"You're mother, the elements bless and keep her, apparently left you some heirloom pieces in our care that would be relinquished to you upon your eighteenth birthday or after Mrs. Vathy's death, whichever came first. These belonged in your family, your mother's side, she wrote a note," he thumbs through some pages and pulls one out. "Ah-ha! Explaining their importance and other information, all that can be found in this note." He slides the envelope and paper over to me to look over.

I glance at it, but leave it to the side. It takes me a while to read, and he'd be here all day and night, waiting for me to finish reading them.

'Heirloom pieces...., I should go get that one out of our old shanty than. I'll have to make sure HE is not there.'

"I'll look over that later. Is there anything else?" I ask him politely.

"From your mother, I'm afraid not. However, Mrs. Vathy left some things to you, in her will." He sets that file down and picks up one that's a little thicker.

"Mrs. Doris Vathy left behind for you, as stated: All my earthy possessions, located in my home. A lock box that is being held by Atwood Legal Firm, containing within; seven gold coins, 28 silver coins, and 2700 coppers. One gold chain with emerald and diamond pendant and emerald earring set. Four silver and fine gemstone rings, three silver necklaces with metal work pendants, the deed to a small store shop in the works district, located at 54863 Locking Cog Way, with its small apartment above the shop."

He pulls out another envelope from this file as well, handing it over to my dumbfounded mind. I blink a few times before accepting the letter.

"I..I... What?"

'Money?! A shop and apartment in the Works district?! Jewelry?! How in the world?' My thoughts are rushing past unsure of how to take this all in.

"I'm sure she explains it all well in the letter, Ms. Langridge. You may stop by our offices anytime to pick up both of those lock boxes. You'll just need to present those papers attached to the letters,  if I am not present, or better yet, just ask for me."

"Thank you, Mr. Atwood. I appreciate you coming and presenting this to me. I had no idea about any of it, honestly." I remember to thank him, all that I had been left, would get me by and possibly living a better life, just like momma would have wanted. I had a golden opportunity at the moment, and I might have a chance to make things better.

"Well, I'm not finished my dear. I have one more file of legal documents for you. I know you're already dealing with a loss, but it seems that your father, Arthur Langridge, has passed away as well."

"Good riddance, may the Elements forever keep him as lubricant for the machines." Remembering I'm speaking with a member of the works, I quickly apologize.

"Sorry, Mr. Atwood. He's my father, but there was never much fatherly love between us."

He didn't seem taken aback in the slightest. "Miss Langridge, trust me when I say that your statement is the most eloquent verbiage that anyone has used in reference to your father."

He gave me knowing smile and a twinkle of his eyes as he looked back down at the file.

"Now, moving on. As your father was part of our military at one point, each person who's ever served, at the time of their death is given a endowment for the next of kin. Which is you. The government has given you the total amount, after taxes and fees, of one gold, one hundred thirty silvers, and three hundred and ninety-six coppers. Also enclosed, is all of his personal effects located in his residence are yours as well. The landlord for that residence asks that you remove them in the next week, they've also been compensated any rent owed from your father, as part of the fees I mentioned earlier. I have the endowment right here for you." He opens his bag, pulling out a large cloth bag, jingling from the amount of coins inside. He sets it down, the coins clinking together in front of me.

My hands shake as I take and move the bag to the side. Curious, I speak up.

"Thank you,  Mr. Atwood. May I ask, How much was the original amount the government awarded as an endowment?"

"Six gold, Miss. The taxes paid from it, totaled..two gold, thirty silver and two hundred and three coppers. My fee's are allowed to be taken from this endowment and they are one gold, four hundred silver, and five hundred coppers. The back rent owed to the land lord totaled seven hundred silver and nine hundred coppers. It seems that your father owed eight years worth of rent, but with the law provided for enlisted and former military soldiers, he could not be evicted unless given a new residence of lower value. His residence was the lowest value of residence so the amounts kept stacking over the year plus interest."

I nod knowing that I wouldn't be keeping any of his money anyways.

"Mr. Atwood, if given the opportunity, would you help one family or person for a long time, or help many for a short time?"

Mr. Atwood eyes crinkle with his large smile that crosses his face as he taps his chin in thought. "I'd say, I would take the money in your situation, and use it to build a small business and hire a few people to improve their lives. That's what I did, when my family died. I got an education in law, and moved out of the Undercarriage, taking some friends with me and improving all of our lives. Whatever you choose to do," He pauses looking at me seriously. "I would keep your wealth a secret. Your life here in the Undercarriage will otherwise be in peril."

"I understand, Mr. Atwood. I have two more questions for you, if you're able to answer them for me."

"I'll try my best. Miss Langridge." He nods straightening up the files, leaving certain papers out.

"Do you know how my father died?"

Taking a deep breath, he lowers his gaze to the floor. "I was told it was a freak accident, that he fell from the factory rails into the smelters. Rumor is, he was pushed by someone unknown, but that of course is just rumor."

I only nod, waiting for the pain and loss to enter me. It doesn't as the quiet fills the room.

"You had another question, I believe, or may we sign these and continue with our business?" He snaps me from my thoughts and I smile warmly at him.

"Would you like some more dandelion tea?"